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  • Commercial Waste Service
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Commercial Waste Service

Business owners should contact Customer Service at (510) 981-7270 with questions about commercial waste services.

Businesses are required to have adequate recycling and composting services to help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Businesses are required to sort material into the appropriate bins. Businesses can be cited and fined for lack of adequate service or contamination. Businesses are also required to educate staff, contractors, and tenants about the recycling and composting program annually. Some businesses must also donate edible surplus food to food recovery organizations. Learn more about the Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance, composting, recycling, and food recovery requirements from StopWaste.

Prepared food businesses in Berkeley are also required to reduce their usage of single-use foodware. Learn more about the single-use foodware regulations.

To start, change, or stop waste service, call Customer Service at (510) 981-7270.

Rates for 13-96 gallon commercial carts

Trash

One pick-up of recycling per week is included with trash service.

Container size  1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x
13 Gallon* $14.61 $30.61 $45.89 $64.11 $83.77 $104.90 $122.38
20 Gallon $22.44 $47.05 $70.61 $98.64 $128.87 $161.40 $188.29
32 Gallon $35.89 $75.34 $112.97 $157.82 $206.23 $258.19 $301.25
45 Gallon* $50.45 $105.91 $158.86 $221.91 $290.02 $363.11 $423.64
64 Gallon $71.74 $150.63 $225.92 $315.60 $412.44 $516.45 $602.49
96 Gallon $107.57 $225.92 $338.89 $473.39 $618.61 $774.64 $903.73

*13 and 45 gallon new or replacement containers are not available 

Compost

Container size  1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x
32 Gallon $28.71 $60.27 $90.38 $126.26 $164.98 $206.55 $241.00
64 Gallon $57.39 $120.50 $180.74 $252.48 $329.95 $413.16 $481.99
96 Gallon $86.06 $180.74 $271.11 $378.71 $494.89 $619.71 $722.98

Rates for 1-6 cubic yard dumpsters

Trash

One pick-up of recycling per week is included with trash service.

Container size  Monthly rental 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x
1 $26.87  $146.90 $308.48 $462.76 $646.41 $844.71 $1,057.72 $1,234.01 $1,469.06
1.5* $30.07 $220.36 $462.76 $694.12 $969.57 $1,267.05 $1,586.59 $1,851.03 $2,203.58
2 $33.45 $293.84 $617.02 $925.50 $1,292.75 $1,689.40 $2,115.44 $2,468.01  
3 $40.21 $440.71

$925.50

$1,388.27 $1,939.18 $2,534.14 $3,173.17 $3,702.01  
4 $60.15 $587.62 $1,234.01

$1,851.03

$2,585.54 $3,378.83 $4,230.90 $4,936.03

 

5* $60.15 $734.52 $1,542.52 $2,313.78 $3,231.93 $4,223.55 $5,288.60 $6,170.04

 

6 $66.57 $881.42 $1,851.03 $2,776.53 $3,878.30 $5,068.23 $6,346.31 $7,404.04  

Note: 1.5 and 5 cubic yard dumpsters are not available. The service rate for compaction-filled dumpsters is triple the amount shown in the table above. 

Compost

Compost rental & collection rates are 80% of current bin refuse rates. Multiple service days offered only after route supervisor approval.

Steam cleaning

Call Customer Service to request a steam-cleaning of your business’ metal dumpster. Dumpsters that are 1-6 cubic yards in size cost $90 to clean.

Special pick-up

Call Customer Service to request a special one-time pick-up in addition to your regular service.

Special pick-up rates are listed below:

  • 1 cubic yd: $46
  • 1.5 cubic yd: $57
  • 2 cubic yd: $67
  • 3 cubic yd: $91
  • 4 cubic yd: $108
  • 5 cubic yd: $133
  • 6 cubic yd: $153

Rates for 6-30 cubic yard roll-off containers

Trash

Container size  Monthly rental 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x
6 $90.87 $1,118.35 $2,356.65 $3,531.95 $4,935.03 $6,445.95 $8,070.77 $9,421.76
12 $147.82 $2,242.76 $4,704.82 $7,062.68 $9,867.64 $12,895.54 $16,147.60 $18,843.51
14 $169.63 $2,615.94 $5,492.39 $8,240.40 $11,511.85 $15,041.37 $18,835.03 $21,974.41
15 $178.11 $2,804.96 $5,892.23 $8,836.53 $12,344.25 $16,134.27 $20,202.98 $23,567.72
16 $187.81 $2,989.13 $6,281.17 $9,421.76 $13,153.63 $17,193.25 $21,527.31 $25,112.57
20 $209.61 $3,319.91 $7,850.25 $11,773.56 $16,443.24 $21,489.75 $26,907.01 $31,391.32
25 $212.04 $3,671.29 $9,809.48 $14,716.65 $20,555.57 $26,859.76 $33,637.71 $39,240.36
30 $216.88 $4,042.05 $11,773.56 $17,658.52 $24,664.26 $32,233.41 $40,364.76 $47,085.76

Note: The service rate for compaction-filled roll-off containers is triple the amount shown in the table above. 

Weekly waste collections

Remember to place your bins at the curb by 7 am on your scheduled weekly collection day. To find out what your collection day is, call Customer Service at (510) 981-7270.

If your scheduled collection falls on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day, your pick-up will happen on the day after the holiday.

To report a missed pick up, please call (510) 981-7270 to report it by 5 pm the following day (or by 5 pm on Monday for missed pick ups on Friday-Sunday).

Please follow the cart set-out requirements:

  • Place your carts in the gutter in front of your curb or driveway.
  • Carts’ wheels should be against the curb.
  • Container lids must close completely. If you have excess waste, call Customer Service to schedule a special pick-up or bring your materials to the Recycling Center or Transfer Station.
  • Carts should be at least one foot apart, and at least three feet from parked vehicles.
  • If your collection day is also street sweeping day, please place carts on the parking strip.
  • Please do not obstruct the right-of-way to traffic or the sidewalk.

If the driver is unable to service your carts or dumpsters due to improper or blocked placement, a special pickup charge will apply to return and service.

Sort waste into appropriate bins

Please sort all waste into the appropriate bin: Container (Cans & Bottles) Recycling, Paper & Cardboard Recycling, Compost, or Garbage. If you do not sort your waste appropriately, you may be cited and fined per the Alameda County Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance. Learn more about composting and recycling ordinance requirements from StopWaste.

Container Recycling

Yes:

  • Glass (e.g., bottles and cans of all colors; lids and labels can stay on)
  • Cans (e.g., "tin" and aluminum cans, aluminum foil and trays)
  • Plastic (e.g., bottles, dairy-product tubs, "clam shell" containers, buckets, planter pots, food trays, and plastic cups)

No:

  • Food, liquids, cardboard, paper, plastic bags, light bulbs, dishware, ceramics, glass bakeware, or windows.

Paper & Cardboard Recycling

Yes:

  • Mixed Papers (e.g., office papers, junk mail, cereal boxes, wrapping paper, envelopes, magazines, catalogs, phonebooks, and newspapers)
  • Corrugated Cardboard (flattened)

No:

  • Food-soiled paper or cardboard (e.g., pizza boxes, greasy paper bags), plastic-lined paper (e.g. milk cartons, paper cups, aseptic soy milk cartons), plastic, glass, metal, food, liquids

Compost

Yes:

  • Plant debris (e.g. grass clippings, leaves, unpainted/untreated wood, holiday trees, branches smaller than 3" in diameter and less than 3' long)
  • Food scraps (e.g. fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat, seafood, bones, shells, and coffee grounds)
  • Food-soiled compostable paper (e.g. paper towels, coffee filters, pizza boxes, greasy paper bags, waxed paper/cardboard, and unlined or BPI-Certified paper containers)
  • BPI-Certified Compostable Products (e.g. bags, utensils, cups, and containers clearly labelled ‘Compostable’ and ‘BPI-Certified’)

No:

  • Feces (e.g. pet feces, cat litter, diapers, or human feces)
  • Liquids (e.g. oil or grease)
  • Construction materials (e.g. dirt, rocks, concrete, treated or painted wood)
  • Plastic, glass, metal

Trash

Yes:

  • All trash, including plastic bags & wrap, styrofoam, and plastic-lined or foil-lined paper

No:

  • Recycling, food, plant debris, batteries, electronics, fluorescent light bulbs, or other hazardous waste

Related Documents

Document
  • Paper & Cardboard Recycling Poster 8.5x11 (1.35 MB)
Document
  • Container Recycling Poster 8.5x11 (1.3 MB)
Document
  • Organics Composting Poster 8.5x11 (5.38 MB)
Document
  • Landfill Poster 8.5x11 (1.25 MB)
Document
  • Paper & Cardboard Recycling Poster 11x17 (7.51 MB)
Document
  • Container Recycling Poster 11x17 (7.65 MB)
Document
  • Landfill Poster 11x17 (5.58 MB)
Document
  • Organics Composting Poster 11x17 (8.77 MB)
In this section
Trash & Recycling
  • Residential Waste Services
  • Multi-family Waste Service
  • Commercial Waste Service
  • Pre-Paid Bags, Bulky Waste, and Mattress Recycling
  • Transfer Station
  • Dumpster Rental
  • Free Compost Program
  • Fire Fuel Chipper and Debris Bin
  • Household Hazardous Waste

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Zero Waste Customer Service
Email: CustomerService@CityofBerkeley.info
Phone: (510) 981-7270

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