Chino Hills, CA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard waste definition
- Leaves, grass clippings, brush, branches
- Governing section
- CHMC § 13.20.051(B)(1)
- Sorting bin
- Green container (organics)
- Commercial option
- 4-bin option separates yard/food waste
- Repeat contamination
- 3x in 6 months triggers fee
- Penalty
- $100-$500 escalating administrative citation
Summary
Chino Hills defines yard waste as leaves, grass clippings, brush and branches source-separated from other trash, and requires residential customers to set that material out in the City's green organics container under CHMC § 13.20.051(B)(1). Mixing yard waste into the black trash cart or blue recycling cart violates the ordinance.
13.20.010 "Yard waste": Yard waste means leaves, grass clippings, brush, branches, and other forms of organic waste generated from landscapes or gardens, which have been source separated from other solid waste. Yard waste is a subset of organic waste and excludes hazardous materials. 13.20.051(B)(1): Generator shall place source separated green container organic waste in the green container; source separated recyclable materials in the blue container; if applicable, source separated food waste in the brown container, and solid waste in the gray/black container. Generators shall not place materials designated for the gray/black container into the green container, brown container or blue container.
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
Chino Hills folds yard trimmings into its state-mandated organic waste program rather than regulating brush collection as a separate category. 010 defines 'yard waste' as 'leaves, grass clippings, brush, branches, and other forms of organic waste generated from landscapes or gardens, which have been source separated from other solid waste,' and classifies it as a subset of organic waste that excludes hazardous material. 051(B)(1). 052(B) lets a business choose among a two-, three-, or four-container collection option, and under the four-container Option 3, source separated yard waste goes in the green container while food waste is kept separate in the brown container. 052(I). 20.
Violations & Fines
Placing yard waste in the wrong cart, or failing to subscribe to organics collection at all, is enforceable as a Chapter 13.20 violation under § 13.20.340: the City issues a notice of violation, and if a generator has prohibited contaminants in a container on more than three occasions within six months, the City may assess a contamination processing fee. Administrative citation penalties run $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third or later violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cart do grass clippings and branches go in?
Is bagged brush allowed in the regular black trash cart?
What happens if I keep putting yard waste in the wrong bin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle yard waste collection.