Collection

The City contracts with San Luis Garbage, a subsidiary of Waste Connections, to provide residential and commercial waste, recycling, and organics collection services through a franchise agreement.

2025 San Luis Garbage Company Discarded Materials Franchise Agreement - Adopted April 1, 2025

Current rates can be found by visiting the San Luis Garbage Company rate webpage here.

San Luis Garbage Services

Recycling & Organics Collection

State law requires the City to provide recycling and organic collection service to all residences and businesses. In 2024, the City must enforce mandatory participation in these programs.

Sort and do it right!

Overloaded carts or ones with improperly sorted contents may not be serviced. If this happens you will receive a notice from San Luis Garbage explaining why your items were not collected.

The City is required by law to periodically inspect residential and commercial carts and bins. Inspectors will leave a notice either letting you know you are sorting materials correctly or to inform you what went wrong.

Repeat contamination or overfilling may result in fines.

Residential Cart Service

Set Out Instructions

Carts and materials must be placed at the curb for collection prior to 6:30 a.m. on your collection day.
Carts must have a minimum of 2-3 feet clearance between other carts and 4-5 feet clearance from any obstacles (including overhead), such as parked cars, trees, basketball hoops, and mailboxes.
Lids should be able to fully close. Do not overload your carts.

Set Out Instructions at Protected Bike Lanes

Carts must be placed in designated bikeway buffer zones.
Do NOT block protected bike lanes - San Luis Garbage will NOT service carts placed on the curb in the bike lane.
Blocking bike lanes is a violation of the California Vehicle Code and may result in a citation, in addition to missed collection.

bikeway buffer

Do Your Part—Roll in Your Cart!

Carts must be removed from the curb after collection.
Carts cannot be stored in front yards and must be fully screened from public view.
To report carts left in the street outside of collection days, use AskSLO online or via the app (select the topic Waste Containers).

Need Assistance?

If you are physically unable to place your carts at the curb, you may qualify for free non-curbside collection.
This service is also available to other residents for a fee. Contact San Luis Garbage for details.