San Diego Trash Pickup Schedule: A Complete Guide by Neighborhood (2026)
When you move to a new neighborhood in San Diego, one of the first things you need to figure out is your trash pickup day. It sounds simple, but it's surprisingly complicated.
🗑️ Quick Lookup
Skip the guide — just enter your address to find your exact trash day.
Look Up Your Schedule →How San Diego Trash Collection Works
City-Serviced vs. Private Haulers
The City of San Diego Environmental Services Department handles trash collection for most single-family homes within city limits. However, many communities are serviced by private haulers:
- EDCO Disposal — Covers much of East County, Poway, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and unincorporated areas
- Republic Services — Serves parts of the county
- Waste Management — Various service areas
What Gets Collected
San Diego operates a three-bin system:
- Black bin (Trash) — General waste, collected weekly
- Blue bin (Recycling) — Paper, cardboard, plastic (#1-7), glass, metal. Collected every other week on an A/B schedule
- Green bin (Organics) — Yard waste, food scraps, food-soiled paper. Collected weekly
The A/B Recycling Week System
This is the part that confuses everyone. San Diego alternates recycling collection on two schedules:
- Week A — Recycling collected on your regular pickup day
- Week B — No recycling collection (trash and organics only)
The week designation isn't intuitive — it doesn't follow a simple odd/even pattern. It's based on the city's internal scheduling system.
Holiday Schedule Adjustments
San Diego observes six holidays that affect trash collection in 2026:
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Pickup pushed to next day |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Pickup pushed to next day |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Pickup pushed to next day |
| Labor Day | September 7 | Pickup pushed to next day |
| Thanksgiving | November 26 | Pickup pushed to next day |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Pickup pushed to next day |
San Diego Trash Schedule by Area
Here's a quick reference for major San Diego neighborhoods. For your exact schedule, use TrashAlert.
Central San Diego
- University Heights — Wednesday (most blocks)
- North Park — Varies by street (Tuesday-Thursday)
- Hillcrest — Tuesday/Wednesday
- Normal Heights — Wednesday/Thursday
- City Heights — Monday-Thursday (varies)
- Kensington — Wednesday
Coastal Communities
- Ocean Beach — Tuesday
- Pacific Beach — Monday/Tuesday
- Mission Beach — Wednesday
- Point Loma — Thursday
- La Jolla — Monday-Wednesday (varies)
East County (EDCO Service)
- La Mesa — EDCO service area
- El Cajon — EDCO service area
- Santee — EDCO service area
- Poway — EDCO service (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday)
- Lemon Grove — EDCO service area
Tips for Never Missing Trash Day
- Set a phone reminder — The night before your pickup day
- Use a calendar export — TrashAlert lets you export to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook
- Watch your neighbors — If you see bins on the curb, it's probably your day
- Check after holidays — Remember the one-day shift rule
- Know your recycling week — The A/B system trips up even longtime residents
What to Do If You Miss Pickup
- Wait for next week — Regular trash collection happens weekly
- Don't overfill — Keep your bin lid closed (collectors may skip open bins)
- Schedule a bulky item pickup — Call 858-694-7000 for free large item collection
- Report a missed pickup — Use the Get It Done app or call 858-694-7000
The Easier Way: TrashAlert.io
We built TrashAlert because looking up your trash schedule shouldn't require navigating a government website behind a CAPTCHA.
- ✅ Enter your address → get your exact pickup day
- ✅ See your recycling week (A or B)
- ✅ Holiday-adjusted dates
- ✅ Export to your phone calendar
- ✅ Share with your household
Currently covering: 58,000+ addresses across 44 San Diego regions.
Check Your Trash Day Now →Frequently Asked Questions
What time does trash get picked up in San Diego?
Collection typically starts at 6:00 AM. Have your bins curbside by 6 AM on collection day. Pickup can happen anytime between 6 AM and 6 PM.
Can I put my bins out the night before?
Yes, you can place bins at the curb after 6 PM the evening before. Bins should be brought back by 7 PM on collection day.
How do I know if it's my recycling week?
Use TrashAlert — enter your address and it will tell you if this week is your recycling week.
What if the truck damages my bin?
Contact the City of San Diego Environmental Services at 858-694-7000 or use the Get It Done app.
How do I get a bigger or smaller bin?
Contact Environmental Services at 858-694-7000 to request a container size change.