Pickup Rules & Schedules: Palo Alto vs San Jose
How do pickup rules & schedules rules compare between Palo Alto, CA and San Jose, CA?
Palo Alto and San Jose have similar restriction levels.
Palo Alto, CA
Santa Clara County
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.
View full Palo Alto 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 | Palo Alto | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Hauler | GreenWaste of Palo Alto | - |
| Set-out time | By 6:00 AM on pickup day | - |
| Remove carts | Within 24 hours after pickup | - |
| Cart spacing | 3 feet apart, 3 feet from obstacles | - |
| Rate model | Pay-As-You-Throw by cart size | - |
| 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.
Palo Alto FAQ
Who is Palo Altos trash hauler?
GreenWaste of Palo Alto, a subsidiary of GreenWaste Recovery, holds the exclusive residential collection franchise for the city.
When do I set my carts out?
Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 AM on your collection day. Putting them out the night before is typical, but they must be removed within 24 hours after pickup.
What if I miss my pickup?
Contact GreenWaste customer service or use the Palo Alto 311 app to request a missed-pickup return within 24 hours of your regular service day.
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.
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