How can I get rid of large, bulky trash in SLO County? See top options
Companies across San Luis Obispo County collect trash, recycling and organic waste on a regular basis.
What should you do if your garbage doesn’t fit in the bin?
Depending on where you live, your waste removal provider may pick up large, bulky items for a fee, or even haul them away during certain weeks.
Here’s how to dispose your extra trash:
Who picks up my trash in SLO? Paso Robles?
The city of San Luis Obispo partners with San Luis Garbage, a subsidiary of Waste Connections, to handle garbage, recycling and organic waste collection.
The city of Morro Bay partners with another Waste Connections subsidiary, Morro Bay Garbage, for trash collection.
Waste Connection also operates South County Sanitary and Mission Country Disposal, which handle garbage pickup in other parts of the county.
Paso Robles Waste & Recycle is the sole franchise collection company in the city of Paso Robles.
Waste Management handles trash, recycling and organic waste disposal in Atascadero, Templeton and other North County towns.
San Miguel Garbage covers waste removal services in part of North County.
How can I get extra garbage hauled away for free?
During special clean-up week events, you can throw away extra garbage for no additional charge — typically on your normal trash collection day.
Twice a year, Waste Connections customers can get rid of six additional 32-gallon bags of trash without paying extra.
Here’s when:
- Arroyo Grande, Avila Beach, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach and parts of Nipomo: March 16 to March 20, Oct. 26 to Oct. 30
- Cambria, Cayucos, Los Osos and Morro Bay: March 2 to March 6, Sept. 28 to Oct. 2
- San Luis Obispo: June 22 to June 26, Oct. 12 to Oct. 16
According to Waste Connections, customers in Nipomo Community Service District and Oceano do not have scheduled cleanup weeks. Instead, each household is given two cleanup vouchers.
How much trash can I get rid of?
Waste Management customers in Templeton can get up to 12 standard 32-gallon trash bags hauled away on their regular pickup days from April 27 through April 29 at no extra charge. These bags cannot exceed 40 pounds.
Although Paso Robles Waste and Recycle does not offer a clean-up week, residents get one free clean-up day each year.
The company will pick up to seven items at once for no additional fee. Bags and boxes cannot exceed 60 pounds, while individual items can’t weigh more than 120 pounds.
Trash pickup take place only on Fridays, and needs to be scheduled ahead of time.
What is considered a bulk item? How can I get rid of it?
Bulk items are larger items that cannot fit in trash cans, including kitchen appliances, area rugs, dining tables and scrap metal.
According to Waste Connections, you can get your first bulky item picked up for free as part of your regular service if you live in Arroyo Grande, Avila Beach, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach and parts of Nipomo.
After that, bulky items can be picked up for a discounted rate. Call South County Sanitary for a quote.
Residents of Morro Bay and Los Osos must contact Waste Connections to schedule a bulky item disposal for an additional charge.
In the city of San Luis Obispo, a single-family household can have three free scheduled bulky item collections a year, which one must occur during a cleanup week. Multi-family households are allowed 12 free bulky item collections annually, with four occurring each cleanup week.
Bulky items need to be called in at least five days in advance for regular pick-up days. Items cannot weigh more than 200 lbs.
What should I do with bulky items in North County?
In the North County, Waste Management offers bulky item pick-up with costs depending on the location and the items you’re throwing away.
You can check the Waste Management website to schedule a bulky item pickup, or drop off bulk items at specific locations.
From April 18 though 25, Atascadero customers can drop off bulk items and larger yard debris at 3360 La Cruz Way, Paso Robles. Customers need to bring a photo ID and also a bill matching their address.
Customers can contact San Miguel Garbage to scheduled a bulky item pickup.
What can I take to the landfill in SLO County?
In San Luis Obispo County, you can haul larger items such as appliances, carpet, mattresses, wood and tires directly to the landfill.
SLO County has three landfills that accept garbage, recyclables and organic waste:
- Cold Canyon Landfill in San Luis Obispo
- Chicago Grade Landfill in Templeton
- Paso Robles Landfill
Cold Canyon Landfill accepts mattresses and box springs for free, allowing a maximum of three per day per customer.
You can also drop off 15 gallons — or 125 pounds — of household hazardous waste at a time for free.
You can find disposal rates for other items online.
Chicago Grade Landfill also accepts a maximum of three mattresses and box springs per customer, with other bulky items and garbage accepted for an additional charge.
You can find Paso Robles Landfill disposal rates online.
What should I do with old batteries? Propane tanks?
Paint, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries and household cleaning products are all considered hazardous waste in SLO County, and need to be disposed of properly.
The Integrated Waste Management Authority divides this waste into three categories:
- Hazardous waste: Corrosive liquids, some paints, propane tanks, pesticides and aerosols
- Universal waste: Batteries, gasoline and light bulbs
- E-waste: Computers, monitors, routers and services
You can use the interactive map on the authority’s website to find the closest waste disposal facility near you, based on what you are dropping off.
The Cold Canyon, Chicago Grade and Paso Robles landfills have household hazardous waste sites.
All local landfills accept e-waste — including televisions, computers and printers — for free.
