West Covina, CA Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Because West Covina collects solid waste through an exclusive city franchise under Sec. 12-17(a), any commercial bin or roll-off used to store or transport solid waste or recyclable material in violation of that franchise requirement is deemed an 'unlawful bin/rolloff' under Sec. 12-17(f)(1), whether it sits on city property, the public right-of-way, or private property. On city-owned property or the right-of-way, the public works director or a designee must post notice on the bin and, where a phone number is displayed, call the owner; if the bin isn't removed within two hours, the city impounds it along with its contents under Sec.

12-17(f)(2). On private property, the owner gets twenty-four hours' notice before impoundment under Sec. 12-17(f)(3). Impounded bins are held at least thirty days under Sec. 12-17(f)(4), and each violation is an infraction carrying a $500 fine for the first offense and $1,000 for the second and every offense after that under Sec. 12-17(f)(7)-(8); redeeming the bin also requires paying towing, storage and content-disposal costs. Separately, Article III of Chapter 12 lets the city designate 'trash enclosure districts' in commercial corridors, currently including addresses 136 through 356 S.

Glendora Avenue under Sec. 12-32(a). Businesses in a designated district must submit a trash enclosure location plan to the planning department within six months of the district's formation and complete construction within twelve months under Sec. 12-33. Enclosures must sit within 150 feet of the business, be screened on all sides by a masonry wall at least five and one-half feet high with a lockable solid gate, and hold a trash bin of at least three cubic yards, per Sec. 12-33(b).