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Learn About Blue Cart Recycling


Public Works - Solid Waste Division

"Our goal is to provide quality and cost-effective solid waste and recycling services citywide, through a balanced combination of services by contract and municipal forces."

 

 

Facility Phone Numbers:

  • Solid Waste Division (661) 326-3114 FAX (661) 852-2121
  • Keep Bakersfield Beautiful (661) 326-3539
  • Kern County Recycling Hotline (661) 862-8979
  • Kern County Waste Management (661) 862-8900 Toll Free(800) 552-KERN (option 6)
  • Mt Vernon Green Waste Facility (661) 835-8873 FAX (661) 831-1429


Services & General Information:


Automated Refuse & Recycling Containers
Bakersfield households are provided with two containers; one green waste cart and one tan cart. Your carts should be out by 6 am on your assigned pick-up days. Make sure your cart is facing the street (or alley) and leave at least 4 feet of space around it. Your carts are labeled with your cart serial number. This is provided to help you and us identify lost, stolen, damaged, or misplaced carts. Missing containers at the same address will be billed for replacement to the property owner at the current replacement cost. The city or contractor will repair or replace all damaged containers at no charge, except those damaged due to negligence or abuse by the customer.

Tan Refuse
Materials Accepted: All regular household trash.
Materials Unaccepted: Large amounts of dirt, sod, concrete, or rock
furniture, large appliances, flammable/hazardous materials. Anything that keeps the lid from closing.

Green waste
Materials Accepted:Grass, leaves, small brush trimmings, small branches and yard trimmings.

Materials Unaccepted: Trash, plastic bags, tree limbs/boards larger than 2 inches in diameter, dirt, rocks, tumbleweeds, fruit or vegetables, and animal or human excrement.

Curbside Recycling Collection
Did you know the average American discards 7-1/2 pounds of trash per day?  Much of the material thrown away can be recycled such as newspaper, cardboard, junk mail and #1 and # 2 plastic bottles. Curbside recycling collection is available to all residents of the City of Bakersfield.  For just $4 per month/$48 a year you can have the convenience of curbside recycling while decreasing the amount of waste sent to local landfills. Recycling is picked up at your home every other week.  Materials accepted in the recycling container, aside from those mentioned above, include: Office paper, magazines, aluminum cans, tin cans, clear glass, green glass, brown glass.  

Bulky Items
If you need to have large items such as couches, refrigerators, tables, etc. removed, just call 326-3114 to have your bulky item collection scheduled. This is a FREE service to all city residents. Service is limited to 2 items per quarter. Apartments with more than four units are not included in this service. Residents are encouraged to contact charitable organizations for possible pickup and re-use of furniture, appliances, etc. before disposal. The  City, County and local  haulers will hold two bulky item drop-off days per year.  Call (661) 326-3114 for more information on this service.
 

Construction & Demolition
Construction and Demolition (C&D) material includes rock, brick, concrete, asphalt, dirt, ceramic tile, and other similar materials. Remember your lumber can be recycled at the Mount Vernon Recycling Center. You will pay landfill tipping fees for C&D material brought to the Landfill. You can save money by recycling your C&D. Residents can take these materials to several locations.

Drop Off Recycling Locations
There are several locations [Download L
ist] where residents can go to recycle newspaper, cardboard, junk mail, magazines, aluminum and tin cans, or glass and plastic bottles (#1 or #2 only). Please deposit the recyclables into the containers in the correct drop-off compartment. more about drop off recycling >

Your Collection Service & Holiday Schedules
If your trash service falls on or after a holiday, service will be delayed one day that week. For example: If the holiday falls on a Tuesday, service will be on Wednesday. Wednesday's service will be delayed to Thursday and so on. Holidays are: January 1st, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day and December 25th. Trash service will run on normal schedule on all other holidays. [See Holiday schedule].

Additional Resources: