RIVERSIDE
Residential Waste Collection in Riverside
WELCOME TO
Riverside
Your Partner to Achieving a Zero Waste Future
HOURS OF OPERATION
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Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Saturday 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Sunday Closed
RESOURCES FOR
RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS
Information, standards, and special instructions!
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Holidays create a one-day delay in collection service. Athens Services observes the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Lincoln's Birthday
- President's Day
- César Chávez Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, waste collection services will not be delayed.
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.
Recyclables are brought to the Agua Mansa Materials Recovery Facility.
Visit the City of Riverside’s Recycling Page at RiversideCA.gov/PublicWorks/Trash-Recycling for 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
bagged food waste, branches; flowers; grass clippings; hedge trimmings; leaves; & weeds
Animal waste, cactus, palm fronds, yucca, household waste, soiled products, trash, other waste
- 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, and 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 to, asphalt, bricks, carpet, concrete, dirt, doors, drywall, earth, glass, construction, and cabinet lumber, masonry materials, pallets, pipes, plastics, plumbing fixtures, rocks, salvaged building components, scrap metal, roof shingles, tile, and windows.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
- 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. Acceptable bulky items include, but are not limited to, dryers, mattresses, refrigerators, rugs, tree trunks, washing machines, and water heaters. Automobile parts, construction debris, hazardous waste, and heavy items (such as pool tables and pianos) are NOT allowed as part of a bulky item pickup nor should they be placed in any Athens container. Doing so may cause an interruption in your service. To schedule a collection, please submit a Bulky Item Pickup Request or call the Athens Customer Care Center at (888) 314-0061.HOLIDAY TREE RECYCLING
Athens Services collects and composts real holiday trees and foliage into nutrient-rich soil amendment that can be used in agriculture, public parks, and landscaping.
DISPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS (REAL TREES)
- Remove all stands, lights, ornaments, tree skirts, and tinsel
- If your tree is more than six feet in length, please cut it in half
- Place your tree curbside for collection – trees are collected over a three (3) week period on regular collection days from December 26th through January 16th
- If a resident misses the designated collection period, they can request a bulky item collection or cut up the tree
Artificial trees, flocked trees, and trees coated with fire retardant are NOT recyclable or compostable; they will be treated as trash. If the artificial tree is still usable, please consider donating it. Broken or no longer usable artificial trees should be disposed of as part of a bulky item collection.
EVENTS/NEWS

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REQUEST SERVICES
Please provide us with your inquiry or comments by using the simple email form below or call during our Hours of Service.
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM NOON SATURDAY