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

Because the unincorporated county relies on transfer-station self-haul rather than universal curbside collection, no fetched County source sets a curbside setout time, bin size, or numeric spacing rule (such as feet from mailboxes or parked cars) for the unincorporated area. Residents who self-haul simply bring their waste to a transfer station on its posted days and hours, where attendants direct vehicles to the correct unloading area. Underlying everything, the zoning standard in Chapter 18.110 ('No trash or rubbish shall be allowed to accumulate on any lot or parcel') and the Title 8 nuisance framework require that stored refuse and any containers not be allowed to create odors, attract vermin, or otherwise become a public-health nuisance between disposal trips. Where curbside collection does exist — chiefly in and around the City of Alturas — the hauler's published service terms ask residents to use a personal cart (about 33 gallons), bag all trash, keep the lid closed (no overflow), and keep containers a few feet clear of cars, mailboxes, and other obstacles; those terms come from the hauler's/city service program, not from a countywide unincorporated ordinance, and may differ by address. For setout questions at a specific location, contact Alturas Disposal at (530) 233-2631. Anyone in the City of Alturas should consult the city's own rules rather than this unincorporated-county page.