San Francisco, California resident guide
San Francisco trash, recycling, compost & bulky pickup
Schedule Recology bulky item collection, see annual and item limits, find black, blue, and green cart dates, review setout rules, holidays, and special disposal options.
Official source links checked on August 31, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Recology collects ordinary household garbage in the black cart on the address schedule. Use the official collection calendar for the current day.
Clean recyclables go in the blue cart and food scraps or yard material go in the green compost cart. The Recology address calendar shows the collection date.
Need it gone before the city service?
Get a LoadUp quote when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
Schedule San Francisco service
Use Recology's San Francisco bulky item request or call 415-330-1300 at least two weeks before the preferred date. List up to 10 eligible items and wait for confirmation before setout.
San Francisco Recology resident guide
Use the annual Recology bulky item allowance
Small residential properties receive two collections each year, while each unit in a building with six or more units receives one. Every appointment can include up to 10 accepted items.
The building must have five units or fewer and an active account.
A tenant may contact Recology directly for the unit's collection.
List each item so Recology can confirm it qualifies.
Use the evening before through the morning of the confirmed collection.
San Francisco bulky item allowance
Book Recology before placing anything at the curb
A house or building with five units or fewer receives two curbside bulky item collections each year at no additional charge. Each unit in a building with six or more units receives one collection.
The property must have an active Recology residential account.
A tenant may contact Recology directly to arrange the unit's collection.
List every item so Recology can confirm that it qualifies.
Recology recommends calling before the resident is ready to discard the items.
Curbside appointment checklist
Use the confirmed location and attach a Recology sign
The appointment is valid only for the active account address. Material left without a confirmed collection can be treated as abandoned waste.
Do not block the sidewalk when moving the approved items to the curb.
Place the items in front of the service address unless Recology confirms another location.
Attach the paper sign to one of the approved items for the collection crew.
Call or email Recology by noon to cancel without missing the deadline.
Regular carts and disposal alternatives
Black, blue, and green carts handle different material
Use the Recology address calendar for the regular collection day. Ordinary garbage belongs in the black cart, clean recyclables in the blue cart, and food scraps or yard material in the green cart.
The official calendar shows regular cart dates and current service changes.
Self haul service is available for qualifying material; fees may apply.
The household facility operates 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and requires proof of San Francisco residency.
Most 2026 holidays remain normal. Christmas Day is still marked to be determined by Recology.
Item guidance
Choose the correct collection path
Accepted examples
Living room furniture, display cases, residential washers and dryers, refrigerators, stoves, other residential appliances, electronics, bathroom fixtures, garage items, and clean boxed or bagged textiles can qualify.
Use another disposal option
Household garbage, cart recyclables, yard waste, construction debris, paint, pesticides, chemicals, cleaning agents, auto parts, tires, pianos, tree trunks, cast iron tubs, and other items over 100 pounds do not qualify for the curbside appointment.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
Small residential properties receive two collections each year. Each unit in a larger apartment building receives one. Up to 10 accepted items may be placed for each appointment.
Place confirmed items at the curb in front of the service address after 6 p.m. the evening before and no later than 6 a.m. on collection day. Keep the sidewalk clear and attach a paper sign that reads RECOLOGY.
Local detail that matters
What makes San Francisco service different
Apartment tenants in buildings with six or more units do not have to wait for the building manager to use the unit's annual allowance. Recology says the tenant may contact customer service directly.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
Qualifying furniture, residential appliances, electronics, bathroom fixtures, garage items, and clean boxed or bagged textiles can be included in a confirmed appointment.
Not accepted
Household garbage, regular recyclables, yard waste, construction debris, hazardous waste, auto parts, tires, and oversized items such as pianos or anything over 100 pounds do not qualify.
Holiday collectionRecology confirms every 2026 holiday except Christmas DayPublished 2026 dates confirmed
New Year's Day moves Thursday and Friday collection one day later. Eight other listed holidays keep normal service. Recology still marks Christmas Day as to be determined.
Check Christmas again
Do not assume a Christmas delay until Recology replaces the pending entry. Use the official calendar near December 25.
Bulky items use the appointment
The regular cart calendar does not create or move a bulky item appointment. Use the date in the Recology confirmation.
One day collection delay
Thursday customers move to Friday and Friday customers move to Saturday.
- New Year's Day. Thursday, January 1
Regular collection schedule
Recology says drivers service these holidays normally.
- Martin Luther King Day. Monday, January 19
- Presidents Day. Monday, February 16
- Memorial Day. Monday, May 25
- Independence Day, observed. Friday, July 3
- Labor Day. Monday, September 7
- Indigenous Peoples Day. Monday, October 12
- Veterans Day. Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day. Thursday, November 26
Schedule still pending
Christmas Day collection is still marked TBD on Recology's calendar, checked September 13.
- Christmas Day. Friday, December 25
Common questions
San Francisco collection FAQ
How many free San Francisco bulky item pickups do I receive?
A residential customer in a building with five units or fewer receives two each year. Each unit in a larger building receives one.
How many items can Recology collect at one appointment?
Up to 10 accepted items may be included in each confirmed appointment.
When should San Francisco bulky items go outside?
After 6 p.m. the evening before and by 6 a.m. on the confirmed date. Attach a sign that reads RECOLOGY.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 31, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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