Your Long Beach Trash Day — Easier to Track in 2026
If you live in Long Beach, California, the hard part is usually not weekly trash pickup. It is knowing your exact address-based collection day, remembering that recycling and organics run on the same day as trash for city-serviced accounts, understanding the special bulky-item rules, and checking the only two holidays that actually delay service. This guide keeps the 2026 setup simple and practical.
📑 What’s in this guide
For city-serviced refuse accounts in Long Beach, weekly trash, weekly recycling, and weekly organics collection all follow your normal collection day. Some multifamily addresses and properties with private haulers may use a different schedule, so checking your exact service type first is important.
Return within 12 hours after emptied
How to Find Your Long Beach Trash Pickup Day
Long Beach uses an address-based collection map. The easiest way to stay accurate is to use the City’s official map and collection pages instead of guessing based on a neighborhood or ZIP code.
- Open the City maps page. Go to Long Beach Maps and GIS.
- Load the refuse collection map. The city map includes Refuse Collection Days and street information.
- Enter your address. Check the pickup day tied to your property.
- Confirm your service type. City-serviced accounts use the City collection system. Some multifamily and condo properties may use a private hauler instead.
- Save your day. Once you know the day, your trash, recycling, and organics will generally follow that same weekly collection day.
Long Beach Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When
Long Beach city-serviced refuse accounts usually follow one steady weekly pattern. Trash, recycling, and organics are all collected each week on the same day, while bulky items are handled through the special collection program.
| Service | Container / Set-Out | Typical Frequency | Where to Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trash | Black cart | Weekly | Refuse Collection 101 / maps page |
| Recycling | Blue or purple cart | Weekly, same day as trash | Refuse Collection 101 |
| Organics | Green cart | Weekly, same day as trash | Residential Organics Collection |
| Special Collection | Scheduled bulky or oversized item pickup | Up to 12 times per year | Special Collection 101 |
Long Beach says recyclables and organics are collected each week on the same day as trash. That means one correct address lookup usually gives you your full weekly curbside pattern.
Long Beach Black, Blue/Purple, and Green Cart System
Long Beach separates regular waste into trash, recycling, and organics. Using the right cart matters because the City has different rules for normal weekly collection and for oversized-item pickup.
Black Cart
Blue/Purple Cart
Green Cart
Special Collection
Long Beach also notes that the City offers green organics carts in different sizes. If your property needs a different cart size or a cart replacement, the City provides an official cart request form.
⭐ Easy Long Beach shortcut
If something fits safely into the right cart, use the weekly curbside system. If it does not fit in a cart, stop and check whether it should be scheduled as a special collection, donated, or taken to a specific drop-off option.
Long Beach Set-Out Rules
Long Beach curbside rules are clear, and they matter for both normal collection and avoiding missed pickups.
- Place all carts out in the alley or curbside by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
- Collection can happen anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Leave at least 2 feet of space between carts and parked cars or other obstructions.
- Return carts to your property within 12 hours after they are emptied.
- Do not put bulky extras out without a confirmed special collection date.
Long Beach Bulky Item and Special Collection Rules
Long Beach uses a scheduled special collection program for oversized or bulky items that will not fit in your carts. The City says each city-serviced refuse account gets 12 special collections per year at no additional cost, although some items may require a regulatory handling fee.
Common special collection items include:
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Computers and monitors
- Televisions
- Tires within the city’s listed limits
- Tree branches and yard debris bundles
- Schedule the collection first. Use Special Collection 101 or call 562-570-2876.
- Stay within the pickup limits. Long Beach allows a maximum of 8 large items or 25 bags, bundles, or boxes of trash per scheduled pickup.
- Prepare items correctly. Bags cannot exceed 25 pounds, and items or bundles generally should not exceed 40 pounds unless you have discussed an oversized item during scheduling.
- Separate special-handling items. Appliances, televisions, computer monitors, and tires should be kept separate from other items.
- Place items at your normal collection location by 6:00 a.m. on the confirmed pickup day.
⭐ Long Beach resident advantage
Because Long Beach gives city-serviced accounts multiple free special collection appointments each year, it is usually better to schedule properly than to risk illegal dumping or a failed curbside set-out.
Long Beach 2026 Holiday Trash Schedule
Long Beach is simpler than many cities when it comes to holiday collection. The City says regular refuse, recycling, and organics are collected on all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
| 2026 Holiday | Collection Impact |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day — Thursday, January 1, 2026 | Thursday collection moves to Friday, Friday moves to Saturday |
| Christmas Day — Friday, December 25, 2026 | Friday collection moves to Saturday |
| All other holidays | Regular refuse, recycling, and organics collection continues on the normal day |
Long Beach also says that when Christmas Day or New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, collection occurs on the Friday before the holiday. That situation does not apply to the 2026 calendar shown above.
What to Do If Long Beach Missed Your Pickup
Long Beach encourages account holders to use online request forms when possible, but the Call Center is also available for missed pickups and special collection help.
- Check your collection day first. Use the city map or Refuse Collection 101 page to make sure you used the correct address-based schedule.
- Review the holiday rule. Only Christmas Day and New Year’s Day delay normal collection.
- Confirm proper set-out. Your carts should have been out by 6:00 a.m. with at least 2 feet of clearance.
- Use the city service page. Long Beach says Refuse Collection 101 acts as the central resource for reporting a missed pickup after 6:00 p.m. on collection day.
- Call the Long Beach Call Center. Contact 562-570-2876 if you need direct help.
Long Beach Drop-Off and Disposal Options
Some items are better handled through drop-off services instead of curbside carts. Long Beach offers or links to several official options that help residents avoid illegal dumping and dispose of harder-to-handle materials correctly.
24/7 Mattress Drop-Off
No-charge mattress and box spring drop-off for Long Beach residents at 970 W. Chester Place
Household Hazardous Waste
Official Long Beach page for HHW collection events and disposal guidance for chemicals and related items
Donation Guide
Use this city guide before scheduling a bulky pickup for reusable furniture, electronics, clothing, and household goods
Residential Organics Collection
Official guide for green-cart organics, food scraps, and yard debris rules for city-serviced accounts
Frequently Asked Questions About Long Beach Trash Pickup
How do I find my Long Beach trash pickup day?
Use the City of Long Beach maps page and load the Refuse Collection Days map for your address.
Is trash picked up every week in Long Beach?
Yes. For city-serviced refuse accounts in Long Beach, trash is collected once each week.
Are recycling and organics picked up every week in Long Beach?
Yes. Long Beach says recyclables and organics are collected each week on the same day as trash for city-serviced accounts.
What time should carts be out in Long Beach?
Long Beach says carts should be out in the alley or at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
How many bulky-item pickups do Long Beach residents get?
The City provides each city-serviced refuse account 12 special collections per year at no additional cost, though some items may require a regulatory fee.
Which holidays delay Long Beach trash service?
Regular refuse, recycling, and organics collection is delayed only for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
How much can I place out for one special collection?
Long Beach allows a maximum of 8 large items or 25 bags, bundles, or boxes of trash for each scheduled pickup.
Can I put a bulky item out before I schedule it?
No. Long Beach says items cannot be placed outside until a pickup date has been confirmed by the Call Center.
Who do I call for a missed pickup or bulky-item request?
The Long Beach Call Center for refuse and special collections is 562-570-2876.
What if my address uses a private hauler instead of the City?
If your property is not city-serviced, check with your property manager or private hauler because the City’s refuse collection schedule and forms may not apply the same way.
Official Long Beach Trash Collection Resources
Collection Day Map
Official Long Beach map page with the Refuse Collection Days schedule map
Refuse Collection 101
Main city guide for trash, recycling, organics, missed pickup steps, and service rules
Holiday Collection Schedule
Official rule for the only two holidays that delay normal Long Beach collection
Special Collection 101
Bulky item limits, preparation rules, and scheduling information
Cart Requests
Replace, resize, add, or remove approved refuse, recycling, and organics carts
Long Beach Recycles
Main city recycling and collection portal for residents and city-serviced accounts
Reminder: The easiest way to avoid a missed Long Beach pickup is to check your address on the city map, put your carts out by 6:00 a.m., and schedule oversized items before placing them outside.