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

Section 5336 requires every person in charge of a single-family or multi-family residence to set out the City- or contractor-provided wheeled refuse and recycling carts, plus greenwaste containers, in the street with the cart wheels positioned in front of the curb (or the alley, for rear-loading dwellings). Greenwaste containers go in the street next to the wheeled carts, and branches or debris too large for the container must be tied with sturdy twine and placed beside it. In commercial areas served by rear alleys, carts and containers go in the alley instead, unless the Director approves another location that speeds up collection.

on the day immediately before collection, and must be pulled back to a storage spot not visible from any public right-of-way (alleys excluded) no later than 12 hours after being emptied. 1 adds that where a residence is not served by bins on a street route, the receptacle must sit on the residence side of the curb, as close to the curb as possible, or on the residence side of an alley if that is the route; if a right-of-way placement is unavoidable, it must sit as near the right-of-way edge as possible to minimize interference with public use.