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Whittier - Commercial Waste Collection
WELCOME TO
Whittier
Your Partner to Achieving a Zero Waste Future
Athens Services is a local, family-owned waste collection and recycling company that has been a fixture in the greater Los Angeles community for the past 60 years. We provide innovative, consistent and quality environmental services to our more than 250,000 customers in the 50+ communities we serve. Through reuse, recycling and composting, Athens diverts valuable resources from landfills.
HOURS OF OPERATION
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Monday - Friday7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Saturday7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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SundayClosed
Whittier
RESOURCES
Information, standards, and special instructions!
Cart Placement
To ensure on-time and seamless collection service, please arrange your trash, organics, and recycling carts as follows:
- Set out carts (wheels against the curb) by 6:00 am of your regularly scheduled collection day.
- Place carts side by side, spaced about one (1) foot apart and at least (3) feet from parked vehicles or other objects.
- Close the lids fully and remove any excess material.
- Ensure carts are not blocked as collection trucks require unobstructed access.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Holidays create a one-day delay in collection service. Athens Services observes the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, waste collection services will not be delayed.
CONTAINER DIMENSIONS/GUIDELINES
Athens Services provides an array of different container types. Customized bin orders are also available.
Customers should adhere to the following container guidelines to ensure smooth, uninterrupted service:
- Please do not overload or overfill trash bins.
- Promote worker safety by not placing bulky or heavy material in or around the bin.
- Avoid health and safety code violations. Do not place the following in your bin: Hazardous Waste, E-Waste, or Medical Waste.
- All refuse must be placed inside the container with the lids closed. Any refuse that is placed alongside or above the sides of container will not be collected.
- Dirt, rock, concrete, and other construction debris are NOT allowed in trash bins.
CA WASTE & RECYCLING LAWS
SB 1383 (2016) SHORT-LIVED CLIMATE POLLUTANT REDUCTION
SB 1383 targets the reduction of methane emissions from landfills. The law establishes targets to achieve a 75% reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organics waste from the 2014 level by 2025. It also requires that at least 20% of currently disposed edible food be recovered for human consumption statewide by 2025.
Beginning January 1, 2022, all businesses, schools, and multifamily complexes are required to subscribe to an organics collection service and must separate into their green organics container ALL of their green waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper (100% fiber based).
In addition, Edible Food Generators (considered Tier 1 and Tier 2) must recover the maximum amount of edible food that would otherwise be disposed of, arrange for food donation and collection through contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations or services, and maintain food donation records.
AB 1826 (2014) MANDATORY COMMERCIAL ORGANICS RECYCLING
This bill requires businesses and multifamily buildings (of 5 or more units) that generate 2 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week to arrange for organics recycling services. As of January 1, 2022, all businesses are required to follow the SB 1383 regulations.
AB 341 (2011) MANDATORY COMMERCIAL RECYCLING
To further California’s recycling efforts, AB 341 established a statewide recycling goal of 75% by 2020. This law requires California commercial or public entities that generate four (4) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, and multifamily dwellings of five (5) or more units, to arrange for recycling services. As of January 1, 2022, all businesses and multifamily dwellings (of all sizes) are required to follow the SB 1383 regulations.
WHAT GOES IN MY CONTAINER?
Correctly reduce, reuse, recycle, compost, or dispose of unwanted items; check out Athens’ interactive “What Goes Where Guide.’’
Visit Athens’ Outreach Materials & Resources page for downloadable signage, Recycling Cheat Sheet, and additional resources.
If empty of liquid and food, the following is acceptable in your blue recycling container.
Plastic:
- Plastic #1 (PET) as bottles or clamshells
- Plastic #2 (HDPE)
- Plastic #5 (PP)
- Recyclable plastics include, but are not limited to:
- Beverage & detergent jugs
- Food containers
- Soda, juice & water bottles
Paper: (clean, dry, and no metal or lamination), magazines, mail, office paper, newspaper, paper bags, & telephone books
Cardboard: broken down cardboard, corrugated fiberboard, & clean pizza boxes
Glass: bottles & jars only (remove lids)
Metals: aluminum cans, foil, & trays, scrap metal, steel cans & tin cans
Acceptable, but may not be recycled currently:
- Cereal boxes (remove bag), egg cartons, frozen food boxes, & soup/milk/juice cartons
Green Waste: branches; flowers; grass clippings; hedge trimmings; leaves; weeds; & untreated/unpainted lumber, plywood, & scrap wood
Food Scraps: fruits; vegetables; bread; rice; pasta; cheese; dairy; coffee grounds; coffee filters; meat; bones; poultry; seafood; soft shells (e.g. lobster, crab, & shrimp)
Food-Soiled Paper:
*All items must be 100% plant-fiber based with NO petroleum based plastic, wax, or bio-plastic coating, liner, or laminate. Must be soiled ONLY with food or drink liquids.
– 100% fiber based, compostable to-go containers & servingware, egg cartons (paper), paper napkins & kitchen towels, plates, packaging, and pizza boxes
Glass: ceramic, porcelain, & non-food related glass
Food Containers: chip bags, compostable “plant-based plastic,” juice pouches, paper coffee cups, snack bar wrappers, tea bags, & tea wrappers
Paper: bathroom & facial tissues, envelopes (padded and Tyvek), laminated or plastic coated paper, napkins, photographs, & receipts
Plastic: plastics #3 & #6 (hard & foam); all black plastics; bubble wrap; disposable gloves; garden hoses; empty motor oil containers; plastic bags & film (e.g. dry cleaning bags & cellophane); plastic toys; tarps; & small plastics (e.g. utensils, straws, serving cups, etc.)
Misc.: unusable clothing & fabric; cacti & succulents; cigarette butts; diapers; hard shells (e.g., clams, mussels, & oysters); lint; palm fronds; pet waste; produce stickers; & yucca leaves
- DO NOT PLACE IN CONTAINERS:
State law prohibits the disposal of hazardous material into your containers. For proper disposal options, click here.
We also ask that you do not place bulky items, construction debris, electronic waste, or automotive parts in your containers. For bulky items disposal options, click here.
The following is a list of items you should not place in your container:
- Automotive Parts
- Batteries
- Cleaning Products
- Construction & Demolition Waste
- Fluorescent Light Bulbs or Tubes
- Electronic Waste
- LED Lights
- Medical Waste
- Paints, Solvents, and Thinners
- Pesticides or Herbicides
- Pharmaceuticals/Over–the-Counter Medicines
- Pool Chemicals
- Radiological Waste
- Syringes or Sharps
- Thermometers
- Thermostats
- Used Motor Oil
- Electronic Waste Examples:
Electronics can include those devices that utilize electrical wiring, plug into an electric outlet, or take a battery or light bulb. Examples include (but are not limited to):
- Computers and Accessories
- Circuit Boards
- Extension Cords
- Flashlights
- Microwaves
- Phones
- Stereos
- Televisions
- Construction and Demolition:
Waste material generated during the construction, renovation, or demolition of a location cannot be placed in a standard cart or bin. Examples of C&D materials include, but are not limited:
- Asphalt
- Bricks
- Carpet
- Concrete
- Dirt
- Doors
- Drywall
- Earth
- Glass
- Construction
- Cabinet Lumber
- Masonry Materials
- Pallets
- Pipes
- Plastics
- Plumbing Fixtures
- Rocks
- Salvaged Building Components
- Scrap Metal
- Roof Shingles
- Tile
- Windows
MEET YOUR CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION RECYCLING GOALS
HAZARDOUS WASTE
E-waste, hazardous waste, and u-waste is NOT accepted in any Athens container and must be disposed of through alternative collection methods. It is illegal to dispose of these items into a waste container, down the drain, or by abandonment.
Hazardous waste is any product labeled:
- Toxic
- Poisonous
- Corrosive
- Flammable
- Combustible
- Irritant
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Antifreeze
- Automotive Fluids
- Cleaning Products
- Compressed Gas Cylinders (full or empty)
- Fertilizers
- Herbicides
- Paint
- Pesticides
- Pool Chemicals
- Solvents
- And more
DISPOSAL OPTIONS
S.A.F.E. Collection Centers, operated by both the County and City of Los Angeles, accept small business quantities of hazardous waste by appointment only.- To schedule an appointment: Call 310-387-1071
- Eemail Inquires: 4HCESQG@cleanharbors.com
- Business hazardous waste disposal at: CleanLA.LACounty.gov/HHW/Collection-Centers
HOW TO HANDLE BATTERIES
It is illegal to place batteries in your waste bins. Batteries should be disposed of as hazardous
waste. They can spark fires or create an unsafe environment for waste workers. If properly collected, battery recyclers can repurpose the metal. Use these storage tips to avoid short-circuiting and fires:
- Place a piece of non-conductive tape or duct-tape on the ends and do not cover the brand name or chemistry of the battery
- Store batteries in a container that does not conduct electricity (like plastic, cardboard, or glass)
BULKY ITEMS
Athens Services encourages the reuse and donation of bulky items whenever possible.
If this is not an option, Athens will, upon request only, remove bulky items, including major appliances and furniture. Please do not place bulky items or electronics in your trash containers. Doing so may cause an interruption in your service.
To schedule a pick-up, please call Athens Services at (855) 557-1007 or complete a Request Services form and select “Bulky Item Pick-Up”.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For additional information, such as rates please visit the City of Whittier website.
RESIDENTIAL WASTE SERVICES
NEWS
Athens Services Advances Zero-Waste Goals During SoCal’s Summer of Soccer
Athens Services helped enhance the fan experience by prioritizing sustainability and proper waste disposal throughout the festivities.
National Waste & Recycling Workers Week at Athens Services
National Waste & Recycling Workers Week is June 17. Athens Services is proud to feature these five waste & recycling workers.
Athens Services Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Irwindale MRF
Athens Services celebrates the opening of the Irwindale MRF, a state-of-the-art recycling facility advancing sustainability and waste diversion in Southern California.
Recycling Ambassador Program: How Communities Like Pomona Are Leading Change
Pomona residents living in multi-family facilities are getting involved in a new Athens Services “Recycling Ambassador Program” to help spread the word about the importance of recycling.
Athens Services Proudly Supports CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive
Athens Services supported the California Highway Patrol’s CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive across Southern California, helping bring holiday joy to children in need. The community effort was featured in CBS News Los Angeles coverage highlighting local generosity and teamwork.
REQUEST SERVICES
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM NOON SATURDAY