"BLUE" RECYCLING CONTAINER
Click here for a detailed list of items you can and cannot recycle. 
 
Use the BLUE cart for recyclable items such as glass jars and
bottles, plastic jars and bottles, metal and aluminum cans, and
all clean paper. Do not place clothes in your recycling cart or
leave large bags of clothes on the curb - AWS will not pick them
up. Take them to your favorite charity or nearest Goodwill collection site. Local organizations include:
(1) The Salvation Army, 1010 E. Main St., Alhambra
      626-281-2100; 1-800-SA-TRUCK;
(2) Vietnam Veterans of America (800-775-VETS or 800-775-8387);
(3) Goodwill Pasadena Donation Center
     112 E. California Blvd., Pasadena 91105, 626-449-3721
      Click here for items accepted/not accepted by Goodwill.
 
Recycling Tips: 
(1) Turn your kitchen a mini-recycling center by placing a 
      SECOND CAN for recyclables next to your existing trash can.
(2) Sort your items as you are throwing them away.
(3) Toss your items into the appropriate can.

"GREEN" TRASH CONTAINER 
 
Use the GREEN container only for TRASH. Generally a 68-gallon
trash container is sufficient for one or two people and a 98-gallon works best for three to four people. You may request additional containers, but there is a charge.
 
Do not use your trash container for recyclable items, yard waste or household hazardous waste (HHW), including household batteries (take these to a HHW collection event or battery drop-off site).

"BLACK" YARD WASTE CONTAINER 
 
Use the BLACK container for yard waste (grass trimmings,
yard trimmings, leaves, brush, branches smaller than 4-inches
in diameter and 4-feet in length or shorter, Christmas wreaths
without decorations attached.)

Do NOT use Black Yard Waste container for trash, pet waste,
rocks or dirt or palm fronds as they will contaminate other recyclable yard waste. Cut palm fronds into a size that will fit into your GREEN trash container. Do not wrap fronds separately or leave them
outside your container. AWS cannot pick them up unless they
are cut to size and placed in the GREEN trash container. 

AWS does not provide trash/recycling services on these holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Service will be delayed by one day when the holiday falls on
a weekday (Monday-Friday), such as Labor Day which is always
on Monday. As such, Monday trash service will be on Tuesday,
Tuesday service will be on Wednesday, etc.
 
HOLIDAY RECYCLING TIPS:

1. Place bows/ribbon in the green trash container as they are not recyclable.
2. Place cardboard and gift boxes in your blue recyclable container.
   Not all wrapping paper is recyclable. If it has metallic specs, pass
   it through a shredder and use it as filler for other gifts throughout
   the year.
3. Place live wreath(s) in the black yard waste container.
4. Remove all items from the tree or wreath, including stands,
   nails, ornaments and tinsel.
5. Place your tree (including flocked trees) at the curb for collection
   so it can be recycled as compost, mulch or ground cover at no
   extra charge to you.

AWS will pick up your bulky items, such as sofas, mattresses, large appliances and other furniture, as well as electronics.

• Call AWS (1-888-742-5234) at least a day prior to putting
  bulky items on the curb.
• Do not place items (not more than four) at the curb sooner than
  noon on the day the items are scheduled to be picked up
  (later in the day is recommended), or you may receive a notice
  from the City's Code Enforcement Division to remove the items
  immediately.
• If you have more than four bulky items, consider renting a
  temporary dumpster by calling AWS at 1-888-742-5234, at 
  least 24-hours prior to delivery of the dumpster (Monday-Friday delivery only).
• Residents of gated condos must place bulky items at the curb or
  in the alley as the driver will not be able to go beyond the gate. 
• AWS picks up consumer electronics (TVs, computers, radios,
  etc.) on Wednesdays only; residents must call in advance to
  arrange for a pick-up (1-888-742-5234).
• Do not place household hazardous waste (HHW) in your trash
  bin. Take it to a HHW waste collection event.  

Use a temporary trash bin for disposing large items such as
furniture, when you’re moving or cleaning out the garage or attic,
when you need to remove large trees, small construction or
remodeling projects, or any other short-term endeavor. A street encroachment permit will be required if you place the bin on the
street. This permit can be obtained at the Public Works Department
at City Hall.

• AWS (1-888-742-5234) offers temporary trash bins - standard
  rental fee applies to deliver and haul away waste on a one-time basis; requires at least 24-hour notice in advance of the time you would like delivery of the temporary bin (Monday-Friday delivery only); If you have more than one bin full of discards the same rental charge will apply each time you have to have the bin emptied. No more than 600 lbs. may be placed in the bin. Do not place dirt or quantities of brick, concrete, tile or roofing material in the bin.
  If you have a large amount of construction or demolition debris,
  it might be more appropriate to order a “lowboy” or roll-off box.
  No bundling of items is required.
• Direct Disposal is a recycling facility, certified by CALrecycle,
  that can handle up to 174 tons a day of construction and demolition material. Located at 3720 Noakes St., Los Angeles 90023, it processes wood, metal, concrete, drywall, cardboard, you name
  it! The company can also provide any recycling reports needed
  and can complete any LEED requirements. For more information, call Sam at 714-625-7544, or email sam@directdisposal.com.
• No hazardous waste or electronic waste may be placed in any temporary waste bin. You will need to take this type of waste to a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event. Common HHW materials include such products as used motor oil and filters, paint, turpentine, acid or lye-based cleaners, household and car batteries, pesticides and garden herbicides. Electronic waste items include VCRs, stereos, fax machines, copiers, computer keyboards and cellular telephones. To find out about upcoming HHW/E-Waste collection events, call 1 (888) CLEAN LA, or visit www.cleanla.com.

• DO NOT flush medications down the toilet, in the trash or
  in your recycling or yard waste container. These substances
  are bad for the environment, including the ground, water, and air around us, and should be taken to a Household Hazardous
  Waste event. Do not place sharps waste in used plastic milk
  cartons, bleach bottles, etc.
• Syringes include those used on humans or pets such as
  hypodermic needles, pen needles, intravenous needles,
  lancets, and other devices for the delivery of medications.
  These can injure people, spread germs and disease such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
• Pick up locations for FREE, state-approved sharps:
   (1) L.A. County Department of Public Works, 900 S. Fremont Ave. 
         (Annex Building - Third Floor) , Alhambra; 1-888-CleanLA
    (2) Accurate Home Health Care, Inc., 1104 S. Garfield Ave., 
          Suite B, Alhambra, 91801; 626-576-5006 
    (3) Other Distribution Sites
• Disposal locations for permanently-sealed sharps containers:
   (1) Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Roundup Events*
   (2) Other L.A. County Medical Waste Collection Sites 
   (3) Other Medical Disposal Facilities - such as local hospitals,
          doctor's offices, health clinics, pharmacies, health
          departments, community organizations and animal 
          hospitals.
   (4) Mail-back services. The cost of using this service will depend
         on the size of the container you choose. You will receive a
         sharps container and mail-back packaging to mail back your
         container once it is full.
   (5) Although disposing waste sharps in a red sharps container 
         is the preferable means of disposal, L.A. County HHW
         Roundup sites will accept sharps in containers that do not
         leak, break or puncture. The container must be taped, sealed
         and labeled "SHARPS." For additional information, view 
         "Home-Generated Sharps Waste Management Program." 
  (6) For additional information about disposing of medication,
        click here in English / Spanish. 

The City of Alhambra complies with all state recycling requirements, including recently adopted legislation that imposes Mandatory Commercial Recycling on all businesses that generate at least 
four cubic yards of trash per week, and also on all multi-family
dwelling that have 5 units and above. The City's waste haulers
send both commercial and multi-family dwelling solid waste to
a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where recyclable items are
pulled out of the waste stream and recycled. Material Recovery Facilities are very effective at extracting valuable recyclable items
from the waste stream and MRF-ing the City’s solid waste has
helped increase the City’s diversion rate over what is achieved
through our curbside recycling program. Located in Anaheim,
Allied Waste/Consolidated Disposal Services’ MRF is an
impressive facility that processes an average of 4,800 tons of
materials daily using automated and manual sorting systems. 
The MRF has an Eco Center that gives viewers a front-line
perspective on what happens to their waste and recyclables. 
Anyone interested in touring the MRF can call 800-299-4898.

Those who qualify will have their bi-monthly trash bill decreased by
$4 bi-monthly (or $2 per month). The discount is offered by AWS through its exclusive franchise agreement with the City. The
low-income limits are established by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development.  The City requires proof of the income
of all adults living in the household.  A copy of the most recent
federal income tax returns (block out Social Security numbers)
is required along with the City’s application form. For more
information, call the City Manager’s office at 626-570-5010. 

REDUCED TRASH RATE APPLICATION
(English)  /  (Spanish)  /   (Chinese)
# of persons in household

(Requires Income Qualification):
Eligible if annual household
income is less than

1

$47,250

2

$54,000

3

$60,750

4

$67,450

5

$72,850

6

$78,250

7

$83,650

8

$89,050

Neighborhood Recycler (Cans & Bottles) - Active Recycling Co., Inc.
5601 E. Valley Blvd., Los Angeles, 90032; 323-221-2555. Website.
Open 6:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

Puente Hills Landfill, 13130 Crossroads Parkway South, City of Industry, CA 91746
562-699-5204; Website - Open to the public from 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday - Saturday,
except holidays (although check times for types of loads). Accepts dirt, green waste,
asphalt and asphalt grindings/chips.

Tire Recycling - Waste tires that are illegally dumped or improperly stored can pose
a serious threat to public health and safety, as well as to the environment. To find out
more about recycling used tires, click here.
 
Material Exchanges - California Materials Exchange (CALMAX)
1-800-RECYCLE (732-9253)
CalRecycle's CalMAX portal connects businesses, organizations, manufacturers,
schools, and individuals with the most effective online resources for exchanging
materials. One business' trash is another business' treasure. The CalRecycle website
links to services and organizations that provide online options.
 
Junk Mail and Phone Books

• Call toll-free numbers on catalogs and ask that you be removed from their mailing list.
• Register your mail preferences with the Direct Marketing Association.
• Call 1-888-567-8688 to opt out of credit card promotional mailings.
• The Center for a New American Dream's website provides information on how to reduce unwanted mail on its Junk Your Junk Mail webpage.
• Contact the Yellow Pages Association and the Association of Directory Publishers at www.yellowpagesoptout.com to select which phone directories you receive or to stop delivery of all directories.

Recycling Paint Products - The California Paint Stewardship Program, established
by California law, requires paint manufacturers to develop a take back system for
certain types of leftover paints from household and commercial consumers. Paint manufacturers, through the American Coatings Association, created PaintCare,
a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to administer the program, including recycling and
proper disposal of certain types of unused paint products. Funding for the program is
from a Recovery Fee applied to the purchase price of paint.

• For more information about the California Paint Stewardship Program, including a
  listing of products accepted and not accepted at PaintCare drop-off sites,
  see PaintCare's Information for Paint Purchasers fact sheet.
• To find a paint drop-off site near you, click here.
• To view PaintCare's Paint Calculator for recommended paint purchase amounts,
  click here.