Residential

Recycling

The blue cart is the place for ALL of your recyclables. You don't need to separate paper from plastic, glass from metal, or cans from bottles. Just place everything recyclable (including cardboard) into the blue cart.

On collection day, if you have curbside service, please roll your blue cart to the pavement edge with the handle facing away from the street and keep the container at least 4 feet away from cars, light poles and mail boxes.

PSDS collects your commingled recyclables with clean-burning CNG-powered vehicles and transports the recyclables to a Materials Recovery Facility where they are separated and then are shipped off to be processed into new products.

The first cart is provided free of charge.

residential recycling blue carts

When is my recycling picked up?

You recycling cart will be picked up the same day as your trash.

View Map for Pick-up Schedule
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Items You Can Place in Your Blue Cart

These Items are NOT Acceptable in Your Blue Cart

  • Bubble Wrap
  • Caps, Corks, Lids
  • Cat Litter
  • Ceramic Dishes
  • Chip Bags
  • Concrete
  • Compostable Bags or Food Ware
  • Cups
  • Deodorant Containers
  • Diapers
  • Dirt, Rocks, Concrete
  • Disposable Plates (clean or soiled)
  • Electronics
  • Feminine Hygiene Products
  • Facial Wipes
  • Flower Pots or Vases
  • Glassware
  • Hardback Books unless Cover Removed
  • Kleenex™
  • Light Bulbs (any kind)
  • Medication
  • Mirror or Window Glass
  • Napkins
  • Packing Trays
  • Padded Envelopes
  • Paint
  • Paper Packaging with Metal Bottoms
  • Paper Towels
  • Personal Healthcare Appliances
  • Pet Food Bags
  • Plastic or Foil Wrappers
  • Plastic or Metal Hangers
  • Plastic or Paper Mail Containers
  • Plastics Smaller than a Credit Card
  • Plastic Straws
  • Pizza Boxes if Soiled
  • Rubber Hoses
  • Saran Wrap®, Plastic Film or Wrap
  • Styrofoam™ Packing Peanuts
  • Toilet Paper or Tissues
  • Toys
  • Wood or Wood Products
  • Wrapping Paper and Ribbons

The Truth about Plastics Recycling

Learn which plastics should be recycled, and which should be kept out of your recycling bin.

Get more details

Recycling Tips

How to Clean Items

Remove caps, corks, labels and lids. Empty remaining contents from containers and lightly scrape out. A spatula is handy for scraping out sticky foods from tomato paste cans and peanut butter jars.

Cardboard Requirements

Cardboard must be clean and dry with all loose tape removed. Soiled pizza boxes can go into your green organics cart. Wax covered cardboard is not recyclable and must be placed in the trash cart.

Soiled Food Containers

Soiled takeout food containers or “clamshells” are considered contaminated and are not acceptable for recycling.

Styrofoam Packing Peanuts

Packing peanuts are not recyclable and should be bagged (preferably into paper sacks) and put into the trash.

Package Loose Items Properly

The Coachella Valley can be very windy at times and loose recyclables can blow out of carts. Please place materials such as shredded or loose paper into paper sacks or small cardboard boxes.

Do Not Line Recycling Containers with Plastic Bags

If you use a plastic bag liner in your kitchen recycling, do not include it in your curbside recycling cart. Consider rinsing and reusing it. Your curbside recycling cart must be free of plastic bags.

Should I Recycle Every Week?

No. It's not necessary to put your recycling bin out for pickup every week if it’s not full. In fact, waiting until the bin is full will save on fuel consumption.

These Items DO NOT Belong in Your Recycling OR Trash Container

Follow links for instruction on proper disposal of these items.

Animal Waste (large quantities)

Batteries

Electronics

Motor Oil

Unused Medications

Needles/Syringes

Yard Trimmings

Wire Hangers (Return to dry cleaner)

Additional Recycling Information

Rethinking Recycling

Much has been reported about the challenges and changes in recycling attributed to the evolving environmental policies in China. The former allowance for 15% non-recyclable content in recyclables abruptly changed to just 0.5% non-recyclable content. As a result, we must all be vigilant of what is recyclable and what is not in order to meet new requirements.

Here are 6 common products you need to rethink before putting in your blue cart (courtesy of The New York Times).

  • Disposable coffee cups – These cups commonly contain a non-recyclable thin plastic film lining.
  • Pizza boxes – These are NOT recyclable when stained with grease and food.
  • Plastic containers with food scraps - Containers are NOT recyclable unless thoroughly rinsed.
  • Plastic shopping bags – Bags are no longer recyclable as they tend to clog processing equipment.
  • Dirty diapers – No surprise here, but diapers are NOT recyclable.

Recycling in California

"The Crisis No One is Talking About" from the California Refuse Recycling Council (download PDF)

Why Recycle?

Palm Springs currently disposes approximately 48,000 tons of waste per year. In 1989, California State bill AB-939 mandated that all communities divert 50% of their waste by the year 2000. PSDS has met that goal and continues to promote recycling.

Buy-Back Recycling Centers

There are a number of recycling buy-back centers in the Palm Springs area. You can visit CIWMB for a complete list of sites.
Palm Springs Recycling
280 Oasis Road
(760) 325-3377

What about Green Waste Recycling?

Green waste includes grass clippings, tree trimmings, shrubs and palm fronds. Please use the green cart and do not use plastic bags. See Green Waste Recycling services

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