Unincorporated Monterey County requires every occupied home and business to have weekly solid-waste service under County Code Ch. 10.41. Carts are supplied by the County's franchised hauler, which sets container placement and removal rules - including keeping carts at the curb only on collection day and clear of obstacles.
Trash bins in the unincorporated county are part of the mandatory franchise collection system. Under County Code Section 10.41.030, all solid waste must be collected from every occupied residence, apartment, or business at least once a week, regardless of whether the owner or tenant requested service. The carts (commonly 35-, 64-, or 96-gallon) are owned and distributed by the County's franchised hauler under the Unified Franchise Agreement that took effect January 1, 2025; the contractor purchases, distributes, and replaces damaged carts. Day-to-day container rules come from the hauler's service terms rather than a separate County bin ordinance: residents are directed to set carts at the curb with wheels against the curb by the hauler's deadline on collection day, keep carts at least three feet from parked cars, mailboxes, and other obstacles, and remove them the same day. The franchise agreement requires the hauler to leave each container upright at the same point it was collected without blocking alleys, driveways, sidewalks, or mailboxes, and to set out material within three feet of the curb or accessible roadway. Because the County does not collect trash itself, questions about cart size, missed pickups, or extra carts go to the franchised hauler. Carts left out long-term, overflowing, or stored in public view in violation of code can be cited as a nuisance under the County's code-enforcement chapter.
Bin-related problems (carts left out, overflowing, or stored improperly) are addressed as nuisances under County Code Ch. 1.22 and through the hauler's non-collection notices. Failing to maintain the mandatory weekly service required by Ch. 10.41 can itself be a code violation. Service complaints go to the franchised hauler; nuisance complaints go to County Code Compliance.
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