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

Cart placement in unincorporated San Bernardino County follows both the County Code and the franchised hauler's service guidelines. Under the County Code, placement of refuse containers is governed by Section 33.0808 within the waste-management chapter (Section 33.0801 et seq.), with storage standards enforced by the Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Services. Operationally, WM's residential service guide tells customers to have their carts at the curb the night before, or no later than 6 a.m. on the collection day. To allow the truck's automated arm to lift and empty them, each cart must be placed at least one foot apart and three feet away from any obstacles such as trees, cars, and mailboxes, with the wheels of each cart pointed toward the house. All trash, recyclables, and organics must be placed in the appropriate container with the lid closed; any material left outside the cart will not be collected. Carts that are cracked or broken are replaced free of charge, and additional carts are available for a nominal fee. Qualified disabled customers can request free valet service, in which drivers move the carts to and from a designated location. Because the County also asks that receptacles be kept out of public view between pickups, carts should be returned to storage after the collection day rather than left at the curb.