Containers
City of Modesto residents have a three-container system for garbage, organics and recycling. There are details on what items can go in each container below. Also, see the collection calendar below for information on when each will be serviced.
About the Black Container
The black container is for household garbage and non-organic materials, for example: plastic packaging, diapers, and animal waste. Recycling is no longer allowed in the black container. The material is sent to a Waste-to-Energy facility and is burned to make electricity.
Acceptable Items
- Animal waste or litter box debris
- Diapers
- Flocked or treated holiday trees
- Household garbage or trash
- Masks, gloves, and wipes
- Bathroom waste and feminine hygiene products
- Plastic bags or packaging
- Polystyrene items
- Wood or lumber (small pieces only)
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete or asphalt
- Furniture or large items
- Organic waste of any kind
- Recycling materials
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc.)
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
About the Green Container
The green container is for organics material. Organics material is food waste, paper waste, cardboard and small yard waste.
Acceptable Items
- Food Waste including meat, bones, dairy
- Brush, tree limbs less than four feet long and six inches in diameter
- Grass, leaves, and trimmings
- Food soiled paper and cardboard
- Paper products
- Cardboard
- Napkins and paper towels
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete, or asphalt
- Materials over four feet long or six inches in diameter
- Plastic, metal, glass, or cloth
- Plastic bags or plastic lined bags
- Treated wood or lumber
- Animal waste, including feces or litter
- Household or bathroom trash, diapers
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc)
- Flocked, painted, or fireproofed Christmas trees
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
About the Blue Container
The recycling container will be for CRV and Non-CRV plastics, glass, and metals. It is important that all items that will be going into the blue container are clean and dry.
The information below will help you identify the acceptable and unacceptable items that you can place in the container.
Acceptable Items
- No liquids or food, clean and dry
- aluminum cans, clean aluminum foil and trays, caps and lids from bottles, jars and steel (tin) cans, empty spray cans, steel (tin) cans, scrap metal
- Plastic bottles, buckets, coffee cup lids, containers and clamshells, cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam),
- Flowerpots and trays, laundry detergent bottles, molded plastic packaging, tubs and lids (i.e.,: yogurt containers and tupperware), all plastics
- Glass bottles and jars, clean cardboard (flattened)
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete, or asphalt
- Plastic bags or plastic lined bags
- Garbage, animal waste,
- Organic waste, food waste, green waste
- Treated wood or lumber
- Animal waste, including feces or litter
- Household or bathroom trash, diapers
- Flocked, painted, or fireproofed Christmas trees
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc)
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
Recycling Collection Calendars
You can receive email or text notifications of your collection by subscribing to the Recycling Collection Calendar below.
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Mon, Apr. 6 - Fri, Apr. 10
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Mon, Apr. 13 - Fri, Apr. 17