Butte County, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Solid & organic waste
- Weekly collection required
- Recyclables
- At least biweekly collection
- Collection hours
- 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday pickup
- Barred without LEA approval
- Mandatory area
- Unincorporated county minus 10 census tracts
- Schedule-change notice
- 30 days by mail
Summary
Every licensed hauler in unincorporated Butte County must run weekly solid waste and organic waste pickup, plus recyclables at least every other week, across the mandatory service area under Code section 31-35(C). Trucks cannot start before 5:30 a.m. or run past 8:00 p.m. within 500 feet of a residential zone, and Sunday collection needs an emergency or the Local Enforcement Agency's sign-off.
C.Collection Requirements. Each licensed hauler shall conform to the following conditions:1.Residential Collection Services. Every licensed hauler shall provide weekly solid waste and organic waste collection service, and no less than bi-weekly collection of recyclables, to all residential premises located in a mandatory service area and/or recycling zone unless otherwise authorized by the County. ... 6.Collection Frequency and Time. The frequency of collection shall be as specified in subsections C.l.4. No licensed hauler shall collect solid wastes or recyclable materials within five hundred (500) feet of an area zoned for residential use earlier than 5:30 a.m. no later than 8:00 p.m., or on Sundays, except in emergencies or with the approval of the LEA.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
Section 31-35(C) sets the baseline service level for every franchised hauler operating in the unincorporated county. Residential premises in a mandatory service area or recycling zone get weekly solid waste and organic waste collection and recyclables no less than every other week; commercial premises get the identical schedule. 02, 33 and 35) that received a low-population waiver from CalRecycle; households there get service only as their hauler's franchise agreement requires, not the weekly mandate. 320 identifies as the Environmental Health Division of the county's Health Department.
Haulers must also give customers thirty days' advance mailed notice, or notice on the immediately preceding bill, before changing anyone's regular collection day under Section 31-35(C)(7).
Violations & Fines
A licensed hauler that fails to deliver the required weekly or biweekly schedule, or otherwise fails to meet the performance standards of Section 31-35, risks license review and possible revocation of its county license under Section 31-39.4. The Solid Waste Manager reviews haulers' quarterly compliance reports to track whether the mandated frequency and hours are being met.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is weekly trash pickup required in unincorporated Butte County?
How early can the garbage truck run in my neighborhood?
What if I live in one of the non-mandatory census tracts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Butte County
California rules heatmap·Compare Butte County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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