Recycling and Garbage Carts Color Change Complete

The City of El Cerrito and East Bay Sanitary would like to thank the community for their patience during the curbside cart swap project. Beginning July 10th, the City of El Cerrito began providing new Recycling and Garbage carts to comply with state law (SB 1383). The new Recycling Cart is BLUE and the Garbage Cart is BLACK. This standardizing of cart colors will take place throughout California for ease of separating materials and recycling no matter where you are. 

Remember BLUE is now recycling! Updated recycling and garbage posters can be downloaded below.

If you have not received your new carts, or your old carts were not collected, or if you received the wrong number of carts, please contact East Bay Sanitary for garbage (or green waste) at (510) 237-4321 or El Cerrito Recycling for recycling at (510) 215-4350 or green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

For more information, view our Frequently Asked Questions. 

Postcard that was mailed out week of June 26. 

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RECYCLING COLLECTION

The City of El Cerrito owns and operates the curbside collection of recyclables from all homes, businesses, and multi-family dwellings within the City.  

garbage and greenwaste Collection

East Bay Sanitary Company at (510) 237-4321 is the City's franchised hauler for garbage and green waste.  Please contact them directly when you have questions about garbage and green waste collection services. 

• Franchise Agreement - Solid Waste Collection Services (June 1, 2022)

Questions?

- Recycling Information

• Article:  Where Do Curbside Recyclables Go? (pdf) 
• Video - Click to take a virtual tour of Napa Recycling & Waste Services where curbside recyclables are processed

Garbage and Green waste Information

Greener El Cerrito Newsletters

Residential Brochure (English version) - All versions updated October 2022    
Spanish version - haga clic para ver, Mandarin version - 請點此查看

Commercial Brochure - All versions updated January 2023                                                      Mandarin version - 請點此查看, Spanish Version - haga clic para ver 

                (Click the image below to view each color-coded panels legibly)

Services

Among the solid waste collection services provided to El Cerrito Residents are:

• Weekly curbside collection services:
  • Weekly collection of recycling (blue container as of July 2023)
  • Weekly collection of green waste, including food scraps (green container)
  • Weekly collection of garbage (black container as of July 2023 )
  • FREE “backyard collection” services for residents with a medical issue.  Doctor's note required.
    

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• Drop-off and other collection services:
  • Convenient and free drop-off recycling of a wide range of materials at the El Cerrito Recycling Center
  • FREE curbside, one time Annual Clean-up of select extra materials:  recyclables, green waste, and garbage (Please call to make advanced arrangements.)
  • Free drop-off of Household Hazardous Waste at WCC HHW Facility in Richmond
  • Free curbside collection of HHW for seniors and the disabled
• Special Recycling Events:
  • Biannual citywide garage sales

These services are provided for based on rates charged to all homes and businesses for the collection of solid waste. For details on the rates, visit our rates page.

Master Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2022-23
New fees for FY 2022-23 go into effect on July 1, 2022. Download the Master Fee Schedule for the Recycling + Environmental Resource Center. Please review item # 5 for a list of our division fees.

Please note: We are a one-stop recycling facility, however, not all items are included in the curbside program. For example, the following items must be recycled at the Drop-off Center: batteries, CFL bulbs, electronics, large pieces of scrap metals, medicines/needles, and Styrofoam.  Drop-off Recycling Center information. 

Holiday Schedule:  If Christmas or New Year's day falls on a weekday, curbside collection of recycling, green waste and garbage will occur one day later than your usual collection day. 

Unflocked, natural Christmas trees free of tinsel, ornaments, stands, etc. will be collected free of charge by East Bay Sanitary as part of your green waste pick up from December 26 through your first two scheduled collection days in January. After this period, you can contact East Bay Sanitary to arrange for tree removal for a charge. If possible, we request that trees be cut down and placed in your green waste cart. If this is not possible, place your tree next to your green waste cart and it will be taken.  Questions? Contact East Bay Sanitary: (510) 237-4321.