Recycling & Garbage

The Arcata City Council has developed a universal curbside solid waste and recycling collection program alongside the Arcata community.  This program meets State waste reduction mandates, provides convenient service, reduces illegal disposal and public health hazards and assists the City in moving towards the goal of zero waste in our community.

The universal curbside collection program requires that all property, multifamily and business property owners subscribe to one of the service levels for garbage and recycling collection with the City's Authorized Collection Contractor, Recology.  To sign up for service, pay your bill, or find out about collection rates and services available through Recology Arcata, please visit Recology Arcata’s website or call 707.442.5711. 

Residential Services

Residential customers receive the following services:

• Curbside recycling collection. Check out the Curbside Recycling Guidelines (PDF) for a list of acceptable and unacceptable items for recycling totes.
• Curbside garbage collection. There are many bin sizes and service levels to choose from.
• Curbside green waste collection. Learn more about green waste disposal and drop off on our Compost and Green Waste page.
• Residents in Single-Family Homes can schedule two bulky item pickups each year at no additional cost! Visit Recology's Bulky Item Pickup page to learn more and schedule a pickup. 
• Still unsure of where you should dispose of something? Check out this interactive Recology resource called "What Bin?"

Tote Guidelines

To make sure the garbage or recycling truck’s automated arm can safely grasp each cart, please follow the guidelines outlined below.

• Tote lids must close completely. By not overfilling your tote, you can prevent spilled garbage/recycling pollution and limit wildlife access. 
  • If there is garbage left behind after pickup, please remove it promptly. Recology drivers do not pick up spilled trash. 
• Totes must be returned to private property within 12 hours of collection time. Storing bins on private property can help prevent illegal dumping, reduce accessibility to wildlife, and keep the public right-of-way clear. 
• Place all recyclable items loosely in the totes; do not use plastic bags! Paper bags are acceptable. 
• Totes must have at least 6 feet of clearance from parked cars, mailboxes, utility poles, fences, hedges, and trees.
• There must be at least 3 to 6 feet clearance between totes.
• If wildlife is consistently rummaging through your garbage and recycling, try some of the Top Tips for Dealing with Wildlife and Trash.