Residential Recycling Programs

The department provides residential refuse collection and sewer maintenance, repair and treatment services for people who live in the City of Los Angeles. Services are offered at multiple locations. Services are restricted to the residents of the City of Los Angeles.

The Refuse Collection location provides trash and garbage pickup which includes collection of non-combustible waste. Commercial or industrial rubbish is not picked up. The Department provides residents with special containers that can be handled by automated trucks. Special containers are also provided for recycled materials. Full containers may not be put out before 6:00pm the night before the pickup, and empty containers must be taken in by 8:00pm the day of the collection. There is no pickup before 6:00am.

Special pickups, including dead animal pick up, bulky item pick up, and recycling and requests for new, additional, or replacement refuse, recycling, or yard waste containers can be made if arranged one business day prior to regular collection day.

For pickup of excessive amounts of trash, tags must be purchased and placed on the trash bags. Tags can be purchased for $2 each at any of 7 collection yards. Collection yards are listed on the agency website at www.lacitysan.org/ under Solid Resources, Refuse, Refuse Services, Extra Capacity Tags.

The Solid Resources Citywide Recycling Division has information on backyard composting workshops and bin sales. Information can be found on the agency's web site at www.lacitysan.org/solid_resources/recycling/composting/index.htm or by calling the Customer Service Call Center.

The Wastewater Collection Division provides sewer maintenance which includes the operation and maintenance of sewage and storm drain collection systems; Industrial Waste Management Division through it's Stormwater Program, enforces laws related to commercial discharge and collects fees and fines. The Watershed Protection Division accepts reports of illegal dumping, clogged storm drains, and will issue flood zone reports for residents.

The Hyperion Treatment facility is the sewage treatment plant for the city of Los Angeles. It removes pollution from wastewater before it enters the ocean, thereby preventing contamination of channels and beaches in the area. Various stages of the treatment process are conducted at several locations.