Long Beach Recycles

Follow the tips below to ensure your refuse and recycling carts are set up correctly on your designated collection day.

• Place all carts out in the alley or curbside by 6:00 am on your collection day. Carts must be brought back within property premises within 12 hours after they have been emptied. 
• Leave two (2) feet of space between recycling and trash carts (or parked cars). 
• Place all trash inside your cart. The automated system cannot collect trash set out in other cans, bags, or boxes. 
• Make sure the arrow on the lid is pointing toward the street and the lid is closed. 
• Avoid overfilling the cart. The automated system works best if the lid is completely closed. Do not place more than 200 pounds in your 100-gallon cart, or more than 150 pounds in your 64-gallon cart. 

What Items Go in the Gray Refuse (Trash) Cart? 

Download the Recycling/Refuse Guidelines List PDF available in: 

• English
• Khmer
• Spanish
• Tagalog

Refuse Dos And Don’ts 

Yes! The following items can be placed in the gray cart for collection: 

• Regular household trash
• Yard debris like tree trimmings, grass clippings, etc. (Another alternative is to use yard waste for backyard composting)
  

Please keep the following items out of your gray refuse cart: 

• Recyclables
• Household hazardous waste (HHW) (paint, motor oil, gasoline, household cleaners, etc.) 
• Rocks, concrete, or dirt 
• Hot ashes
• Debris from construction, remodeling, or demolition
• Heavy or oversized items that require a special collection pickup 
  

Where does your refuse go?  

As of February 2024, refuse is delivered daily to local transfer station facilities and then transported to landfills in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Previously Long Beach's refuse was taken to the Southeast Resource Recover Facility (SERRF), which closed in February 2024. Read more information on SERRF's closure.

Refuse and Recycling Holiday Schedule

Refuse and recycling are collected on all holidays except Christmas (December 25) and New Year's Day (January 1). When Christmas and New Year's Day fall on a weekday, collection for the holiday and the remainder of that week will be delayed one day, ending on Saturday.