Downey, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Schedule set by
- City-franchised Solid Waste Collector
- Earliest curb placement
- 6:00 p.m. night before collection
- Removal window
- Within 12 hours of being emptied
- Curb placement
- As close to curb line as practicable
- Governing law since
- Ord. 347 (1968), amended Ord. 1030 (1996)
Summary
Downey lets its franchised Solid Waste Collectors set the manner, time and frequency of pickup with each customer, but locks in placement rules: cans go out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before your route day and must come off the curb within 12 hours of being emptied.
§ 5204. Solid Waste Collectors who arrange for the collection of solid wastes shall make arrangements with their customers specifying the manner, time and frequency for integrated waste management services... § 5204.1. No person shall place or cause to be placed any garbage or refuse receptacle on any sidewalk, street, road, highway, or alley, at any place or in any manner other than as provided in this chapter. No person shall place or cause to be placed any garbage or refuse receptacle on any sidewalk, road, street, or highway at any time other than on the days established for the collection of garbage or refuse on the particular route, or before 6:00 p.m. on the days immediately prior to such collection, or permit such receptacle to remain thereat for more than 12 hours after it has been emptied.
Full Breakdown
Section 5204 of the Municipal Code puts schedule-setting in the hands of the City's franchised Solid Waste Collectors, who must arrange the manner, time and frequency of integrated waste management service with each customer, subject to the chapter's public health, noise and air-quality goals. on the day before collection. Once emptied, the receptacle must be pulled back within 12 hours; leaving it at the curb longer is itself a violation. Receptacles placed along a street must sit as close to the curb line as practicable, either in the street or on the curb, while alley placement must sit as close to the property line as practicable.
These placement rules date to Ordinance 347 (1968) and were last amended by Ordinance 1030 in 1996, and they apply on top of whatever specific weekly schedule a resident's franchised hauler has assigned under Section 5204. The City may also set solid waste service categories, including special event and household hazardous waste service, under Section 5206, and requires every occupied premises to maintain a hauler arrangement under Section 5208.
Violations & Fines
Placing a can out before 6:00 p.m. the night before collection, setting it out on a non-collection day, or leaving an emptied can at the curb more than 12 hours violates Section 5204.1 and is enforceable, like other Code violations without a specific penalty, as a misdemeanor under Section 1200, carrying up to a $1,000 fine or six months in jail, or as an infraction with escalating fines up to $500 for repeat violations within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my trash can out for pickup?
How long can my empty can sit at the curb after pickup?
Who decides what day my trash gets picked up?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Downey
California rules heatmap·Compare Downey to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle collection schedule.