Trash & Recycling in West Covina, CA (2026)
8 verified trash & recycling rules for West Covina, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
West Covina's hauler Athens Services collects trash, recycling, and organics weekly on your assigned day. Confirm your day with Athens. When a holiday falls on a weekday, collection runs one day late for the rest of the week.
West Covina Trash Pickup Schedule & Rules
Some RestrictionsCalifornia SB-1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016), Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Reduction (Public Resources Code Section 42652 et seq.)
An act to add Sections 39730.5, 39730.6, 39730.7, and 39730.8 to the Health and Safety Code, and to add Chapter 13.1 (commencing with Section 42652) to Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, relating to methane emissions. ... The bill also would establish specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills. ... The bill would require the department, in consultation with the s...
Bin Placement Rules
West Covina bars residents from setting out trash, recycling or yard waste carts before 5:00 p.m. the day before pickup and requires their removal by 8:00 p.m. on collection day, or within two hours after the truck comes, whichever is later, under Municipal Code Sec. 12-20(a). Containers must otherwise stay out of street view.
West Covina Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-20(a), (d) (Placement of receptacles)
(a)Residential. No person shall place any solid waste or recyclable material or yard waste or any container containing such material at any place of collection before 5:00 p.m. of the day preceding its scheduled collection, or leave any such container at the place of collection after 8:00 p.m. on the day of actual collection, or for more than two (2) hours after actual collection, whichever is ...
Bulk Item Disposal
West Covina caps loose bulky items and tied bundles at three feet long, one foot in diameter and fifty pounds under Municipal Code Sec. 12-21(b). Larger household items like stoves, refrigerators, furniture and water heaters are picked up separately, under the collection policies the city's approved waste hauler sets for that category.
West Covina Bulky Item Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-21(b) (Condition of waste for collection)
(b)Waste not in containers.(1)Single bulky items of solid waste or items not in containers shall be collected provided that no item exceeds three (3) feet in length and one (1) foot in diameter, or weighs over fifty (50) pounds.(2)Solid waste or yard waste in bundles shall be collected provided that each bundle is tied and does not exceed three (3) feet in length and one (1) foot in diameter, o...
Recycling Requirements
West Covina requires every single-family household and commercial business to subscribe to the city's organic waste collection service and sort waste into black, green and blue containers under Municipal Code Sec. 12-41 and 12-42, implementing California's SB 1383 mandate. Contaminating a container or skipping service risks a $100 to $500 administrative fine under Sec. 12-48.
West Covina Mandatory Organic Waste Recycling
Significant RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-41 (Requirements for single-family generators); Sec. 12-48(e) (Penalty amounts)
Single-family organic waste generators shall: (1)Subscribe to city's organic waste collection services. City or its designee shall have the right to review the number, type, and size of a generator's containers to evaluate adequacy of capacity provided for each type of collection service for proper separation of materials and containment of materials. A single-family generator shall adjust its ...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping junk, debris or waste of any kind on public or private land in West Covina without the property owner's written permission is illegal under Municipal Code Sec. 15-2, even on lots near a flood control wash. Sec. 1-37.1 lists Sec. 15-2 among the enumerated infractions, escalating to a misdemeanor on a fourth violation.
West Covina Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 15-2 (Dumping junk or rubbish on private property); Sec. 1-37.1 (Violation; infraction)
Sec. 15-2. - Dumping junk or rubbish on private property. No person shall dump or deposit junk such as tin cans, wire, old auto parts, or any debris or waste material of any nature on any public or private property within the limits of the city, even though the same be near a wash without first obtaining permission in writing from the owner of the property. ... Sec. 1-37.1. - Violation; infract...
Yard Waste Collection
West Covina Municipal Code Sec. 12-16 defines yard waste as leaves, grass cuttings and shrubs from routine property upkeep. The city's franchised hauler collects it on the same weekly schedule as household trash under Sec. 12-18, and loose bundles set at the curb must stay under three feet long, one foot in diameter and fifty pounds under Sec. 12-21(b)(2).
West Covina Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-16 (Definitions); Sec. 12-21(b)(2) (Condition of waste for collection)
Yard waste: "Yard waste" means all leaves, grass, cuttings, and shrubs that accompany routine household or property maintenance functions. ... Solid waste or yard waste in bundles shall be collected provided that each bundle is tied and does not exceed three (3) feet in length and one (1) foot in diameter, or weight over fifty (50) pounds.
Dumpster Rules
West Covina treats any commercial bin or roll-off placed or used without the city's exclusive collection franchise as an 'unlawful bin/rolloff' under Municipal Code Sec. 12-17(f), subject to impoundment and a $500 fine for a first offense, rising to $1,000 for each later offense, plus towing and storage costs to redeem it.
West Covina Commercial Dumpster Rules
Significant RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-17(f) (Impounding and fining of unlawful bin/rolloff)
(f)Impounding and fining of unlawful bin/rolloff.(1)Any bin/rolloff used for storage or transport of solid waste and/or recyclable material, the placement or use of which violates section 12.17(a) of this Code, for purposes of this section, is deemed an "unlawful bin/rolloff". The unlawful bin/rolloff may be removed from any premises in the city, impounded, and fines be issued pursuant to the p...
Collection Schedule
West Covina Municipal Code Sec. 12-18 requires weekly collection of residential, commercial and industrial solid waste and recyclables, and Sec. 12-19 confines collection crews to a 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. window on any day. Residential households must subscribe to the city's own or franchised hauler under Sec. 12-17(c).
West Covina Trash Collection Hours & Schedule
Some RestrictionsWest Covina, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 12-18 (Garbage collection schedules); Sec. 12-19 (Hours of collection)
Residential, industrial and commercial waste and recyclable material shall be collected at least once weekly. Yard waste shall be collected on the same schedule or as determined to be necessary by the city and the approved collection agent. ... Solid waste, recyclable material or yard waste shall not be collected prior to 6:00 a.m. nor after 8:00 p.m. on any day.
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement West Covina city rules.
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