Long Beach Trash Pickup, Recycling, Organics & Special Collection Schedule 2026
This guide is written like a Long Beach resident trying to solve the real pickup problem: how to find your MapIt collection day, when to place carts in the alley or curbside, how holiday delays work, what goes in trash, recycling and green organics carts, how to schedule bulky pickup, and what to do when a collection is missed.
Enter your ZIP code below — we'll take you straight to your city's official schedule. No searching, no confusion.
Long Beach trash pickup schedule garbage collection is address-based. Use the official MapIt application, enter your address, then scroll to Trash, Recycling, and Organics Pickup Day. City-serviced trash, recycling and organics are collected weekly on the same service day.
Place carts out in the alley or curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day. Collection can happen anytime between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Keep two feet of space between carts and parked cars, point the lid arrow toward the street, keep lids closed, and return carts to the property within 12 hours after they are emptied.
Long Beach Collection Day Lookup — Use MapIt Before Rolling Carts Out
The City of Long Beach uses MapIt for address-specific service information. After entering your address, scroll down to find your trash, recycling and organics pickup day. MapIt can also show other city services near your address, so it is better than guessing from a neighbor’s alley or curb.
Open MapIt
Use the official City of Long Beach MapIt application and enter your service address. Check that the result is actually your Long Beach property and not a nearby city or private-hauler address.
Find “Trash, Recycling, and Organics Pickup Day”
Trash, recycling and organics are collected each week on the same service day for City-serviced accounts. Write down that day and create a phone reminder.
Check whether the City or a private hauler serves you
Long Beach EES serves many residential and commercial accounts, but limited private haulers operate in the city. If a private hauler serves your household, contact that company for schedule and billing details.
Do a holiday check only for Christmas and New Year’s
Long Beach collects on most holidays. The major schedule exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Official lookup: Use MapIt to confirm your exact pickup day before relying on old screenshots, neighbor advice, or private-hauler schedules.
Open MapItLong Beach Cart Set-Out Rules — Alley, Curbside, 2-Foot Spacing and Weight Limits
Long Beach uses automated collection, so cart placement matters. The truck needs room to access the cart, lift it safely and empty it without hitting parked cars or other carts. Small placement mistakes can turn into a missed pickup.
- Put all carts out by 6:00 AM on collection day.
- Place carts at your normal alley or curbside collection location.
- Leave two feet between trash, recycling, organics carts and parked cars.
- Make sure the arrow on the cart lid points toward the street.
- Keep the lid closed.
- Return carts to the property premises within 12 hours after they are emptied.
- Bags, boxes or loose material outside the city cart.
- Overfilled carts with lids that will not close.
- Carts blocked by cars, gates, walls, poles or other carts.
- Wrong lid direction or carts turned sideways.
- Heavy carts over the listed weight limits.
- Hazardous waste, construction debris or oversized items in regular carts.
Weight limit reality: Long Beach says not to place more than 200 pounds in a 95-gallon cart or more than 150 pounds in a 65-gallon cart. Heavy dirt, concrete, rocks, demolition debris and wet materials can create safety and collection problems.
Long Beach 2026 Holiday Trash Pickup Schedule — Christmas and New Year’s Day Are the Main Exceptions
Long Beach has a simple holiday rule compared with many cities. Refuse, recycling and organics are collected on all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. When either holiday falls on a weekday, collection for that day and the rest of the week is delayed one day, ending on Saturday.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Pickup Impact | Resident Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2026 | No collection on the holiday; remaining weekday routes delayed one day. | Thursday moves to Friday; Friday moves to Saturday unless official notice says otherwise. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19, 2026 | Regular collection. | Put carts out on normal day. |
| Presidents’ Day | February 16, 2026 | Regular collection. | Put carts out on normal day. |
| Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 | Regular collection. | Put carts out on normal day. |
| Independence Day | July 4, 2026 | Saturday in 2026; normal weekday routes not affected. | Check MapIt only if special notice appears. |
| Labor Day | September 7, 2026 | Regular collection. | Put carts out on normal day. |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 26, 2026 | Regular collection. | Put carts out on normal day. |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2026 | No collection on the holiday; remaining weekday route delayed. | Friday route likely moves to Saturday; verify official holiday page. |
Resident shortcut: If the holiday is not Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, Long Beach says collection occurs on the regular collection day. Still check MapIt or the holiday page if weather, service alerts or special notices are posted.
Long Beach Trash Cart Rules — What Goes in Refuse and What Never Goes in Any Cart
The trash cart is for ordinary refuse that does not belong in recycling, organics or a special disposal program. Long Beach’s automated collection system cannot collect trash, recycling or organics set out in bags, boxes or other containers instead of the city-provided carts.
- Non-recyclable household trash.
- Bagged small household waste that fits inside the cart.
- Materials not accepted in recycling or organics.
- Small broken household items that do not require special collection.
- Non-hazardous materials that fit safely with the lid closed.
- Household hazardous waste such as paint, motor oil, gasoline or cleaners.
- Hot ashes.
- Rocks, concrete or dirt.
- Construction, remodeling or demolition debris.
- Heavy or oversized items that require special collection.
- Items that make the cart exceed the posted weight limit.
Need a cart exchange? Long Beach lists 95-gallon, 65-gallon and 35-gallon cart sizes. Exchanges are limited and processed based on inventory and delivery schedules.
Request Cart ServiceLong Beach Recycling Pickup — Same Day as Trash, Cart Exchange and Contamination Problems
Recycling is collected each week on the same day as trash for City-serviced accounts. The City has also been exchanging purple recycling carts for blue recycling carts for City-serviced residents, so some residents may see cart color changes during the transition.
- Use MapIt to confirm your pickup day.
- Set the recycling cart out by 6:00 AM.
- Leave two feet of space from other carts and parked cars.
- Keep the lid closed and arrow pointed toward the street.
- Keep recyclables inside the cart, not in loose bags or boxes beside it.
- Food and liquid left in containers.
- Hazardous waste or electronics in recycling.
- Plastic bags or film when not accepted by the program.
- Loose trash mixed into the recycling cart.
- Oversized items that block automated collection.
- Materials placed outside the provided cart.
Cart color note: If your block has both older purple recycling carts and newer blue recycling carts, follow the latest Long Beach Recycles guidance. The important part is not the color alone; it is using the correct recycling cart for accepted recyclables and avoiding contamination.
Long Beach Recycles Video Guide — Keep Contamination Out of the Recycling Cart
This official Long Beach Recycles video is useful because recycling contamination is one of the easiest ways for residents to create service and sorting problems. It supports the recycling section by reminding City-serviced residents that the recycling cart is not a second trash cart.
Best for: New residents, recycling users, apartment residents learning local sorting rules, families teaching kids how to recycle, and residents confused by the purple-to-blue recycling cart exchange.
This video supports the practical guidance in this article. For exact pickup dates, holiday delays, cart exchanges, missed collection, special collection limits, organics rules, hazardous waste events and service alerts, residents should still verify details through the official City of Long Beach links above.
Long Beach Organics Pickup — Yard Trimmings, Food Scraps and Green Cart Basics
Long Beach’s residential organics collection for City-serviced accounts is part of California’s SB 1383 organics diversion program. The goal is to keep organic material out of landfills by using dedicated green carts for food scraps and yard trimmings.
- Food scraps.
- Meat, bones, dairy, bread, vegetables, fruits, eggshells and coffee grounds.
- Food must be removed from packaging.
- Grass clippings and plant trimmings.
- Flowers, twigs and branches that fit safely in the green cart.
- Do not leave food in packaging.
- Keep cart lids shut to reduce pests and odors.
- Do not overfill the cart.
- Keep organics inside the city-provided cart for automated collection.
- Use special collection rules for yard debris too large for the cart.
Odor tip: Organics carts contain material that previously went into trash, so odor control is about routine: keep lids shut, avoid packaging, rinse containers when needed and set the cart out by 6:00 AM on your collection day.
Long Beach Bulky Item Pickup — 12 Special Collections, 8 Large Items and 25 Bags/Bundles/Boxes
City-serviced refuse accounts receive 12 Special Collections per year at no additional cost. This is the correct route for bulky or oversized items that do not fit in the cart. You must schedule a pickup before placing items out.
- Furniture.
- Appliances.
- Computers and monitors.
- Television sets.
- Tires up to 16 inches, maximum five tires per pickup.
- Tree branches and yard debris in 4-foot, 40-pound tied bundles.
- Other oddly sized items when allowed by the city.
- Do not place items outside until a pickup date has been confirmed.
- Place items at the normal weekly refuse collection location by 6:00 AM on the scheduled date.
- Items cannot exceed 72 inches by 48 inches unless noted as oversized.
- Bundles cannot exceed 48 inches in any direction.
- Items or bundles cannot exceed 40 pounds; bags cannot exceed 25 pounds.
- Refrigerators and freezers must have doors removed or duct-taped shut.
Limit rule: Long Beach allows a maximum of 8 large items or 25 bags, bundles or boxes for each scheduled pickup. Customers may choose to use two free special pickups on the same day if needed.
Schedule first: Submit the special collection form or call 562-570-2876 before setting out bulky items.
Request Special CollectionMissed Trash Pickup Long Beach — What to Check Before Reporting a Collection Issue
If your trash, recycling or organics cart is missed, first confirm that the cart was placed at the curb or alley by 6:00 AM and left out until 6:00 PM. Long Beach says missed collections may be reported after 6:00 PM on your collection day, and the cart should be left out and accessible for collection the following day.
Check MapIt and the holiday page
Confirm that today was your collection day and that it was not affected by Christmas Day or New Year’s Day holiday delay rules.
Check placement and access
Cart should be out by 6:00 AM, lid closed, arrow toward the street, two feet from parked cars and other carts, and not overfilled.
Wait until after 6 PM
Collection can happen anytime between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM, so do not report the miss too early.
Submit the report and leave the cart out
Use the Report a Problem form after 6:00 PM and leave the cart accessible for the following day.
Official form: Use Long Beach’s Report a Problem page for missed collection after checking timing and placement.
Report Collection IssueLong Beach Apartments, Condos and Private Hauler Waste Service — Do Not Use the Wrong Schedule
Not every Long Beach address follows the same city cart setup. Long Beach EES provides trash, recycling and organics collection to many residential and commercial customers, but there are also permitted private waste haulers in the city. Apartments, condos, mixed-use properties and businesses may have service arranged by a property manager or private hauler.
- Is the property serviced by the City of Long Beach or a private hauler?
- Where are trash, recycling and organics containers located?
- What day does the private hauler collect?
- How should bulky items be requested?
- Are tenants allowed to use city special collection requests, or must the manager schedule pickup?
- Do not place mattresses, sofas or appliances beside a shared dumpster without approval.
- Do not assume city special collection applies to your building.
- Ask before leaving items in alleys, parking areas or trash rooms.
- Use donation, special collection or approved disposal routes before move-out day.
- Report illegal dumping separately from normal missed pickup.
Private-hauler reality: If your building is serviced by a private hauler, the city’s MapIt day and special collection rules may not apply. Contact your property manager or hauler directly before putting items out.
Long Beach Recycles Phone Number, Email, Map and Official Waste Links
| Need | Official Contact | Use This For |
|---|---|---|
| Call Center | 562-570-2876 | Special collections, bulky item pickup, refuse questions and service help. |
| LBRecycles@longbeach.gov | Long Beach Recycles questions and alternative format guideline requests. | |
| Collection Lookup | MapIt Application | Trash, recycling, organics collection day and other city service information by address. |
| City Hall | 411 West Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802 | General City of Long Beach government address and routing. |
City Hall Map
Official Long Beach Waste Links
Related Trash Pickup Guides — California and Nearby Collection Help
Use these related trash-pickup.org guides when comparing pickup lookup tools, bulky item programs, holiday delays and recycling rules in nearby California systems.
Long Beach Trash Pickup FAQ — Real Resident Questions Answered
Source Verification and Editorial Note
Independent information guide — not affiliated with the City of Long Beach. trash-pickup.org is a public information resource. We do not operate refuse collection, recycling pickup, organics collection, MapIt, special collections, cart exchanges, missed pickup forms, private hauler service or hazardous waste events.
Collection lookup guidance, set-out timing, cart spacing, cart weight limits, holiday rules, special collection limits, organics notes, missed pickup reporting and official links were checked against City of Long Beach / Long Beach Recycles sources as of May 2026. Routes, cart programs, private-hauler rules, event dates, facility rules and service notices can change. Always verify through official Long Beach links before acting.
Official Sources — Verified May 2026
- Long Beach Recycles
- Long Beach Recycles — Refuse Collection 101
- City of Long Beach — MapIt Collection Day Lookup
- Long Beach Recycles — Holiday Collection Schedule
- Long Beach Recycles — Special Collection 101
- Long Beach Recycles — Request a Special Collection
- Long Beach Recycles — Cart Requests
- Long Beach Recycles — Report a Problem
- Long Beach Recycles — Residential Organics Collection
- Long Beach Recycles — Recycling
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