Carlsbad, CA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Max branch diameter
- Six inches
- Max branch length
- Three feet
- Fit requirement
- Must fit in cart with lid securely shut
- Oversized debris
- Requires special bulky-item collection
- Cart-out window
- 6:00 p.m. day before to 6:00 a.m. collection day
Summary
Carlsbad collects grass, leaves, branches and other yard trimmings as organic materials with the weekly cart service, but Municipal Code Section 6.08.010 caps what fits in the cart at six inches in diameter and three feet in length, and anything bigger needs a separate special bulky-item pickup.
"Yard trimmings"means those discarded materials that will decompose and/or putrefy, including, but not limited to, green trimmings, grass, weeds, leaves, prunings, branches, dead plants, brush, tree trimmings, dead trees, small pieces of unpainted and untreated wood, and other types of organic materials resulting from normal yard and landscaping maintenance that may be specified for collection and processing as organic materials under this chapter. Yard trimmings does not include items defined as excluded waste. Yard trimmings are a subset of organic materials. Yard trimmings placed for collection may not exceed six inches in diameter and three feet in length and must fit within the franchisee-provided collection container.
Full Breakdown
020(A)(2). The same definition sets a hard size limit: yard trimmings placed for collection may not exceed six inches in diameter and three feet in length, and must fit within the franchisee-provided collection container. 070 backs that up for all residential carts generally, stating that discarded materials must fit entirely within the confines of the cart with the lid securely shut, and that the franchisee is not obligated to collect anything placed outside the cart. 060 caps even a properly sized cart at the manufacturer's recommended maximum weight. the day before collection and removed by midnight of collection day.
Violations & Fines
Yard trimmings that exceed the six-inch diameter or three-foot length limit, or that do not fit inside the cart with the lid shut, are not required to be collected under Section 6.08.070, leaving oversized branches at the curb as unlawful placement of solid waste under Section 6.08.100 unless special bulky-item collection has been arranged under Section 6.08.130. General Chapter 6.08 penalties under Section 6.08.220(C) still apply, ranging from $50 to $100 for a first violation up to $250 to $500 for a third or subsequent violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can branches be for Carlsbad's yard waste cart?
Will Carlsbad pick up a whole cut-down tree at the curb?
When can I put my yard waste cart out in Carlsbad?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carlsbad
California rules heatmap·Compare Carlsbad to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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