Trash, Recycling, Yard Waste Collection Days

In June, 2004, the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department (ESD) began new routes for more than 200,000 current trash, recycling, and yard waste collection customers.
Implementation of the new routes resulted in changes to the day of collection for most residents. Find your collection day, what types of City collection services are at your address, and learn the City's recognized holidays when trash, recycling and yard waste collections are delayed by one day.

More efficient routes will save approximately $600,000 taxpayer dollars in the first year and $1 million per year, thereafter.
Rerouting reduces the City's operating fleet of 185 collection trucks by 10 to 15 trucks and decreases the miles traveled yearly by approximately 235,000 miles.
Reduction of collection trucks and more efficient routes will yearly save 102,000 gallons of fuel and decrease smog emissions by 9.6 tons of Nitrous oxide.

As part of the new routes, the Department also expanded yard waste collection to an additional 30,000 homes throughout the City of San Diego. ESD plans to continue expansion of residential yard waste pickup as resources become available.
To enhance efficiency and maximize existing resources, all residents receiving weekly yard waste collection were converted to an every-other-week collection schedule.
Expansion of the yard waste program will help reduce the amount of green waste disposed in the Miramar Landfill and help the City comply with the State's AB 939 diversion mandate and avoid potential fines of $10,000 per day. In 1990, the law required that all cities reduce waste disposed of in landfills by 50 percent over a 10 year period. In 2000, the City reached approximately 45 percent and was granted an extension by the state. The City is still working to achieve 50 percent diversion. Please recycle and help the City meet this goal.