Residential Waste Services
Contact Customer Service at (510) 981-7270 for questions regarding residential Zero Waste services.
Residential (1-4 unit) property owners in Berkeley can sign up to receive waste services for curbside pick up of trash, recycling, and compost. Waste services are also available for commercial buildings and for multifamily apartment/condos.
Waste services and rates
To start, change, or stop trash or composting service, property owners should call Customer Service at (510) 981-7270. To start, change, or stop recycling service, property owners should call the Ecology Center at (510) 527-5555.
New customers can select a 20, 32, 64, or 96 gallon trash container for their weekly collection service. The monthly price for trash collection also includes recycling and compost.
- 20 gallon: $27.30 per month
- 32 gallon: $43.66 per month
- 64 gallon: $87.28 per month
- 96 gallon: $130.87 per month
The full list of prices for residential waste services are listed below, and include weekly pick up for garbage, recycling, and compost. Pricing is based on the size of the trash container. The columns show rates depending on the number of collections per week.
| Container size | 1x | 2x | 3x | 4x | 5x | 6x | 7x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Gallon* | $17.78 | $37.24 | $55.82 | $77.99 | $101.92 | $127.63 | $148.88 |
| 20 Gallon | $27.30 | $57.24 | $85.91 | $120.01 | $156.78 | $196.36 | $229.07 |
| 32 Gallon | $43.66 | $91.66 | $137.44 | $192.00 | $250.91 | $314.11 | $366.50 |
| 45 Gallon* | $61.38 | $128.85 | $193.27 | $269.98 | $352.84 | $441.76 | $515.40 |
| 64 Gallon | $87.28 | $183.26 | $274.86 | $383.96 | $501.78 | $628.32 | $732.99 |
| 96 Gallon | $130.87 | $274.86 | $412.29 | $575.93 | $752.60 | $942.43 | $1,099.48 |
*13 and 45 gallon new or replacement containers are not available
Fire Fuel Surcharge
Residents in certain hillside fire zones pay an additional surcharge on their monthly rate to cover the cost of the fire fuel chipping and debris bin service.
| Container size | 1x | 2x | 3x | 4x | 5x | 6x | 7x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Gallon | $0.77 | $1.51 | $2.41 | $3.37 | $4.39 | $5.52 | $6.40 |
| 20 Gallon | $1.18 | $2.39 | $3.57 | $5.06 | $6.55 | $8.04 | $9.53 |
| 32 Gallon | $1.80 | $3.59 | $5.70 | $7.93 | $10.37 | $12.96 | $15.10 |
| 45 Gallon | $2.57 | $5.13 | $8.06 | $11.25 | $14.74 | $18.43 | $21.54 |
| 64 Gallon | $3.59 | $7.21 | $11.35 | $15.84 | $20.71 | $25.91 | $30.23 |
| 96 Gallon | $5.41 | $10.80 | $17.05 | $23.75 | $31.04 | $38.87 | $45.59 |
Weekly waste collections
Remember to place your carts 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.
- Cart lids must close completely. If you have excess garbage, plant materials, or bulky items such as mattresses, purchase a pre-paid bag, schedule a special pickup, or bring materials directly to the 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 due to improper or blocked placement, a "special pickup and charge" will apply to return and service your carts.
Sort waste into appropriate carts
Please sort all waste into the appropriate cart: 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 (Cut it to fit into the cart, or flatten and bundle cardboard and set out next to the cart)
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
