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

In unincorporated San Bernardino County, the County's guidance on property maintenance states that trash receptacles are to be kept out of public view. Storage standards for nonhazardous waste containers in the unincorporated area are set in the County Code's waste-management chapter (County Code beginning at Section 33.0801), enforced by the County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Services (DEHS); placement of refuse containers is addressed in Section 33.0808. WM is the franchised residential hauler for the unincorporated County and provides standard 96-gallon carts for recycling, organics, and trash. WM's service guide instructs residents to place carts at the curb the night before, or no later than 6 a.m. on the collection day, with each cart at least one foot apart and three feet away from obstacles such as trees, cars, and mailboxes so the truck's automatic arm can lift them, and the wheels facing the house. Carts that are cracked or broken are replaced free; additional carts are available for a fee. Together these rules mean carts should not be left out at the curb or stored in public view outside of the collection window. The Development Code also requires exterior storage on residential lots to be screened and kept below fence height.