Trash & Recycling in Redwood City, CA (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for Redwood City, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Redwood City requires refuse service at every occupied premises under City Code Section 14.2, with the charge set under Section 14.31. A property owner who wants out of all or part of that mandatory service must apply to the Health Officer for a waiver, and a waiver covering recyclables or organics is granted only if the applicant proves those materials are being diverted another lawful way.
Redwood City Trash Pickup Service Rules
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code § 14.2
A.All occupied premises within the limits of the City shall have refuse service as specified in this Chapter and for the service a charge shall be collected in accordance with Section 14.31 of this Chapter, except as otherwise specified in subsection (B).B.Any person desiring a waiver from all or part of the requirement to have refuse service as specified in this Chapter may make an application...
Bin Placement Rules
Every occupied property in Redwood City must keep enough watertight garbage, recycling and organic-waste containers to hold everything generated between pickups. City Code Section 14.15 lets residents wheel carts to the curb only between noon the day before collection and noon the day after, and containers can never block a driveway, sidewalk, street or sight line.
Redwood City Garbage Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code § 14.15
A.Every person in possession, charge, or control of any premises shall provide a sufficient number of containers of sufficient capacity to hold all garbage, recyclables, and organic materials which are created, produced, or accumulated on such premises between the times of successive collections by the collector. Persons who have successfully obtained a waiver from the City pursuant to subsecti...
Recycling Requirements
Commercial businesses and multi-family properties in Redwood City must subscribe to the City's three-container collection service, supply labeled recycling and organics containers for tenants and customers, and train staff on sorting, under Municipal Code Section 47.050, unless they qualify as a permitted self-hauler.
Redwood City Commercial Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code sec. 47.050
Subscribe to City's three-container collection services and comply with requirements of those services as described below in Section 47.050.B., except commercial businesses that meet the self-hauler requirements in Section 47.100 of this Chapter. City shall have the right to review the number and size of a generator's containers and frequency of collection to evaluate adequacy of capacity provi...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Every single-family home in Redwood City must subscribe to the city's three-container organic waste collection service and sort food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper into the green cart, keeping them out of the black cart, under City Code Section 47.040. The rule implements state law SB 1383 and carries escalating fines enforced under Section 47.150.
Redwood City Mandatory Organic Waste Separation
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code sec. 47.040
Shall subscribe to the City's organic waste collection services for all organic waste generated as described below in Section 47.040.B... Generators may additionally manage their organic waste by preventing or reducing their organic waste, managing organic waste on site, and/or using a community composting site pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18984.9(c). Shall participate in the City's three contain...
Illegal Dumping
Redwood City Code section 14.5 makes it unlawful to dump, place or bury refuse or condemned waste matter in any lot, land, street, alley, waterway or anywhere else in the City. There's no standalone fine written into the section, so a violation defaults to the code's general misdemeanor penalty.
Redwood City Illegal Dumping Ban
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code § 14.5
REFUSE: Shall mean and be held to include all types of waste materials such as defined herein under the heading of "garbage," "organic materials," "recyclables," "rubbish," "solid waste," and "waste matter."...WASTE MATTER: Shall mean and be held to include crockery, ashes, shells, plaster, brickbats and all other noncombustible materials...Sec. 14.5. - DUMPING, ETC., OF REFUSE IN CITY PLACES U...
Collection Schedule
Redwood City requires refuse service at every occupied property under Sec. 14.2, with pickup no less than once a week under Sec. 14.24. Sec. 14.25 fixes the collection window: residential pickup runs 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., while commercial pickup runs 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends, holidays excluded.
Redwood City Trash Collection Hours and Schedule
Some RestrictionsRedwood City Code §§ 14.24, 14.25
Sec. 14.24. - NUMBER AND MANNER OF COLLECTIONS: The Health Department may make such regulation concerning the number and manner of collections of refuse by refuse collectors as it may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article but in no case shall collection service less often than once a week be permitted. Sec. 14.25. - TIME OF COLLECTIONS: The time of collections of refuse in ...
Looking for San Mateo County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Redwood City city rules.
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