Trash & Recycling in Palo Alto, CA (2026)
4 verified trash & recycling rules for Palo Alto, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
GreenWaste of Palo Alto collects garbage, recycling, and compost weekly on assigned routes. Residents must place carts at the curb by 6:00 AM on pickup day and remove them within 24 hours.
Palo Alto Trash Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsCalifornia SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) — Short-lived climate pollutants: organic waste: landfills
SB 1383, Lara. Short-lived climate pollutants: methane emissions: dairy and livestock: organic waste: landfills. This bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to approve and begin implementing that comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40%, and anthropogenic blac...
Bin Placement Rules
Trash, recycling, and compost carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day, spaced three feet apart, and returned to a screened area out of public view within 24 hours.
Palo Alto Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsBulk Item Disposal
Palo Alto residents receive two free on-call bulky item pickups per year through GreenWaste for furniture, mattresses, and appliances. Appointments must be scheduled in advance; illegal dumping is prohibited.
Palo Alto Bulky Item Pickup
Some RestrictionsRecycling Requirements
Palo Alto requires residents and businesses to separate recyclables and organics from trash under SB 1383, AB 341, and Chapter 5.20. GreenWaste collects mixed recyclables weekly in blue carts.
Palo Alto Recycling Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia SB 1383 (Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy)
Fight Climate Change by Recycling Organic Waste To reduce methane pollution and other short-lived climate pollutants, California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016). The law set targets for 2025: 75% less organic waste sent to landfills. 20% of unsold, still-edible food sent to food recovery organizations. Landfills Are Third Largest Source of Methane in California Organic waste in landfills emits: 20%...
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Palo Alto city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Santa Clara County →