Pickup Rules & Schedules: Mountain View vs San Jose
How do pickup rules & schedules rules compare between Mountain View, CA and San Jose, CA?
Mountain View and San Jose have similar restriction levels.
Mountain View, CA
Santa Clara County
Recology is Mountain View's exclusive hauler for garbage, recycling, and organics. Containers go out no earlier than the evening before collection and must be removed by the end of service day.
View full Mountain View rules →San Jose, CA
Santa Clara County
San Jose provides curbside collection of garbage, recycling, and organics through a contracted waste hauler. Collection occurs weekly on assigned days. Carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day with handles facing the house. Carts should be set out no earlier than 5:00 PM the day before collection and retrieved by midnight on collection day. The City provides three carts: blue for recycling, green for organics/yard waste, and brown/gray for garbage.
View full San Jose rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Mountain View | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Hauler | Recology Mountain View | - |
| Service frequency | Weekly | - |
| Carts provided | Gray trash, blue recycling, green organics | - |
| Set-out time | After 5 p.m. day before pickup | - |
| Removal | By end of collection day | - |
| Collection | - | Weekly curbside pickup on assigned day |
| Set-Out | - | By 6:00 AM on collection day; no earlier than 5 PM prior day |
| Cart Colors | - | Blue (recycling), Green (organics), Gray (garbage) |
| Retrieval | - | By midnight on collection day |
| Goal | - | 90% landfill diversion by 2030 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Mountain View FAQ
When is my pickup day?
Pickup day depends on your neighborhood. Use the Recology lookup tool on recology.com/mountain-view or call customer service with your address.
What happens on holidays?
When a major holiday falls on a weekday, Recology slides service by one day for the rest of the week. Check the holiday schedule on their website.
San Jose FAQ
What day is my trash pickup in San Jose?
Collection days are assigned by address. Check the City's website at sanjoseca.gov/recycle or call 408-535-3500 to find your collection schedule.
What goes in each cart?
Blue cart: paper, cardboard, bottles, cans. Green cart: food scraps, yard waste, food-soiled paper. Gray cart: non-recyclable, non-compostable materials only.
Compare other topics
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