Kings County, CA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

For automated collection to work, Mid Valley Disposal sets specific placement rules for the trash, recycling and organics carts in unincorporated Kings County. Containers must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the collection day. Carts must be set at least 3 feet apart from one another, with their lids fully closed, and they must not be blocked by parked vehicles, mailboxes, poles or other obstructions, giving the automated side-loading arm clear room to lift and empty each cart. Overfilled carts whose lids cannot close, or carts crowded together or blocked by a car, may be skipped. The County Code's solid-waste chapter (Ch. 13, Solid Waste Collection and Disposal) provides the licensing and regulatory backbone for the franchised service. Beyond the hauler's operational rules, containers that are stored or left in a way that creates a nuisance, for example, blocking a public right-of-way, scattering litter, or attracting vermin, can be addressed by the County Code Compliance Division under the County's nuisance authority. Residents should retrieve emptied carts promptly and store them out of public view between collection days, and place them on a flat, paved area at the curb on collection day rather than in the roadway or on top of obstacles.