Solano County, CA Property Maintenance: Trash Bin Storage (2026)

Refuse container rules for unincorporated Solano County are in Chapter 23 of the County Code (the Solano County Solid Waste Ordinance). Section 23-21 requires that solid waste and recyclable material be stored in approved containers; green waste must be in approved containers or contained so it does not create a nuisance. Containers must have lids and be made of nonabsorbent, leakproof, vector-resistant, durable, easily cleanable materials designed for safe handling, and must be kept clean and free of putrescible residue. When filled, a container must not exceed reasonable lifting weight for an average physically fit person, except that a 250-pound limit applies where mechanical (truck-arm) loading is used; dumpster bins follow the same rules except lids are not required and the weight limit is set by the contractor. Under Section 23-21(b), wherever there is a subscription for garbage service, containers must be placed at curbside for collection by the authorized contractor, and the customer must remove the empty containers out of public view by the day following collection. Section 23-20 separately limits how long waste may accumulate on a property: no accumulation of solid waste may remain on any lot, vacant or occupied, for more than seven days, and recyclables and green waste must be removed often enough to avoid a nuisance. The franchised hauler in much of the unincorporated county (Recology Vacaville Solano / Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery) directs residents to have carts roadside by 5 a.m. on the service day with contents below the rim and the lid closed.