Berkeley Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026: Collection Day, Recycling, Compost, Bulky Waste and Transfer Station Help
Use this Berkeley trash pickup schedule guide when you need your garbage collection day, weekly refuse rules, recycling and compost pickup, bulky waste appointment, mattress pickup, missed pickup report, holiday delay, transfer station hours, or hazardous waste disposal path. The practical answer for Berkeley, California is simple: collection is weekly, but your exact day is address-based and Customer Service is the official lookup path.
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Quick Answer for Berkeley Residents
Berkeley residential curbside waste service for 1–4 unit properties includes weekly pickup of landfill trash, recycling, and compost. To find your exact pickup day, call Zero Waste Customer Service at 510-981-7270. Property owners manage trash and compost service through the City; recycling service for many residential properties is handled by the Ecology Center at 510-527-5555.
Find your day
Berkeley does not publish one simple citywide schedule that fits every street. Call Customer Service for the collection day tied to your address.
Trash, recycling, compost
Regular service is weekly, but you still need your correct weekday and correct container setup.
Use pre-paid bags
Extra trash or plant debris that does not fit in your cart can use City pre-paid bags beside the cart on normal pickup day.
Schedule first
Bulky waste, mattresses, roll-offs, HHW, electronics and appliances all have separate rules. Do not dump items at the curb.
How to Find Your Berkeley Garbage Pickup Day
People searching “Berkeley trash pickup near me,” “Berkeley garbage collection by address,” “Berkeley garbage pickup schedule 2026,” or “what day is trash pickup in Berkeley” are usually trying to solve one practical problem: which weekday should the carts go out? Berkeley’s official answer is to call Customer Service for the scheduled weekly collection day.
- Confirm this is Berkeley, California. This page is for City of Berkeley, CA, not Berkeley Heights, Berkeley County, Berkeley, Illinois, or UC campus-only collection.
- Call Zero Waste Customer Service. Use 510-981-7270 and ask for the scheduled weekly collection day for your service address.
- Ask which account type applies. Single-family, duplex, 1–4 unit, 5–9 unit, 10+ unit, commercial, dormitory, and campus properties can follow different rules.
- Save the recycling contact. For many 1–9 unit residential recycling questions, the Ecology Center hotline is 510-527-5555.
- Set a weekly reminder. Berkeley weekly collection depends on set-out by 7 a.m.; a phone reminder the night before prevents early-morning mistakes.
If you rent in Berkeley and do not know the pickup day, ask the property owner, landlord or manager first. Berkeley often requires property owners to start, change or stop services, and multi-family service details may not be controlled by the tenant directly.
Berkeley, CA vs UC Berkeley vs Other Berkeley Cities
A search for “Berkeley trash pickup schedule” can point to several different places. This guide focuses on City of Berkeley, California curbside Zero Waste service. Use the wrong Berkeley and you can follow the wrong collection day, wrong bulk rules, and wrong phone number.
Use this guide
Residential, multi-family, commercial, bulky, mattress, Transfer Station, HHW and Zero Waste services.
Campus system
Cal Zero Waste manages campus waste and move-out programs. Dorms and campus buildings are not the same as City curbside homes.
Different schedules
Other Berkeley locations have different haulers, holidays, rates, set-out times and bulky pickup programs.
Do not dump
Furniture, mattresses and electronics left on sidewalks can create illegal dumping problems. Use landlord, City, donation or drop-off paths.
Berkeley Trash Pickup Schedule 2026: What Runs Each Week
Berkeley’s standard residential waste service is built around weekly collection. That does not mean every property is simple. The property type decides who can request service changes, which phone number to call for recycling, and whether large-item options are controlled by the owner or manager.
| Service / property type | Typical Berkeley setup | What the resident should do |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 unit residential property | Weekly trash, recycling and compost service | Property owner calls 510-981-7270 for trash/compost service. Recycling start/change/stop may go through the Ecology Center. |
| Trash cart | Weekly service; cart size affects rate | Use for landfill trash only. Keep lid closed and do not overfill. |
| Recycling split-cart / bins | Weekly recycling service | Use Ecology Center guidance. Separate paper/cardboard from container-side materials as directed. |
| Compost / plant debris | Weekly compost service | Use for accepted food scraps, compostable paper and plant debris. Extra plant debris can use pre-paid plant debris bags. |
| Extra trash or extra plant debris | Pre-paid City bags or special pickup | Place official pre-paid bags beside your cart on normal pickup day; the City says no more than ten bags at one time. |
| Bulky waste | One scheduled pickup per calendar year for 1–4 unit residential buildings | Call 510-981-7270. Berkeley bulky pickups happen on Wednesdays and require advance scheduling. |
| Mattress recycling | Separate appointment or Transfer Station drop-off | Mattress pickups are separate from bulky waste; pickups are scheduled for Thursday and wet mattresses may not be recyclable. |
| 10+ unit apartment / condo | Property-owner managed service | Landlord/property manager handles service setup, tenant education and required recycling/compost access. |
| Business / commercial | Commercial trash, recycling and compost service | Business owners call 510-981-7270 and must provide adequate recycling and compost service. |
Berkeley’s weekly pickup is not the same as “anything at the curb every week.” Regular carts, pre-paid bags, bulky waste, mattresses, construction debris, electronics and hazardous waste each have different routes.
Berkeley Cart Set-Out Rules: 7 a.m., Gutter Placement and Clear Access
Most missed pickups are not mysterious. They usually come from blocked carts, late set-out, open lids, wrong materials, street sweeping conflicts or putting large items out without an appointment.
Pickup-ready setup
- Place carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled weekly collection day.
- Place carts in the gutter in front of your curb or driveway.
- Keep cart wheels against the curb.
- Close lids completely.
- Keep carts at least 1 foot apart.
- Keep carts at least 3 feet from parked vehicles.
- Use the parking strip if your pickup day is also street sweeping day.
- Do not block traffic, sidewalks, driveways or the public right-of-way.
Common pickup failures
- Carts placed out after the truck has passed.
- Open-lid containers or overflowing carts.
- Carts behind cars, poles, trees, construction barriers or locked gates.
- Extra trash bags that are not official pre-paid City bags.
- Bulky items mixed beside regular carts without appointment.
- Recycling contaminated with plastic bags, Styrofoam, ceramics or food waste.
- Compost contaminated with plastic, trash, dirt, rocks or treated wood.
If a driver cannot service carts because of improper or blocked placement, Berkeley says a special pickup and charge can apply to return and service the carts. That is why placement is part of the schedule, not a small detail.
What Goes Where in Berkeley: Trash, Recycling, Compost, HHW and E-Waste
Residents searching “Berkeley recycling schedule,” “Berkeley compost pickup,” “what goes in Berkeley recycling,” “plastic bags Berkeley recycling,” “battery disposal Berkeley,” or “electronics recycling Berkeley” need item-level answers. Use this table before guessing.
| Item or material | Best Berkeley path | Practical answer |
|---|---|---|
| Regular household landfill trash | Trash cart | Use the gray/refuse container. Keep lid closed and avoid overloading. |
| Plastic bags, straws, Styrofoam, ceramics, Pyrex, crystal, window glass | Not curbside recycling | These are common recycling mistakes. Use the sorting guide or landfill/drop-off route when appropriate. |
| Glass bottles and jars, steel/tin/aluminum cans, clean rigid plastic containers | Blue side / container recycling | Rinse containers, remove food and follow Ecology Center split-cart rules. |
| Newspaper, office paper, small cardboard, mail, magazines, paperboard | Brown side / paper recycling | Keep paper dry and clean. Do not include food-soiled or wax-coated paper. |
| Large cardboard boxes | Recycling if cut or bundled correctly | Do not wedge large boxes in the cart. Cut to fit or flatten into a manageable bundle. |
| Food scraps, garden trimmings, untreated wood chips, compostable paper | Compost cart | Keep organics clean. Plastic bags, waxed cardboard, milk cartons and trash do not belong in compost. |
| Paint, solvents, cleaners, pesticides, batteries, fluorescent lamps | Household hazardous waste | Do not put HHW in trash, sink, drain or street. Use Alameda County/StopWaste safe disposal options. |
| Computers, TVs, electronic waste | E-waste recycler or HHW route | Electronic waste is not regular bulky pickup or curbside recycling. Use an approved e-waste option. |
| Refrigerators, stoves, microwave ovens, large programmable appliances | Transfer Station / special disposal | These are not accepted in normal bulky waste pickup. Check special handling fees and recycling options. |
| Mattress, box spring, futon mattress | Mattress recycling program | Schedule a Thursday pickup or drop off up to two mattresses at the Transfer Station if eligible. |
| Construction debris, concrete, rocks, dirt, auto parts, tires | Transfer Station or approved disposal | Do not place these in bulky waste pickup. Check facility rules and fees before loading. |
Berkeley Pickup Tools: Save This Page and Reuse It
These resident tools are designed for repeat visits: when you find your weekly day, when a holiday week is coming, when a cart is missed, when you have a bulky item, or when you are not sure whether something is trash, recycling, compost, HHW or Transfer Station material.
Extra Trash or Plant Debris: Berkeley Pre-Paid Bags
Residents searching “extra garbage bags Berkeley,” “Berkeley pre-paid bags,” or “extra yard waste pickup Berkeley” usually do not need a full bulky appointment. Berkeley allows residential 1–4 unit property owners with curbside collection to use City pre-paid bags for extra trash or plant debris that will not fit into a regular container.
Beside your cart
Place official pre-paid bags beside your cart on your normal pickup day. Do not use random bags and expect automatic pickup.
Up to ten bags
The City says it will not collect more than ten pre-paid bags at one time.
Call first
If you need a pre-paid bag pickup outside the regular pickup day, call 510-981-7270 to schedule and confirm the current charge.
Pre-paid bags are not a workaround for mattresses, large appliances, hazardous waste, tires, auto parts, concrete or construction debris. Those need separate routes.
Berkeley Bulky Waste Pickup 2026: Wednesday Appointments, 3 Cubic Yards and Accepted Items
Searches like “Berkeley bulk trash pickup,” “Berkeley bulky item pickup,” “Berkeley large item pickup,” “Berkeley couch pickup,” and “Berkeley furniture pickup” should lead to one rule: schedule before set-out. For 1–4 unit residential buildings, Berkeley offers one free bulky waste pickup per calendar year at no additional charge, up to 3 cubic yards. Bulky pickups happen on Wednesdays.
Call 510-981-7270
Call Customer Service to schedule an upcoming Wednesday bulky pickup. Advanced appointment is required.
Out by 7 a.m.
Set bulky materials at the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled pickup day.
By 2 p.m. prior business day
If you need to cancel, call by 2 p.m. on the business day before the scheduled pickup.
| Bulky pickup question | Berkeley rule | Practical guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Free annual pickup | One free pickup per calendar year for eligible 1–4 unit residential buildings | Do not waste the annual pickup on small items that fit in pre-paid bags or reuse/drop-off options. |
| Size limit | Up to 3 cubic yards, about 9 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft | Extra cubic yards may be charged. Keep the pile compact and curb-accessible. |
| Accepted examples | Bulky household trash, bundled painted/stained wood under 5 ft, rolled rugs, sinks, toilets, bed frames | Small items should be bagged or boxed; toilets should have tank separated from base. |
| Small appliances | Small non-programmable appliances under 50 lb and without circuit board | Programmable appliances, TVs, microwaves and large appliances are not normal bulky pickup. |
| Not accepted | HHW, recyclable mattresses, large appliances, e-waste, universal waste, construction debris, rocks, dirt, concrete, tires, auto parts, recyclables, organics | Use Transfer Station, HHW, recycling, mattress recycling, compost or approved drop-off routes instead. |
Berkeley Mattress Pickup and Mattress Recycling
A mattress is not treated like normal bulky waste in Berkeley. Residents searching “Berkeley mattress pickup,” “mattress disposal Berkeley,” or “Berkeley box spring recycling” need the mattress recycling program or Transfer Station drop-off route.
Thursday appointments
Property owners can call 510-981-7270 to request mattress pickup. Pickups are scheduled for Thursday.
Up to 2 per pickup
Single-family residences can request up to two mattresses per pickup and up to two pickups per year.
Up to 4 per pickup
Multi-family residences can request up to four mattresses per pickup and up to two pickups per year.
Mattress program items
- Twin, full, queen or king mattress.
- Box springs.
- Futon mattresses that separate from frame or base.
- Memory foam mattresses.
Keep these out
- Infant or child-sized mattresses.
- Air mattresses.
- Mattress toppers.
- Futon bases or frames.
- Excessively wet, moldy, soiled, twisted, crushed or bed bug-infested mattresses.
Berkeley tells residents to avoid requesting mattress pickup on a rainy day because wet mattresses may not be recyclable. Place mattresses curbside by 7 a.m.; they are not collected from private property.
Missed Berkeley Pickup: Report After 10 a.m. and Before the Deadline
If garbage, recycling or compost was not collected, do not wait all week. Berkeley’s missed pickup window is strict: report after 10 a.m. on the service day and no later than 5 p.m. the next business day after the scheduled collection.
Before reporting
- Was it your correct scheduled collection day?
- Was it a Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year delay week?
- Were carts out by 7 a.m.?
- Were lids fully closed?
- Were carts in the gutter with wheels against the curb?
- Were carts 1 foot apart and 3 feet from parked vehicles?
- Was material contaminated or in the wrong container?
- Was the cart blocked by street sweeping, parked cars, construction or locked access?
Call Customer Service
Call 510-981-7270 or use Berkeley’s report system. Leave the carts at the curb after reporting; crews may have up to two business days to return once the missed pickup is accepted.
Call 510-981-7270Reports beyond the allotted missed-pickup period may not be collected until the next regular collection day unless a charged special pickup is requested.
Berkeley Transfer Station: Address, Hours, Drop-Off Rules and Fees
Searches like “Berkeley dump,” “Berkeley Transfer Station hours,” “Berkeley landfill,” “where to take extra garbage,” “Berkeley mattress drop off,” or “construction debris Berkeley” usually point to the City’s Transfer Station at 1201 Second Street, Berkeley, CA 94710.
1201 Second Street
The Transfer Station is at 1201 Second Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. Phone: 510-981-7270.
Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Closed Sundays, New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
No pedestrian drop-off
Customers must be inside a vehicle. Secure your load to avoid spillage and fees.
| Drop-off material | Transfer Station note | Resident action |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse / trash | Minimum load and per-ton rates apply | Good for extra material that is not suitable for normal carts or pre-paid bags. |
| Construction and demolition material | Accepted for recycling when properly separated and loose | Keep C&D material loose, not bagged, and separate from trash/organics where required. |
| Organic / compostable material | Clean organic loads can be charged at organics rate | Do not mix plastic bags, trash, waxed cardboard or recyclables into organics loads. |
| Mattresses | Residents can dispose of two mattresses for free; commercial customers pay fee | Whole units only; excessively wet, moldy, soiled, crushed or bed bug-infested units are not accepted. |
| Appliances and e-waste | Special handling charges may apply | Check current fees before loading refrigerators, appliances or electronics. |
| Hazardous waste | Transfer Station does not accept hazardous waste | Use Alameda County/StopWaste HHW options instead. |
Household Hazardous Waste: Paint, Batteries, Chemicals, Fluorescent Tubes and E-Waste
Berkeley residents searching “paint disposal Berkeley,” “battery recycling Berkeley,” “fluorescent tube disposal Berkeley,” “pesticide disposal Berkeley,” or “electronics disposal Berkeley” should not use normal trash, recycling, compost or bulky pickup.
HHW is not curbside trash
Paint, cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, auto products, batteries, fluorescent lamps, medical waste and e-waste need specific safe disposal.
Alameda County / StopWaste
The City points residents to StopWaste and Alameda County’s free HHW drop-off facilities for many hazardous materials.
Transfer Station option
Berkeley residents can recycle used motor oil or hydraulic fluid at the Transfer Station under specific container and quantity rules.
Berkeley Hills Fire Fuel Chipper and Vegetation Debris Bin
Residents searching “Berkeley Hills vegetation pickup,” “Berkeley chipper program,” “fire fuel debris bin Berkeley,” or “large brush pickup Berkeley” may need the seasonal Fire Fuel Chipper Program rather than regular green compost pickup.
Mid-March to early December
Residents can reserve chipping services online during the seasonal program, depending on neighborhood zone events.
June 9 to September 11
Eligible Berkeley Hills residents with the Fire District Surcharge can request vegetation debris bins during the listed seasonal window.
Keep piles clean
Metal, poison oak, blackberry brambles, leaves, lawn clippings, roots with dirt, and large limbs may be excluded from chipper piles.
Berkeley Apartments, Condos, Landlords and Student Move-Outs
Searches like “Berkeley apartment trash pickup,” “Berkeley landlord garbage service,” “Berkeley student move out furniture,” and “multi-family waste Berkeley” are different from single-family curbside questions. Property owners are responsible for setting up adequate service, giving tenants access to recycling, compost and trash, and educating tenants about sorting.
Recycling contact varies
For 1–9 unit residential recycling service, the City points residents/property owners to the Ecology Center at 510-527-5555.
Customer Service
For buildings with 10 or more units, contact Berkeley Customer Service at 510-981-7270 for recycling service questions.
No sidewalk dumping
Do not leave mattresses, sofas, furniture or electronics on sidewalks. Use landlord, donation, bulky, mattress, e-waste or Transfer Station options.
Berkeley says landlords should ensure carts are at the curb by 7 a.m. and removed within 24 hours after pickup. Tenants should still know the rules so the building avoids contamination and missed pickups.
Berkeley Holiday Trash Pickup Schedule 2026
Berkeley does not collect trash, compost or recycling on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Pickup moves one day later for the rest of the week, including Saturday and Sunday where needed. Trash, compost and recycling schedules are not affected by other holidays.
| 2026 holiday | Pickup impact | Resident action |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day — Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 | Thursday service moves to Friday; Friday service moves to Saturday. | Set carts out one day later by 7 a.m. and expect collection later than usual. |
| Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026 | Thursday service moves to Friday; Friday service moves to Saturday. | Do not put carts out on the normal Thursday schedule unless Berkeley posts a different notice. |
| Christmas Day — Friday, Dec. 25, 2026 | Friday service moves to Saturday. | Confirm if your building has locked gates, dumpsters or commercial access concerns. |
| New Year’s Day — Friday, Jan. 1, 2027 | Friday service likely moves to Saturday. | Check the year-end official notice because the holiday crosses into 2027. |
| Other holidays | Usually no schedule effect | Office hours may differ, so call ahead for special service, bulky pickup or Transfer Station questions. |
Berkeley says whole holiday trees should not be left at the curb. Cut trees to fit in the green compost cart with the lid closed, or drop off whole trees at the Transfer Station. Remove lights, decorations, tinsel, plastic bags and tree stands first.
Official Berkeley Links Residents Actually Need
Use the correct official page for the task. Pickup day and missed service are not the same as recycling sorting, bulky pickup, mattress recycling, HHW or Transfer Station drop-off.
Related Trash-Pickup.org Guides
These guides help when comparing California and West Coast waste systems, pickup-day lookup logic, bulky item decisions and missed pickup troubleshooting.
Publishing Audit: What This Berkeley Guide Covers
This guide answers the real intent behind searches like Berkeley trash pickup schedule 2026, Berkeley garbage collection schedule, Berkeley garbage pickup day, Berkeley recycling schedule, Berkeley compost pickup, Berkeley bulky item pickup, Berkeley mattress pickup, Berkeley missed garbage pickup, Berkeley Transfer Station hours, Berkeley dump, Berkeley hazardous waste, Berkeley Ecology Center recycling, UC Berkeley move-out trash, Berkeley holiday garbage schedule, and Berkeley trash pickup near me. Those search meanings are handled as workflow sections, tables, tools, checklists and FAQs instead of being dumped into a keyword list.
Find the day
The page explains why calling Customer Service is the official collection-day path and how tenants/property owners should handle account questions.
Route each item
Trash, recycling, compost, pre-paid bags, bulky waste, mattresses, HHW, electronics, construction debris and Transfer Station loads are separated clearly.
Reusable tools
The pickup-day reminder, holiday checker, item sorter and bulky-size estimator give residents a reason to bookmark and revisit the page.
Berkeley Trash Pickup FAQ 2026
How do I find my Berkeley trash pickup day?
Call City of Berkeley Zero Waste Customer Service at 510-981-7270 and ask for the scheduled weekly collection day for your service address.
Is garbage pickup weekly in Berkeley?
Yes. Standard Berkeley residential waste service includes weekly collection for trash, recycling and compost, with the monthly trash rate including weekly recycling and compost service.
What time should Berkeley carts be out?
Place carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Put carts in the gutter, wheels against the curb, lids closed, and keep them clear of vehicles and obstacles.
Who do I call for Berkeley missed pickup?
Call 510-981-7270 after 10 a.m. on the service day if refuse, recycling or organics were not collected. Report no later than 5 p.m. the next business day after the scheduled collection.
Who handles Berkeley recycling questions?
For many residential recycling service questions, the Ecology Center Recycling Hotline is 510-527-5555. For 10+ unit buildings and some service issues, call Berkeley Customer Service at 510-981-7270.
Can I put extra trash bags beside my cart in Berkeley?
Use official City pre-paid bags for extra trash or plant debris. Place them beside your cart on your normal pickup day. The City says it will not collect more than ten pre-paid bags at one time.
How do I schedule Berkeley bulky waste pickup?
Call 510-981-7270 to schedule. Eligible 1–4 unit residential buildings can receive one free bulky pickup per calendar year up to 3 cubic yards. Bulky pickups happen on Wednesdays.
Does Berkeley bulky pickup take mattresses?
No. Recyclable mattresses are handled through Berkeley’s separate mattress recycling program or Transfer Station drop-off, not regular bulky waste pickup.
How do I schedule Berkeley mattress pickup?
The property owner should call 510-981-7270. Mattress pickups are scheduled for Thursday, and mattresses should be curbside by 7 a.m. on the pickup day.
Where is the Berkeley Transfer Station?
The Berkeley Transfer Station is at 1201 Second Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. It is generally open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed Sundays and major listed holidays.
Does the Transfer Station accept hazardous waste?
No. The Berkeley Transfer Station does not accept hazardous waste. Use Alameda County/StopWaste household hazardous waste facilities for paint, chemicals, batteries, pesticides and similar materials.
Which holidays delay Berkeley trash pickup in 2026?
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are the regular no-service holidays. Collection moves one day later for the rest of the week, including Saturday and Sunday where needed.
Do Berkeley apartments follow the same trash rules?
Not always. Multi-family buildings are managed by the property owner or manager, and recycling contact depends on unit count. Tenants should ask the landlord or manager for building-specific instructions.
Is this guide for UC Berkeley campus waste?
No. This guide focuses on City of Berkeley curbside and Zero Waste services. UC Berkeley campus buildings, dorms and move-out programs are managed separately through campus systems.
Is Trash-Pickup.org the City of Berkeley?
No. Trash-Pickup.org is an independent resident help guide. For live pickup days, fees, service changes, missed pickup dispatch and official updates, use the City of Berkeley and Ecology Center links on this page.
Final Berkeley Resident Summary
To use the Berkeley trash pickup schedule correctly in 2026, call 510-981-7270 to confirm your scheduled weekly collection day, then place trash, recycling and compost containers at the curb by 7 a.m. Keep carts in the gutter, wheels against the curb, lids closed, at least 1 foot apart and at least 3 feet from parked vehicles.
Use Ecology Center support for residential recycling questions, City pre-paid bags for extra trash or plant debris, Wednesday appointments for bulky waste, Thursday appointments for mattress recycling, Transfer Station drop-off for larger loads, and Alameda County/StopWaste options for hazardous waste. During Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year weeks, expect one-day delays for the rest of the week.
Franklin TN Trash Tools
Holiday calculator | Buck-A-Bag counter | Recycling checker
Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Call (615) 794-1516 to confirm