Trash & Recycling in Kern County, CA (2026)
8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Kern County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Every owner of single-family, multi-family or commercial property in unincorporated Kern County must keep discarded-materials containers on-site and arrange collection through a franchise hauler's one-, two- or three-container system. Kern County Code Section 8.28.060 makes the property owner responsible for compliance even when a tenant runs day-to-day operations, and requires weekly removal of waste to a county resource management facility.
Mandatory Trash Service Rules in Kern County
Some RestrictionsKern County Code of Ordinances Section 8.28.060 (Generator Requirements - Mandatory Services Required)
A. It shall be the duty of every person who is the owner of any single-family, multi-family, or commercial property or any temporary or mobile food facility within the County, to provide for themselves or obtain from a franchise hauler, and at all times to keep on the premises, portable discarded materials containers, that meet the specifications outlined in Section 8.28.030 of this code, for h...
Bin Placement Rules
In unincorporated Kern County, containers set out for franchise pickup must sit at the curb, alley or another spot the hauler can reach, at the time the hauler designates for collection. Once collection is done, the owner must remove the bins from any public right-of-way and store them behind the required front-yard setback or inside an approved enclosure.
Kern County Trash Container Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsKern County Code § 8.28.040
Containers intended for collection by a franchise hauler shall be placed at the curb, alley or other location accessible to the franchise hauler and as approved by the public official, at a time designated by the franchise hauler for collection. Following collection by the franchise hauler, containers shall be removed from any public right-of-way and returned to a storage location on the premis...
Recycling Requirements
Every owner of a single-family, multi-family or commercial property in unincorporated Kern County must keep discarded-material containers on site and either subscribe to the franchise hauler's collection system or qualify to self-haul. Section 8.28.060 requires generators to sort materials into the designated container under the hauler's one, two or three-container system, with pickup at least weekly unless the county grants a waiver.
Kern County Mandatory Trash and Recycling Service
Some RestrictionsKern County Code § 8.28.060(A)-(B)
It shall be the duty of every person who is the owner of any single-family, multi-family, or commercial property or any temporary or mobile food facility within the County, to provide for themselves or obtain from a franchise hauler, and at all times to keep on the premises, portable discarded materials containers, that meet the specifications outlined in Section 8.28.030 of this code, for hold...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Kern County's SB 1383 rules require commercial edible food generators, grocery stores, food service providers and similar tier one and tier two businesses, to recover the maximum amount of edible food they would otherwise throw away and contract with a food recovery organization or service to collect or accept it. Tier one generators had to comply starting January 1, 2022, and tier two by January 1, 2024.
Kern County Commercial Edible Food Recovery Mandate
Some RestrictionsKern County Code § 8.28.064
A.Tier one commercial edible food generators must comply with the requirements of this section commencing January 1, 2022, and Tier two commercial edible food generators must comply commencing January 1, 2024 pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18991.3.B.Commercial edible food generators shall comply with the following requirements:1.Arrange to recover the maximum amount of edible food that would otherw...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping discarded materials on a public right-of-way, vacant lot or waterway in unincorporated Kern County is a misdemeanor under Section 8.28.080, carrying a $1,000 administrative penalty for a first offense and $1,500 for any repeat within a year. Investigators can pin the dumping on you from your own mail found in the pile.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Kern County
Heavy RestrictionsKern County Code of Ordinances Section 8.28.080 (Abatement Actions - Unlawful and Unauthorized Dumping)
A. Any person who: ... 3. Causes or permits the deposit of discarded materials on the right-of-way of any public highway, street, easement or thoroughfare, or upon any camping place or public grounds, or on any premises, or in any container, without the permission of the owner thereof, or into any stream or dry watercourse, within the county of Kern, state of California, and outside of the inco...
Dumpster Rules
Unincorporated Kern County requires every property owner to keep enough discarded-material containers on site, sized to the waste actually generated there, and the franchise hauler supplies them. Commercial bins must carry a tight-fitting cover, proper labeling and the colors set in the franchise agreement, and businesses on a three-container system must equip customer and work areas with correctly sorted, color-coded bins.
Kern County Commercial Dumpster Specification Rules
Some RestrictionsKern County Code § 8.28.030(A)(1)
Discarded material containers shall be constructed to be appropriate for discarded material types and provided with a tight-fitting cover and handles. Each container (including commercial type bins) shall be made of metal, plastic/resin or of such other materials, meet the color specifications outlined in the franchise agreement, include proper labeling and design as may be approved for such us...
Collection Schedule
Inside a Kern County universal collection area, the property owner must subscribe to, pay for and use the franchise hauler's regularly scheduled trash service, whether or not the parcel is occupied. The board of supervisors sets these boundaries by resolution, undeveloped land is exempt, and long-vacant homes can apply for a rebate.
Universal Trash Collection Service in Kern County
Some RestrictionsKern County Code of Ordinances Sections 8.28.081-8.28.082 (Universal Collection Areas)
The board of supervisors may, by resolution, establish universal collection areas for the disposal of discarded materials. ... Within any universal collection area established by the board of supervisors pursuant to this chapter, and except as provided in subsection (B) herein below and permitted by Section 8.28.083, the owner of each premises used as an occupied residence, place of business, o...
Recycling Rules
Every property owner in unincorporated Kern County, residential or commercial, must keep discarded-materials containers on site and participate in the county's franchise hauler's one-, two- or three-container collection system under Section 8.28.060, which is how the county's curbside recycling and organics separation gets enforced. Self-hauling to a county resource facility is the only opt-out.
Mandatory Recycling Participation in Kern County
Some RestrictionsKern County Code § 8.28.060(A), (B)(1)
It shall be the duty of every person who is the owner of any single-family, multi-family, or commercial property or any temporary or mobile food facility within the County, to provide for themselves or obtain from a franchise hauler, and at all times to keep on the premises, portable discarded materials containers, that meet the specifications outlined in Section 8.28.030 of this code, for hold...
Trash & Recycling by City in Kern County
3 cities in Kern County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Kern County ordinances
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