City of Irvine - Residential Service Guidelines

Waste Management provides three carts for automated collection of trash, recyclables and green waste. Carts are available in three sizes: 35 gallons, 64 gallons and 96 gallons. Trash, recyclables and greenwaste are picked up weekly.

Beginning July 1, 2007, Irvine residents can participate in the senior discount or low volume program to receive a discount on the standard residential waste bill. Download the Irvine senior discount/low volume program form to see if you qualify. To receive the discount, the form must be completed and faxed to (714) 836-0268 or mailed to the address listed on the form. For residents applying for the senior discount, proof of age must also be attached. NOTE: This document is in PDF format, and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view.

For more information about the City of Irvine:

• City of Irvine
• Irvine Chamber of Commerce
• City of Irvine Environmental Programs

What to put in your trash cart
What to put in your recyclables cart
What to put in your greenwaste cart
Service reminders
Holiday schedule
Bulky items
Billing
Temporary service
Disposal of used motor oil
Christmas tree recycling
E-waste
Household hazardous waste

Trash Cart (Blue Lid)

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Mixed Recyclables Cart (Gray Lid)

Please rinse food residue from containers and flatten cardboard boxes.  All recyclables may be placed in the recycling cart together. Please set out your recycling cart only when it is full, and ensure the cart lid is able to be completely closed.

Paper / Cardboard

• Newspapers, magazines
• Mixed paper (printer, color, all types accepted)
• Telephone books, directories, magazines
• Bulk/junk mail, envelopes, catalogs
• File folders
• Cardboard boxes (please flatten)
• Soft bound books, hard bound books (inside only, no cover)
• Paper board - cereal boxes, tissue boxes, shoe boxes, egg cartons, beverage boxes, dry food boxes
• Paper towels (must be clean and dry)
• Frozen dinner boxes and other frozen food boxes
• Empty paper towel and toilet tissue rolls
• Shredded paper (must bag before placing in cart)
• Pizza boxes (no food residue)

Plastics

• Plastic beverage containers - soda, water, juice
• Plastic containers (#1-7) such as laundry detergent, ketchup, mustard, hair product bottles
• Plastic bags - grocery, dry cleaning, newspaper and other film bags (bundle inside a plastic bag, tie and place in the cart)
• Plastic buckets (#1-7)
• Plastic tubs (#1-7)
• Plastic toys (#1-7)

Metal

• Hangers
• Aluminum cans
• Tin cans - soup, tuna, vegetable juice, coffee
• Empty aerosol cans (must be completely empty)
• Pie tins
• Paint cans (must be empty and completely dried out)

Glass

• Food jars - sauce, mayo, pickles (no residue)
• Beverage glass bottles - wine, beer, liquor, juice

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Greenwaste Cart (Green Lid)

DO NOT place greenwaste in plastic bags.

• Lawn clippings
• Leaves and weeds
• Tree branches and shrubs
• Garden trimmings
• Sawdust, wood chips and small wood scraps
• Christmas trees (cut up)

DO NOT place the items listed below in your greenwaste cart - put these items in the TRASH cart!

• Pet waste
• Palm fronds
• Soil (very small amounts)
• Dirt (very small amounts)

Note: Additional trash, recycling and greenwaste carts are available. Cart size can also be changed.  Greenwaste service may not be available in all areas, and participation is elective. Contact customer service at (714) 558-7761, (949) 642-1191 or (562) 694-3730 for more information.

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• Place all waste in the appropriate container and close the lid. Do no overfill the cart!
• In the City of Irvine, bags placed outside of your trash or recyclable carts will be collected on an occasional basis.
• Roll carts into the street and place them against the curb, handles facing your home. Place carts at least two feet apart from other carts and objects - it is recommended that you park cars at least six feet from the carts on collection day.

Holiday Schedule

Waste collection does not occur on the following days:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

When the holiday falls on a weekday, collection will be delayed one day for the remainder of the week. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there will be NO delays.

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Bulky Item Collection

For items that are too large to fit into the trash cart, residents may request the free pick up of household bulky goods two times per year. We will retrieve up to four large items such as furniture, appliances or up to 20 plastic bags of refuse or bundles of yard waste (less than 50 pounds each) for each request. Advance notice is required. To schedule a free bulky goods pick up, please contact Waste Management at (714) 558-7761, (949) 642-1191 or (562) 694-3730. Additional pick ups are available for a nominal fee.

We have added a new electronic and universal waste collection program to the bulky item collection program. Changes in state environmental laws require special handling of electronic and universal waste items, which are prohibited from being disposed in landfills. Electronic waste (e-waste) includes items such as TVs, computer monitors, VCRs, cell phones and other electronic devices. Universal waste items include batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, etc.), fluorescent tubes and bulbs.

• These items are currently accepted at County of Orange Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers at no charge to Orange County residents. For more information on county sites that accept e-waste, please call (714) 834-6752 or go to http://www.oclandfills.com/hhwcc.asp. For other resources on reusing and recycling electronic products, visit www.ciwmb.ca.gov/electronics/collection or http://www.erecycle.org.
• Residents who receive curbside service can schedule pick up of these items along with other bulky items. Residents with curbside service are allowed two bulky items collections per year, up to four large items or 20 bags per pick up at no additional charge. This is a special service. To schedule a pick up, call our Customer Service Center at (949) 642-1191.

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Billing

Residential services are billed quarterly in advance by Waste Management. If you have questions regarding your invoice, please contact Waste Management at (714) 558-7761, (949) 642-1191 or (562) 694-3730. To pay your bill online, go to Waste Management's ezPay. For help with reading your bill, click here.

Beginning July 1, 2007, Irvine residents can participate in the senior discount or low volume program to receive a discount on the standard residential waste bill. Download the Irvine senior discount/low volume program form to see if you qualify. To receive the discount, the form must be completed and faxed to (714) 836-0268 or mailed to the address listed on the form. For residents applying for the senior discount, proof of age must also be attached. NOTE: This document is in PDF format, and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view.

Temporary Bin and Roll-Off Service

Please contact Waste Management at (714) 558-7761, (949)642-1191 or (562) 694-3730 for information on sizes and rates for temp dumpster or bin service.

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It is important to properly dispose of used motor oil to ensure it stays out of our storm drains and the ocean. Next time you change your oil, be sure to follow these steps:

• Remove the oil filter from your car and drain it well for at least 24 hours - once it is drained, place it in a plastic bag. 
• Drain the oil from your car into a plastic container. 
• Secure the top on the container to ensure against spillage.
• One the items are secure, transport them to a certified used oil recycling center - many auto or tire supply stores or service centers will accept used motor oil and filters. Call in advance to make sure they will take the items and to verify store hours.

These items may also be taken to a county collection center for safe disposal. For more information on county sites that accept these items, please call (714) 834-6752 or go to http://www.oclandfills.com/hhwcc.asp. Additional information may be found at the Earth 911 Web site or by calling 1 (800) CLEANUP (1-800-253-2687).

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We will collect and recycle Christmas trees for the first three weeks following Christmas on your regular collection day. Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half. Please remove all decoration including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands. Place the tree at the curb. Flocked trees will be collected but cannot be recycled.

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Electronic Waste (E-Waste)/ Universal Waste

Changes in state environmental laws require special handling of electronic and universal waste items, which are prohibited from being disposed in landfills. Electronic waste (e-waste) includes items such as TVs, computer monitors, VCRs, cell phones and other electronic devices. Universal waste items include batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, etc.), fluorescent tubes and bulbs.

• These items are currently accepted at Count of Orange Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers at no charge to Orange County residents. For more information on county sites that accept e-waste, please call (714) 834-6752 or go to http://www.oclandfills.com/hhwcc.asp. For other resources on reusing and recycling electronic products, visit www.ciwmb.ca.gov/electronics/collection or http://www.erecycle.org.
• Residents who receive curbside service can schedule pick up of these items along with other bulky items. Residents with curbside service are allowed two bulky items collections per year, up to four large items or 20 bags per pick up at no additional charge. This is a special service. To schedule a pick up, call our Customer Service Center at (949) 642-1191.

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Household Hazardous Waste cannot be collected by Waste Management. Household Hazardous Waste includes: used oil filters, motor oil and used motor oil, paint, antifreeze, propane tanks, pesticides, household cleaners, pool chemicals and sharps/needles. These items may be taken to a county collection center for safe disposal. For more information on county sites that accept these items, please call (714) 834-6752 or go to http://www.oclandfills.com/hhwcc.asp.

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