Merced, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

290 sets the baseline for household trash pickup: the standard fee covers removal of two 30-gallon containers of solid waste or rubbish once each calendar week, and the code caps residential service at no more than once weekly even if a resident wants faster turnaround. Households that generate more can pay for extra containers, with charges rising in proportion to the amount of additional solid waste or rubbish removed. The director of public works decides, under Sec. 280, which collection method applies to a given area, choosing among 300-gallon container alley service, packout service, curb line service, alley property line service, or commercial/industrial cubic-yard container service.

Businesses and industrial accounts outside the downtown core are collected under Sec. 310 on a schedule the director sets based on waste volume, but never less than once a week; downtown central business district accounts get six-day-a-week service under Sec. 300. When existing service can't keep up with a property's waste, Sec. 330 lets the director increase container size, number, or pickup frequency, with two weeks' written notice except in health emergencies. If the customer won't furnish the additional containers the director orders, the city buys and delivers them and bills the customer directly.

A dissatisfied customer can appeal the director's decision to the city council within ten days of the written notice; the appeal stays enforcement (barring an emergency) and the council must hold a hearing within thirty days and rule within fifteen days after that. 00 container re-delivery fee once service is restored after a container has been pulled for non-payment.