Oakland Recycles - Your Recycling Team

Single Family Homes

Weekly Trash, Compost & Recycle Collection Service

Cart Set Out Instructions

Weekly Trash, Compost & Recycle collection

Set your carts out by 6 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day. Place on sidewalk with lids closed and handles facing away from the street. Do not place where cars park so that street sweeping can always be effectively completed. 

motor oil near recycling bin

Used Motor Oil

Recycling used motor oil and filters is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

  1. Pour the used motor oil into the approved jug provided by California Waste Solutions and close the cap tightly.
  2. Put the filter into the approved zip tight bag, provided by California Waste Solutions or place it into a zip close plastic bag.
  3. For pick up place the jug and bag at the curb next to your recycling containers on your scheduled pickup day.

If you don’t have an approved used motor oil jug and filter bag call California Waste Solutions at (510) 625-5263 Oakland or email OaklandCS@calwaste.com

batteries in bag on recycling bin

Household Battery Recycling

For non-household batteries refer to the Household Hazardous Waste section.

  • Put used batteries in a clear zip-lock bag. Place sealed bag on top of your recycle cart/bin on your regular pickup day.
  • Include only Household Dry-Cell Batteries such as: Alkaline, Button Cell, Ni-Cadmium Batteries.
  • Battery Recycling Information (PDF)

HAZARD WARNING 

  • Disposing of the batteries incorrectly can cause injuries or fire hazards.
  • Consumer batteries can short-circuit if their ends come in contact with one another. Place button-cell and NiCadmium batteries in separate, clear zip-lock plastic bags and tape ends of batteries to avoid contact.
bulky items at curb

Bulky Junk Removal Service: What to do with items that don’t fit in your cart?

All Oakland residents, owners and renters, are entitled to receive convenient curbside pickup or drop off service to remove extra waste and is included with trash services. Make an appointment to have 4 cubic yards of waste and limited number of large items like appliances, mattresses, and tires picked up. Call 1-888-WM-BULKY (1-888-962-8559) to schedule your free appointment. Visit our Bulky Service page for more information, including what can be set out for pickup.

hazardous waste, paint, monitors, computers

Household Hazardous Waste

HHW never belongs in any of the curbside carts. Take fluorescent bulbs, paints, stains, solvents, thinners, adhesives, pesticides, cleaners, household garden and auto chemicals, spray cans, batteries and electronic waste to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 2100 East 7th Street, Oakland. Drop offs are limited to 15 gallons/125 pounds per vehicle. Call (800) 606-6606 for days and hours of operation. Visit household-hazwaste.org or call (800) 606-6606.

Recycle Right and Avoid Surcharges

Surcharges may apply when the wrong materials are found in compost or recycle containers. Residents will be notified after each incident.

Only place acceptable items in the recycling and compost containers as shown on the container labels. Anything else is considered a contaminant. Contaminants can ruin an entire load of materials meant for recycling or composting. The service provider may refuse to collect containers with the wrong material inside and may apply contamination surcharges if the container is picked up. See below for when surcharges may apply.

On 3rd and 4th incident surcharge of $25 may apply. On 5th incident surcharge of $50 may apply.
can with lid closed, can with lid open and overfull

Avoid Overage Charges

Materials must fit inside your cart or bin with the lid closed for regular service.

Eliminate excess materials by:

  • Having enough large enough carts/bins or pickups to manage all the waste you generate.
  • Making sure the containers work properly – call for repair if needed.
  • Ensuring waste is spread evenly in your bin.
  • Setting out bins just ahead of pickup when possible.
  • Sort your recycle, compost, and trash correctly

If you regularly have excess materials, we’re here to help you.

Call the Customer Service at (510) 613-8700 to help you right-size your service.

Trash Cart Overage Charge = $1.26 per gallon

bag with tag for extra trash

Extra Trash

Single family home residents may purchase an extra waste sticker from Waste Management. Place sticker on a 32-gallon bag and set out next to your trash cart on your regular pickup day. Call 510-613-8100 to order an extra waste sticker.

extra cardboard folded and placed next to recycling bin

Extra Cardboard & Recyclable Debris

Extra Cardboard – Cardboard should be bundled or tied, in pieces not exceeding three (3) feet by three (3) feet, placed beside the recycle cart or bin.

Other Extra Recyclables? If you have extra recyclable materials that do not fit in your cart, please place them in a small or medium size paper bag or cardboard box next to your recycle cart.

extra yard debris bundled or bagged next to yard bin

Extra Yard Debris

  • Tie or bundle branches (must be less than 4’ long and 6” across).
  • Use large paper gardening bags available at most hardware stores. Use your own extra container (cannot exceed 75 pounds or contain dirt).
  • Set out next to compost cart for pickup.

Note: Plant debris set out in a plastic bag will be charged as extra trash collection.

Holiday Schedule

There is no trash, compost or recycle collection on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. During years when these holidays fall on a weekday, pickup is one day later for the rest of the week, including Saturday. For example, if your regular service day is Tuesday service will occur on Wednesday, or if your regular service day is Friday service will occur on Saturday.

Trash, compost and recycle collection schedules are not affected by any other holidays.

holiday tree

Free Holiday Tree Recycling Pickup

Convenient and free pickup of holiday trees takes place on your regularly scheduled compost service day, from the first workday after December 25th through the end of the second work week in January. Cut taller trees to 4 feet or smaller – no flocking, ornaments or stands – and place curbside.

All residences in Oakland, including apartments and condos receive this service. Please note that a separate collection vehicle may pick up the trees.

cart sizes

Selecting and Changing Your Cart Size

Trash, compost and recycle carts are available to you in four sizes: 20-gallon, 32-gallon, 64-gallon and 96-gallon.  To avoid trash overage charges, or compost or recycle contamination fees, select the right size carts to meet your needs.

Your service rate is based on the size trash cart you select.  You may request any size recycle or compost cart without affecting your service rate. 

Exchange your carts one time a year for any reason at no charge.

  • Stolen
  • Dirty
  • Smells
  • Broken
  • Graffiti

You may make one free recycle or compost cart size change per year for each of your carts.  Charges apply for additional changes.

  • To switch to a 20-gallon, 32-gallon, 64-gallon or 96-gallon compost cart, contact Waste Management at (510) 613-8710 or csnorthbay@wm.com.  Service rates remain the same, regardless of the compost cart size you select.
  • To switch to a 20-gallon, 32-gallon, 64-gallon or 96-gallon recycle cart, contact California Waste Solutions at 510-OAKLAND (510-625-5263) or OaklandCS@calwaste.com. Service rates remain the same, regardless of the recycle cart size you select.
  • Service rates change when you switch to a different size trash cart. Contact Waste Management at 510-613-8710 or csnorthbay@wm.com.

Free Backyard Service for Disabled and Elderly Customers

Backyard service is available at no additional cost for qualifying elderly or disabled residents. You must call Waste Management of Alameda County at (510) 613-8710 for all services.

Sign Up for Service

Sign up for service with Waste Management of Alameda County, Inc.

Single-family residences are required by the Oakland Municipal Code (8.28) to subscribe to weekly recycle, compost, and trash collection service and sort their waste correctly between each cart.