RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING SERVICE
The City of El Cerrito provides recycling collection and processing of your recyclable materials to all residential customers who live within the city limits.
Residential recycling is collected weekly from the curbside on the same day as garbage and green waste/food scraps collection from East Bay Sanitary.
Please contact the City for any recycling service issues such as missed collections.
WEBSITE: el-cerrito.org/curbside
PHONE: 510.215.4350
EMAIL: Green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
3 Easy Steps to Prepare Recyclables
To make sure that your recyclables are ready for recycling, please be sure they are:
EMPTY
CLEAN
DRY
What Belongs in Recycling
Keep it loose. Keep it clean. Keep it dry.
Below are a few of the things that belong in your recycling cart. This list is not exhaustive.
Paper
- Cardboard (must be broken down and placed inside the cart)
- Boxboard (such as shoe boxes, cereal boxes)
- Newspaper
- Magazines, catalogs & glossy paper
- Paper bags
- Paper packaging
- Junk mail
- Phone books & soft-cover books
- Envelopes (labels or windows all okay)
- Office paper (all colors)
- Shredded white paper (also Ok in the organics cart)
- NEW TO CURBSIDE COLLECTION: ALL EMPTY, CLEAN & DRY Cartons — Ex. Milk, juice & tetra pak/aseptic (foil-lined)
Metal
- Aluminum cans
- Tin & steel cans
- Clean aluminum pans & foil
- Empty aerosol cans
- Scrap metal (up to 36”)*
- Hangers*
- Pots, pans & utensils
- Loose metal lids from glass jars and bottles
*May also be dropped off at the Drop-Off Recycling Center.
Plastic
Must be EMPTY, CLEAN & DRY.
- Bottles & jugs: all CRV containers; rinsed & empty, leave caps on
- Rigid non-bottle plastics, such as:
- Tubs & containers (e.g. yogurt, margarine);
- Buckets, pails & crates;
- Clamshell trays & deli containers (please rinse and dry);
- Laundry baskets
Glass
Must be EMPTY, CLEAN & DRY.
- Bottles & jars: all colors, lids removed and recycled loose – (labels okay)
Please note not all items accepted at the El Cerrito Recycling (Drop-Off) Center are included in the curbside program.
What Doesn’t Belong in Recycling
No food or garbage in your recycling.
It is very important that our recycling is clean and free of contamination. See below for more information.
Please note, not all items accepted at the El Cerrito Recycling (Drop-Off) Center are included in the curbside program. Don’t put the following items in your recycling cart instead bring them to the Drop-Off Center: batteries, fluorescent tubes & lamps (CFLs), electronics, large pieces of scrap metals, medications, needles & sharps, used cooking oil, non-perishable food for the Food Bank Donation barrel, and clothing / textiles & shoes.
Below are a few of the things that do not belong in your recycling cart.
- NO hardcover books, binders, tissues, towels, paper with plastic coatings (such as photographs or label paper), food-soiled paper, waxed paper, foil-lined paper, or plastic shipping envelopes.
- PLEASE compost egg cartons and other food-soiled paper products such as take-out containers, napkins, pizza boxes, paper cups and plates.
- Drop off hardcover books at the El Cerrito Recycling Center.
- NO window glass, mirrors, crystal, Pyrex, ceramics, light bulbs, or fluorescent tubes / lamps (CFLs). Window glass, mirrors, Pyrex, ceramics can be upcycled or worst case sent to landfill.
- Drop off fluorescent tubes / lamps (CFLs) at the El Cerrito Recycling Center. Proof of residency is required.
- NO Styrofoam™* or other polystyrene (#6 EPS plastic), PVC (#3 plastic), plastic bags or plastic film / wrap / flexible packaging, plastic straws, plastic utensils, and other small (under 2″ x 2″) plastic items.
- PLEASE NO electronic or computer equipment.
- Drop off electronics at the Drop-Off Recycling Center.
- No clothing or textiles. Donate reusable items, make rags or as a last resort, these items should be dropped off at the Drop-Off Recycling Center.
*Styrofoam™ may also be dropped off at the Drop-Off Recycling Center. Proof of residency required.
Recycling Missed Collection
The City of El Cerrito provides your recycling collection and processing.
Please contact the City for any recycling service issues such as missed collections.
WEBSITE: el-cerrito.org/curbside
PHONE: 510.215.4350
EMAIL: Green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Extra Recycling
Save up your extra recyclables and utilize the free, once-a-year curbside pick-up for households and businesses within El Cerrito. Learn more about this program offered by the City of El Cerrito. Need to get rid of recyclable sooner? Drop them off at the Drop-Off Recycling Center.
Materials Guide
Check out the Materials Guide for information about recycling and garbage services in El Cerrito. Available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Household Hazardous Waste
HHW cannot go in the garbage.
Tuesdays only HHW may be dropped off at the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center.
Wednesday – Saturday only HHW may be dropped off at the West Contra Costa County Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
ABOUT EAST BAY SANITARY
We have been serving the El Cerrito Community for 80 years. The residents of El Cerrito can take pride in the fact that they are participating in a premier and cutting-edge waste management system and that East Bay Sanitary is working very hard to manage our resources and preserve our environment in the best ways possible.- East Bay Sanitary Company, Inc.
- Phone Hours: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
- 510.237.4321
- 510.237.1340
- Walk-in Hours: 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
- 1432 Kearney Street, El Cerrito CA 94530
- Mailing Address: PO Box 1316, El Cerrito, CA 94530
© 2024 East Bay Sanitary Company, Inc.