Trash and Recycling

• What Size Carts Should I Get?

  Each residential unit can request up to five carts per unit: two for recycling, two for green waste and one for trash. Cart sizes come in small (35 gallons), medium (64 gallons) and large (96 gallons.) Typically, one cart for each commodity in the medium size is sufficient for most families.

• What Goes Where?

  The gray-lidded cart is for recyclables, the green-lidded cart is for green waste, and the blue-lidded cart is for trash - household waste that cannot be recycled. Generally, only items that are placed in the carts will be collected.

  Recyclables include glass, plastics containers, aluminum, metals and clean paper such as junk mail, envelopes, cereal and food boxes, cardboard, magazines - just about anything that tears!

  Green waste includes all yard trimmings, grass, tree branches, sawdust, green plants, weeds, etc. - basically, all organic materials generated from your yard work.

  • Do not place green waste in plastic bags.
  • Ice plant and palm branches cannot be placed in the green waste cart
  • Do not place animal and food waste in the green waste cart.

  
  

  When in doubt, throw it out with the trash. This will minimize contamination.

• Where can I recycle old tires?

  You can recycle your old tires at the following location Monday - Friday 8:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. for a nominal fee:

  Wheel & Tune
  1925 Laguna Canyon Road
  Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  Phone: (949) 497-1650.

• How can I reduce the amount of junkmail that I receive?

  Write a letter to the following address to remove your name from their mailing lists:

  Mail Preference Service Direct Marketing Association PO Box 9008 Farmington, NY 11735-9008.

• What else can I do to help?

  Reduce - Buy only what you need. Buy in bulk. Avoid unnecessary packaging.

  Reuse - Reuse what you can. Use mugs instead of plastic or paper cups; bring your own canvas bag to the grocery store; recharge your batteries; use cloth instead of paper napkins; use both sides of paper.

  Recycle - For recycling to succeed, we all need to check the labels and buy products made with recycled content. Everything from clothes to carpet, cans to comic books are made from recycled materials. You are doing your part when you help close the recycling loop!

• Where can I recycle used motor oil and filters?

  You can recycle used motor oil and filters, at no charge, at the following Certified Collection Center locations:

  Auto Repair of Laguna Beach
  890 South Coast Highway
  Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  (949) 494-7408

  USA Express Tire & Service, Inc.
  350 Broadway
  Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  (949) 494-7111

  Service stations will often take used motor oil, car batteries and antifreeze for a nominal charge.

• Where can I recycle bottles and cans?

  You can redeem empty California Redemption Value (CRV) beverage containers at any market or liquor store in Laguna Beach. The beverage containers must be clean. The refund value for each beverage container with a capacity of less than 24 fluid ounces is five cents ($0.05), and the refund value for each container with a capacity of 24 fluid ounces or more is ten cents ($0.10). Locate a recycling center.

• What do I do if I need to replace a cart or need extra carts?

  If you need to replace a lost or stolen cart or need to exchange the size of your cart, call Waste Management's Customer Service Center at (949) 642-1191. Please have your current cart size available. The size can be found in the first two digits of the imprinted serial number. You can obtain one additional recycling cart and/a green waste cart at no charge. There is a charge for each additional trash cart or the the third recycling and green waste cart.

• How do I report the theft of my recyclables by people in trucks?

  Only Waste Management of Orange County has the legal right to take recyclables placed in your recycling cart. Here is what you can do to help:

  Put your recyclables out on the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection rather than the night before.

  If the incident is in progress, call the police department at (949) 497-0701.

• How do I recycle sand bags?

  Filled sand bags should be emptied as required of any recycling item. Sand needs to be trashed/reused and the bag placed in the trash cart or bin.

  Storage and re-use of the sand/sand bags is always preferable.

  Residents can take sand bags directly to the landfill for a nominal fee. Please visit https://www.oclandfills.com/landfills for more information.

• What if I have extra trash sometimes?

  Excess trash or overage may be placed out next to your solid waste carts. Residents can place up to (5) bags of trash up to (5) times per year. Bulky pickups for large items such as furniture, appliances, electronic waste and universal waste can be scheduled three times a year by calling (949) 642-1191. Up to 10 items may be collected each time at no charge.

• Where can I dispose of household hazardous materials such as partially filled paint cans, antifreeze, gasoline, pesticides , aerosol cans, and sharps?

  Orange County residents may dispose of household hazardous waste, at no charge, by taking it to any one of four facilities located throughout the County. View more information on household hazardous waste.

• Where can I recycle styrofoam packaging?

  You can recycle your "peanut" packaging and "bubble" packaging at the following locations. Please call them for operating hours:

  The UPS Store
  668 North Coast Highway
  Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  (949) 494-4420

• How do I recycle my holiday tree?

  Waste Management will collect and recycle holiday trees for the first three weeks following Christmas starting on December 26 through mid January each year. Residents who have curbside service may place their trees at the curb on their regular service day. Trees taller than four feet must be cut to less than four feet to be accepted at curbside. Please remove all decorations, lights, and stands from trees. Flocked trees will be collected but cannot be recycled due to their chemical content. You can also recycle your tree after the three week collection period by cutting it up and placing it in the green waste cart or by scheduling a bulky item pick up. Flocked trees cannot be placed in the green waste cart. Please contact Waste Management Customer Service at (949) 642-1191 to schedule your bulky item pick-up or for more information about holiday tree recycling.