1. Garden City Sanitation collects my garbage. Anything I need to know?
There are two different trucks collecting garbage and recycling. Our trucks are green and white and will only pickup garbage. California Waste Solutions (gray trucks) collect your recyclables. Garden City and California Waste trucks may come by anytime between 6am and 6pm; one may come in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Unless you’ve seen our truck come through and miss your garbage cart while servicing the carts of your neighbors, please wait until 6pm before calling in to report a missed pickup.

2. If I have questions regarding garbage/recycling service and rates, where do I call?
Please contact the Recycle Plus Customer Service Line at (408) 535-3500. Or go to their web site at www.sjrecycles.org. Be aware that Garden City does not handle service level or billing issues; the City does.

3. What's the best way to place my carts out for service?
In the gutter with the rear wheels touching the curb. Carts should be at least a couple of feet apart and should not be near a parked car or other obstacle. Also, make sure cart lids completely close. Do not stack extra garbage on top of your cart. Extra garbage bags should be tagged (see next FAQ) and placed next to the garbage cart with the tag facing the street so our driver can see it.

The Right Way:




The Wrong Way:




4. Will you collect extra or over-sized garbage?
We will collect extra garbage if bagged in a 32-gallon bag (or smaller) and bearing an official "extra garbage" sticker. Stickers can be purchased at all San Jose libraries, and most supermarket stores. They can also be purchased through the City’s Call Center. If you have large items that won't fit in your cart or in an extra bag, consider requesting an oversized item collection. Call (408) 535-3500 for more information.

5. Since I can't put household hazardous wastes like batteries, automotive fluids, paint, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks, needle syringes, and other toxic items in the garbage or recycling, where can I put them?
Call the Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Program at (408) 299-7300. The County offers free disposal appointments.

6. What happens to any recyclables placed in my garbage?
Once Garden City collects them, they go straight to the landfill. So please be sure to put all your recyclables inside your recycling cart and not in the garbage.

7. What holidays does Garden City Sanitation observe?
There will be no service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. If one of those holidays falls on a weekday, service from that day forward will be one day behind until the next week.