Trash & Recycling in El Dorado County, CA (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated El Dorado County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
El Dorado County property owners must keep non-recyclable waste from sitting out more than seven days, per Code Section 8.42.500. The clock only resets for strikes, severe weather, or an official holiday that pushes a normal seven-day collection cycle to the next working day.
El Dorado County Seven-Day Trash Pickup Rule
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.500(A)-(B)
Excepting disruptions in normal solid waste collection schedules, non-recyclable wastes shall not be allowed to remain on the premises for more than seven days, to prevent propagation, harborage, or attraction of flies, rodents or other vectors, and the creation of nuisances.B.For purposes of this section, disruptions in normal solid waste collection schedules shall be limited to where:1.Disrup...
Bin Placement Rules
El Dorado County requires trash and recycling containers to stay out of view from the street except on pickup day. Code Section 8.42.550 caps curbside set-out at 12 hours before collection, requires pickup within 12 hours after, and adds a snow-season clearance rule.
El Dorado County Trash Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.550(A)
Residential containers, bags and recycling containers shall be stored in such a manner as not to be readily visible from the public street; provided that during the time fixed for collection from the premises, residential containers, bags and recycling containers shall be placed for collection as follows:1.Curb Service. Residential containers, bags and recycling containers shall be placed adjac...
Recycling Requirements
Residents and tenants who want curbside recycling pickup in unincorporated El Dorado County must separate recyclables from regular trash and put them in a container the franchisee approves, under Code Section 8.42.540. Reusable bins have to stay clean and free of non-recyclable waste.
El Dorado County Curbside Recycling Separation Rule
Light RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.540
Property owners and tenants wishing to have recyclable materials collected by a franchisee shall separate recyclable materials from non-recyclable wastes and deposit the recyclable materials in a recycling container provided by, or acceptable to the franchisee or permittee which has been approved by the County. If the recycling container is a reusable container, the container shall be maintaine...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping, scattering or discarding litter or solid waste on any road, right-of-way, or public or private property in unincorporated El Dorado County is unlawful under Code Section 8.42.700. Visible accumulations of trash, junk or refuse on private land are barred the same way.
El Dorado County Illegal Dumping Prohibition
Heavy RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.700
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, dump, scatter, discard, place or deposit litter or solid waste in any manner or amount on any highway, road, right-of-way, or public or private property within the unincorporated area of the County, except in containers or in areas lawfully provided for or permitted for that use.B.The existence or accumulation, without the authority of the County, o...
Yard Waste Collection
Under El Dorado County Code Section 8.45.040, every single-family household must subscribe to organic waste collection through its franchised hauler and place yard waste, meaning leaves, grass clippings, prunings, and pine needles, in the designated container, or meet the self-haul standards in Section 8.45.060, unless the County has granted an exemption or waiver.
El Dorado County Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.45.040
Single-family organic waste generators shall comply with the following requirements: A.Unless the generator has been exempted by the County or is located in an area where a waiver has been issued or obtained, subscribe to the organic waste collection services provided in the generator's service area by an authorized County franchisee or meet the self-haul requirements in Section 8.45.060.B.Unle...
Dumpster Rules
Anyone running a construction or demolition site in unincorporated El Dorado County must keep adequate on-site containers for solid waste and litter under Code Section 8.42.560, arrange for their collection or hauling to an authorized facility, and stop debris from blowing off the site.
El Dorado County Construction Dumpster Requirements
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.560(A)-(B)
It shall be unlawful for the owner, agent or contractor in charge of any construction or demolition site to cause, maintain, permit, or allow to be caused, maintained or permitted the accumulation of any solid waste and litter on the site before, during or after completion of the construction or demolitions project.B.It shall be the duty of the owner, agent or contractor to have adequate contai...
Collection Schedule
Property owners in El Dorado County's mandatory collection area, covering the South Lake Tahoe Basin and the Cameron Park Community Services District, must pay solid waste collection fees whether or not they actually use the service. Fees are billed quarterly or bi-monthly under Code Section 8.42.210, and become delinquent 15 days after billing.
El Dorado County Mandatory Trash Collection Areas
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.210
Each owner, occupant or person in possession, charge or control of any collection premises located in a mandatory collection area is hereby made liable jointly and severely for the payment of the solid waste collection, processing and disposal fees levied against such premises for required solid waste collection, processing and disposal services, irrespective of the actual use of the service pr...
Recycling Rules
It's illegal in unincorporated El Dorado County for anyone other than the property's franchised hauler or the owner to touch recyclables once they're set out for pickup. Code Section 8.42.770 bans tampering with, modifying or scavenging segregated recyclable materials placed at a collection point.
El Dorado County Ban on Taking Recyclables
Some RestrictionsEl Dorado County Code § 8.42.770
No person shall, other than the owner or franchised recyclable materials hauler, tamper with, modify, or deposit wastes into recyclable materials that have been segregated from non-recyclable wastes and placed at a designated collection location for the purpose of collection and recycling. Unless otherwise provided by contract, all recyclable materials which are segregated from non-recyclable w...
All El Dorado County ordinances
See every category we cover for El Dorado County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
El Dorado County Ordinance Hub →