Welcome to Republic Services of Unincorporated San Diego, CA
Republic Services is a recycling and solid waste provider for the County of San Diego. We are committed to providing reliable and responsible recycling and waste disposal solutions for our customers. Every day we work to ensure safe and dependable solutions in a way that is easy, effortless, and environmentally responsible.
Unincorporated San Diego, CA customer service
Holiday schedule
We observe the following holidays:
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
If your service day falls on or after one of these holidays, it will be delayed by one day. For all other holidays, your service day will remain the same.
Determine if you live in a sparsely or densely populated area
Use the below button to visit the County of San Diego website to determine population density
Borrego Springs, CA Customer Service
For residents of Borrego Springs, please use this contact information
Phone Number: 760-336-2418
Office Address:
Contact SGerardo@republicservices.com for any questions or concerns in the Borrego Springs area.
2025 Free Compost Events
Republic Services provides free compost to customers residing in the County of San Deigo at the Otay Sustainability Park 6 times a year at 1700 Maxwell Rd. Chula Vista 91911. Join us for our next giveaways!
Schedule for 2025:
- January 11th
- March 8th
- May 10th
- July 12th
- September 13th
- November 8th
All events are Saturday from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
To participate please provide proof of active account ownership in the form of an invoice or online app documentation, as well as a photo ID. Join us for our next giveaways! Don't forget to bring your shovel, containers, and tarps.
For more information, contact otay@republicservices.com
Newsletters
Organics Waste Collection – SB 1383
Effective January 1, 2022, all residents and businesses in California are required to compost their food waste inside of existing or new green containers. For residents living in a single-family home, food scraps can go into your existing yard waste container; in the case a yard waste bin is not already on site one will be delivered. Multi-family and commercial customers, who do not currently have designated yard waste containers are in the process of receiving new food waste only containers.
This program will allow the community to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill, which will extend the life of the landfill, reduce methane emissions, and help meet the county’s minimum diversion level.
Residential Customers with commingled service (one container for both food and yard waste): Do NOT line carts with plastic bags even those labeled as “compostable” or “biodegradable”, because of the inconsistency in manufacturing we cannot guarantee the bags won’t interfere with the composting process. Consider wrapping or placing the food scraps on top of yard waste or food-soiled paper products to reduce liquids and odors in containers.
Commercial Customers with a separate food waste only container: You may place food waste loosely in container or in a clear/transparent bag in your food-waste only container. Yard waste is not acceptable in these containers.
SB 1383 Organics Waivers
For more information,
Please reach out to Abby Hunt at ahunt@republicservices.com with any questions regarding technical assistance, or if your multi-family community, HOA, or business is interested in any educational presentations or are needing additional signage for your property.
Watch: SB 1383 organics education
View these short videos to understand how SB 1383 organics regulations may affect you.
What is SB 1383?
Residential -
How do I comply?
Commercial -
How do I comply?
Residential -
What happens after pickup?
Commercial -
What happens after pickup?
Regional facilities
County of San Diego area landfills
Otay Landfill
1700 Maxwell Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
619.421.3773
Sycamore Landfill
8514 Mast Boulevard
Santee, CA 92071
619.562.0530
The County of San Diego landfills will only accept non-hazardous special waste material for disposal. Acceptable wastes can include but are not limited to, contaminated soil, non-friable asbestos, grit, and screenings from wastewater treatment plants, drinking water sludge, industrial sludge, fly ash, auto shredder fluff, foundry sand, filter cake, refractory brick, treated medical waste, and off-specification or outdated products. Before accepting any special waste for disposal, Republic Services requires the generator to submit an appropriate waste profile form (special waste or express) and waste-specific analytical reports and/or Safety Data Sheet (SDS). For more information please reach out to Shela Tussy, Special Waste Sales Executive, at stussy@republicservices.com or 760.508.5119.
Both the Otay and the Sycamore Landfill can accept mattresses for drop-off. For more information on current disposal rates or other related disposal questions, please call the landfill at the number listed above.
Manage your account
Download the Republic Services app to your smartphone, or log in or sign up to your Republic Services online account by clicking one of the buttons below.
Access your account anytime to:
- Contact customer support
- See your pickup schedule
- Notify us of a missed pickup
- Schedule an additional pickup
- Sign up for service alerts
- Report a broken cart/request repair
- Request new/additional services
How can we help?
Download information and guidelines on the organic recycling program, mandatory recycling laws, and more.
Additional resources to recycle responsibly
Recycling simplified videos
Check out these 15-second videos for quick tips on recycling basics.
Kid's corner
Trash day maze
Help the truck driver navigate his route to pick up the neighborhood’s trash and recycling. Download
Electronics word search
Our electronics are tangled. Can you help find which electronics are recyclable? Download
Outdoors bingo
Take a walk around your neighborhood with this Bingo sheet. Find four in a row! Download
Take a virtual field trip
Take your students on a virtual field trip of how a recycling center and a modern landfill works. These videos are designed to inform specific lessons in 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade, but can also be used outside of those lessons to take your students on a journey through the process!
Recycling center video tour
3rd - 5th grade video is featured below
FAQs
County of San Diego Recycling & Waste Information
Collection Guidelines & Reporting an Issue
Place all materials inside the proper carts and make sure that the lids are closed to prevent littering and to protect the contents from weather and pests. Trash placed outside of your cart will be subject to an extra collection charge.
Single-Family Properties:
- Face carts toward the street with wheels against the curb or gutter the night before or by 7 a.m. on your scheduled service day.
- Allow at least three feet between carts and 6 feet between carts and other objects (mailboxes, trees, basketball hoops, cars, etc.).
- Make sure lids are securely shut - materials should not extend beyond the container rim.
- There are several ways to handle extra waste. See our FAQ on bulky waste pickup and landfill passes.
- Do not place hot ashes, dirt, rock, concrete, or hazardous items in your carts.
Multi-Family Properties & Businesses:
Containers must be easily accessible – if containers are blocked (ex. by parked cars), we will not be able to service the container and you may need to pay an additional charge if you request a return trip pick-up.
Reasons waste may not be collected:
• Cart too far from the curb
• Cart facing the wrong direction
• Overfilled or overweight cart
• Insufficient space to service cart/car blocking the cart
• Unacceptable material in cart
• Incorrect cart size
When the holiday falls on a weekday, collection will be delayed one day for the remainder of the week. For example, if the holiday falls on a Thursday your service will occur on Friday, and Friday service will occur on Saturday. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there will be no delay.
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
Some items are just too large to fit in a trash container. To avoid abandoned waste and illegal dumping, Republic Services offers bulk pickup for our customers for an additional rate. We will arrange for a convenient bulk trash pickup – items we accept include appliances, furniture, mattresses, and other large items. It’s easy to set up. All customers have to do is call our customer service center and request a bulky pickup for the unwanted item. Please call (619) 421-9400 at least 24 hours before your scheduled service day to schedule bulky item pickup.
For bigger junk removal jobs, customers can rent a dumpster, fill it on their own schedule, and Republic Services will pick it up and haul it away.
How Junk Removal Works:
- Dumpster Selection - Our helpful guide makes it simple to select the right size dumpster for your project.
- Delivery & Removal - We'll deliver your dumpster when you need it, place it safely and precisely where you need it, and remove it without delay when you're done.
- Responsible Disposal - We are committed to the highest standards of safety and environmental responsibility, so you feel at ease about what happens after we pick up your dumpster.
Recycling Questions
Please make sure your recyclables are Empty. Clean. Dry.™ before placing them in your recycling container.
Accepted items:
- Aluminum Cans, Trays, and Foils (trays and foils must be clean) - examples: soda cans, beer cans, pie trays, aluminum foil
- Steel Cans, Tins, and Aerosols (all must be empty) - examples: spray paint, hairspray, air freshener, deodorant spray, vegetable cans, soup cans, etc.
- Plastics - many plastic materials display a recycling symbol with a number inside. Not all numbers (1-7) can be recycled in your area, or at all. The following details will help determine if plastic material is recyclable:
- Its shape. Any jug-style plastics that have a handle or neck (water bottles, milk jugs, laundry detergent jugs, ketchup bottles, peanut butter jars, etc.) are generally recyclable.
- Its flexibility. Flexible plastics should never be recycled curbside, as they tend to get tangled in the machinery. A handy trick you can use if you’re unsure about a plastic being too flimsy to be recycled is the “Poke Test.” If you can push your finger through the plastic (sandwich bags, grocery bags, bubble wrap, film, etc.), it’s too flimsy! Often, you can return these flexible plastics to the grocery store for commercial recycling.
- Its texture. It’s important to be aware of items that look recyclable but should be thrown in the trash. Polystyrene, which can come in the form of foam cups, take-out containers, and egg cartons, should always be thrown away.
- Read more on our blog:
How to Tell if Plastic is Recyclable
- Commingled Paper Fiber - if you can tear the paper it can go in. Examples: Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, telephone books, office, computer, and notebook paper, school papers, drawings, pictures, books, mail, junk mail, envelopes, wrapping paper, and paper bags.
- Cardboard and Chipboard - examples: cereal, cake, food mix, gift boxes, soda, and beer can carrying cases
- Glass, jars, and bottle
Items not accepted in the blue cart/bin:
- Plastic bags, film plastics, and wrappers are not accepted in our blue bin/cart recycling program. Examples are grocery bags, bread, chips, newspaper, sandwich, and produce bags. Look for local outlets that will take back these items for free.
- Styrofoam®/Polystyrene is not accepted.
Place loose recyclables directly into your cart - do not bag recycling. Only shredded paper should be bagged. Recycling should be Empty. Clean. Dry.™
For more information on recycling visit:
Items not accepted in the blue cart/bin:
- Batteries -
Click here to find disposal locations near you . - Construction waste (please refer to the Construction & Demolition recycling resources
here ) - Carpet
- Diapers
- Electronics or e-waste -
Click here to find disposal locations near you . - Film plastics
- Food waste - this belongs in your Organics cart/bin
- Garden hoses or other "tangler" items (wires, string lights)
- Greasy Pizza boxes
- Hazardous materials -
Click here to find disposal locations near you . - Light bulbs -
Click here to find disposal locations near you . - Mirrors
- Plastic bags
- Plastic wrap
- Polystyrene (Styrofoam®)
- Scrap metal
- Stickers & address labels
- Tissue, paper towels, or napkins
- Wax paper
- Window or safety glasses
- Wood
- Yard Waste - this belongs in your Organics cart/bin
Please consider donating these items if in good condition:
- Ceramics (dishes, etc.)
- Clothing
- Furniture
- Pots or pans
- Shoes or clothing
- Toys
Non-recyclables contaminate recycling loads, and need to be removed during the sorting process. Some items may also contaminate clean recyclable items (ex. pasta sauce jar with sauce still in it, can soak into clean office paper which is then no longer recyclable either).
If our drivers notice a lot of contamination in your recycle cart or bin, we may not be able to service it as recycling and may tag it to have it serviced as trash (in which case you may be charged).
Accepted items:
- Broken dishware
- Chip bags
- Diapers
- Juice pouches
- Packing peanuts
- Pet waste - double-bagged is preferred
- Plastic bags
- Plastic utensils
- Polystyrene food trays or containers
- Other trash (hoses, wires, tanglers)
- Snack wrappers
- Batteries
- Construction materials
- Electronic/e-waste
- Fluorescent bulbs
- Hot ashes
- Household hazardous waste
- Needles and medical sharps
- Tires
- Used motor oil/oil filters
Achieving zero waste is not just a philosophy it's a daily commitment to our customers and community. It's still important to find ways to reduce the amount of waste that is generated. The less we generate, the closer we are to zero waste. These tips will help you achieve zero waste:
Reduce:
- Order items with minimal packaging.
- Print, copy and write on both sides of a sheet of paper when possible.
- Use dry-erase boards and overhead projectors for presentations instead of handing out copies.
- Make training manuals and company information available electronically, instead of in printed books and binders.
- Encourage your staff to use reusable coffee mugs, dishes, and utensils.
- Adopt an environmentally preferable purchasing policy.
Reuse:
- Use refillable toner cartridges for printers. Non-refillable cartridges contain between two and three pounds of plastic and metal.
- Send documents between offices and departments in reusable envelopes.
- Reuse corrugated boxes for shipping supplies between offices.
- Buy refillable pens and mechanical pencils. Pencils and the outer casings of pens can come in a variety of reclaimed materials, such as recycled newspaper, plastic, rubber, and even recycled dollar bills.
- Use the blank side of printouts as scratch paper or to take notes.
Donate:
- Donate unwanted office supplies to nonprofit organizations, charities, schools, or used materials exchanges.
- Give excess building materials and supplies from renovations to low-income housing developers or non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity.
- Donate cafeteria leftovers.
Please place Christmas trees curbside for single-family residents on your regularly scheduled pickup day.
Special & Household Hazardous Waste
No, Republic Services does not collect or accept hazardous waste.
The proliferation of electronic hardware has created a growing need for safe, secure, and responsible recycling programs. Not only do customers need to protect sensitive data from theft, but they must also do their part to prevent hazardous chemicals and elements from polluting the environment.
Republic also makes it easy to recycle electronics securely and responsibly.
Republic’s
For more information on electronic waste disposal please visit CalRecycle's website at
Construction and demolition projects must divert 65% of their waste from landfill disposal in the County of San Diego. Of the materials produced, projects must:
Recycle and/or reuse 100% of grading debris
- Clean soil, or other materials used for grading
Recycle and/or reuse 90% of inert material
- Asphalt/concrete
- Brick/masonry/tile
- Dirt/rock
- Mixed inerts (mixed items must be taken to an approved mixed processing facility)
- Landscape and brush clearing debris (brush, trees, stumps, etc.)
Recycle and/or reuse other materials listed below:
- Cabinets, doors, fixtures, windows
- Cardboard
- Carpet
- Carpet (padding/foam only)
- Ceiling tile (acoustic)
- Drywall (used)
- Drywall (new, unpainted, or scrap)
- Mixed debris (consists of a mix of any materials in this list)
- Roofing materials
- Scrap metal
- Stucco
- Unpainted wood & pallets
Please contact the Republic Services C&D representative at 858-264-9703.
It’s illegal to dispose of batteries in the trash. Batteries contain corrosive materials and heavy metals that can contaminate the environment.
To make it easier to properly manage
- A low-cost mail-back kit for smaller quantities of
batteries andlightbulbs ; and - A pack-up and pick-up service to handle larger quantities.
It’s easy to order:
- Order a box in the size that suits your needs - From
alkaline batteries to lithium ion , we have the right shipping container to fit. - Fill the kit with used or depleted batteries – load it up all once or keep it handy to fill as needed. Customers have up to one year to return it.
- Call for pickup or drop off at your local FedEx.
We have a small (holds up to 25 lbs), medium (50 lbs) and large (up to 70 lbs) battery kit options. In addition, we offer customizable solutions for larger projects such as pack-up and pick-up service.
- Pack up and pickup service (a trailer is provided for the customer to load and then we haul it away).
- Customers can receive a BluePrint Waste Assessment to define the right mix of recycling and waste solutions for business customers.
Our products are designed to make bulb and battery recycling as easy as possible for all types of universal materials, big and small. The universal waste handling practices of our nationwide recycling centers meet all government regulations. These standards ensure environmentally responsible results for residents– no matter which solution you choose. All customers also receive a Certificate of Recycling, which ensures regulatory compliance.
Many community residents and commercial customers generate medical waste, from diabetic needles to medical facility waste. This waste stream should never be mixed with household waste, as it poses a health and safety risk for industry workers. Republic also offers a
Each Republic sharps mail-back kit includes a government-approved plastic container specially designed for sharps waste, a plastic liner, a prepaid-postage return shipping box with a return shipping label, and disposal and tracking documents. Customers can order sharps kits directly through Republic by contacting our dedicated customer support team. Residents simply call (855) 737-7871 to place their orders. Orders will be shipped directly to the resident’s home within one week. Residents will then fill the container, complete the paperwork, and mail back the kit for final disposal via US mail.
Organic Waste Collection Program
The County of San Diego and Republic Services are implementing a residential and commercial organic waste recycling program to comply with the State law. The materials will be processed into a compost product and used to improve the soil.
Organic waste includes:
- Food scraps including solid, semisolid, and liquid food, such as fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish or poultry, bones, poultry, seafood, bread, rice, and pasta.
- Food soiled paper that is an uncoated paper, soiled with liquid or solid food waste, and typically includes products such as napkins, paper towels, tissues, paper plates, paper cups, fast food wrappers, used pizza boxes, and other similar paper or compostable packaging.
- Green waste includes grass clippings, leaves, flowers, shrub prunings, weeds, and nonhazardous wood such as tree branches and untreated and non-pressure treated lumber.
Items not accepted:
- Concrete
- Dirt
- Dog poop, manure, or pet waste from any animal
- Diapers
- Fats, oils, and grease
- Food
- Garbage
- Glass, Metal, Plastic
- Hot ashes or briquettes
- Large amounts of soil or sod
- Lawn sod
- Plastic bags, or plastic of any kind
- Plastic pots
- Poison oak
- Recyclable materials
- Red meat
- Rocks
- Sand
On January 1, 2022, organic waste recycling became mandatory for all businesses and residents in the State of California and under the County of San Diego ordinance. Though it is mandatory by state law, we are currently in the process of getting customers the appropriate services as they become available. If you have a green waste bin but have not yet been contacted by a representative at Republic to change to commingled organics collection, food scraps will be treated as contamination. This means if your bin has food scraps it may be sent to the landfill instead of being recycled.
Once services are available you can participate in diverting food scraps from the landfill by:
- Subscribing and participating in the organics collection service via Republic Services, or
- Self-hauling organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program
Decomposing food scraps create methane in the landfill which are responsible for 21% of California’s total methane emissions. State regulation (SB 1383, 2016) mandates the reduction of methane emissions from landfills and requires municipalities to implement programs to reduce the amount of organic material disposed of in landfills by 75% by 2025. The goal of these programs is to reduce the amount of organics materials sent to our landfills to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) will not be accepted in organics collection bins.
Certain unincorporated County customers may apply for a SB 1383 organics waiver. This includes:
• Single-Family residential customers (4 or less units)
• Commercial/Multi-family customers (5+ units)
Steps to apply:
1. Return the signed completed waiver and supporting documentation directly to the County of San Diego. Emails are preferred to expedite the process.
2. County staff will review the application and supplemental information, and then will then complete one of the following:
o Contact the customer to let them know a site visit is required to verify eligibility. Then approve/deny per below based on site visit.
o Approve the waiver (services end as of the waiver approval date)
o Deny the waiver (services remain in place)
Create and maintain a successful organics waste program at your business by providing your team with simple instructions, ongoing education, and reminders why this innovative program is a benefit to the business and the environment.
To maintain a successful organics and recycling program, it is best to have every team member on board for what is recyclable in single stream collection as well as in organics collection. Republic Services has signage and additional educational materials available for your convenience, including customer service guides and information on new laws and regulations.
When you subscribe to organics collection services through Republic Services, you will have the opportunity to speak with an account manager or a recycling coordinator about best practices. Republic Services can provide technical assistance for your recycling, organics, or trash collection services to assure compliance and effectiveness of services for your property. We are available virtually or in-person, which ever best suits the needs of your property.
Reach out to AEstes@republicservices.com for more information.
California's Mandatory Commercial Recycling and Organics Waste Recycling Law
In October 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 1826 Chesbro (Chapter 727, Statutes of 2014), requiring businesses to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.
This law also requires that local jurisdictions across the state implement an organic waste recycling program to divert organic waste generated by businesses. This includes multifamily properties that consist of five or more units (please note, however, that multifamily properties are not required to have a food waste diversion program). Organic waste includes food waste, green waste, landscape, and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste.
Though there was a phased-in approach for AB 1826, the new requirements of SB 1383 overtake the requirements in AB 1826, requiring everyone (residential and business customers) to divert organic materials from the landfill.
CalRecycle is the state agency responsible for creating the regulatory standards for SB 1383. On January 1, 2022, CalRecycle’s regulations to meet statewide organics reduction and food recovery requirements took effect statewide. The County of San Diego has included SB 1383 into local law, meaning that organics collection is required by state and local law.
Effective January 1, 2024, regulations may require local jurisdictions to impose penalties for non-compliance on regulated entities subject to their authority. Learn more about SB 1383 here (
Dumpsters
The following materials cannot be collected in roll-off containers:
- Asbestos
- Batteries
- Food waste
- Household hazardous waste
- Liquids
- Paint
- Oils
- Medical waste
- Tires
- Televisions
- Monitors and white goods (appliances) containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
