Cathedral City, CA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Cathedral City Municipal Code § 6.04.410 gives landscapers a narrow carve-out from the City's franchised solid waste system. A landscaper can collect, transport and compost or dispose of green waste, but only green waste generated by the landscaper's own specific work site, and only at a compost facility permitted by CALRecycle or exempt from permitting. The second paragraph closes the loophole: a landscaper cannot contract with a solid waste enterprise to collect, transport and compost or dispose of green waste unless that enterprise has a franchise from the City. Section 6.04.640 backs this up by barring everyone except a solid waste franchisee, a landscaper hauling green waste, or a licensed contractor working within the scope of the license from collecting or removing solid waste from any premises in the city.

The Code defines green material and yard waste as leaves, grass clippings, brush, branches and other organic material from maintaining or altering landscapes or gardens, including tree trimmings, pruning, weeds and incidental pieces of scrap lumber. Holiday trees count, except frosted or flocked trees or trees containing tinsel or metal. Stumps, branches exceeding four inches in diameter or four feet in length, palm fronds and yucca are excluded because they are not suitable for composting.

Residents sort yard trimmings through the three-container system. Under § 6.04.510, single-family generators place only approved materials in the colored containers and cannot put gray container material into the green container or blue container. Oversized green material such as tree trunks and large branches no larger than two feet in diameter and four feet in length falls within the Code's bulky waste definition for single-family dwellings, and § 6.04.610 requires arranging that pick-up with the franchisee first. Burning solid waste in Cathedral City is barred by § 6.04.630 unless it is done in an approved incinerator or transformation facility or other permitted device that complies with air pollution control rules.