A weekend of pruning can fill a green bin three times over. The good news in Los Angeles is that yard trimmings are one kind of waste the City wants from you every week, and it has a free program for the overflow. This guide covers what each city's green cart takes, how to use LA's free yearly brush pickup, and what to do with the things that don't fit the rules: dirt, stumps, treated wood and old lawn equipment.
Why yard waste has its own rules
California's SB 1383 set a target for 2025 of 75% less organic waste going to landfills.[1] Food scraps, yard trimmings, paper and cardboard make up half of what Californians send to landfills.[1] Under the law, "organic waste" includes green material, landscape and pruning waste, and lumber and wood,[2] and single-family residents must take part in their local organics curbside program and sort into the right containers.[2]
In practice, that means the City of LA requires every resident to put food waste and green waste in the green bin every week.[3]
What goes in the green cart, city by city
| City | Cart | Yard waste accepted | Keep out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 90-gallon green bin[4] | Grass, flowers, tree and bush trimmings, clean untreated wood[3] | Plastic bags, pet waste, compostable plastics[3] |
| Burbank | Green cart | Leaves, grass, branches, brush, twigs, shrubs, hedges, trees[5] | Dirt, horse manure, pet waste, plastic bags[5] |
| Glendale | 96-gallon organics cart[6] | Flowers, branches, leaves, grass[7] | Pet waste, flower pots, compostable cups[7] |
| Pasadena | Yard waste container | Yard waste, plus bagged food scraps[8] | Check the City's list |
Getting the most out of each pickup
- LA: roll the bin to the curb before 6 a.m. on collection day and bring it back in by 8 p.m. If the lid won't close, the bin may be skipped.[4]
- Burbank: carts go in the gutter line no more than 12 hours before collection, need 3 feet of clearance from cars and trees, and can't weigh more than 200 pounds.[9]
- Glendale: the cart has to weigh under 200 pounds with the lid fully shut.[6]
- Pasadena: since 2022, food waste goes in the yard waste container too, tied in a plastic bag,[8] so leave room for it.
Cut branches short enough that the lid closes flat, and spread a big cleanup across several weeks of pickups instead of overfilling one.
LA's free annual brush pickup
For a job that won't fit the bin, the City of Los Angeles gives every household serviced by LA Sanitation one free brush and yard-trimmings collection a year.[10] The bundles have rules:
- Each bundle is tied.
- No bundle is longer than 4 feet.
- No bundle weighs more than 30 pounds.[10]
Book it through MyLA311 or by calling 1-800-773-2489.[10] MyLA311 also answers at 311 or (213) 473-3231, weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.[11]
Save it for the big job of the year, like cutting back an overgrown hedge or clearing a slope. For routine trimming, the weekly green bin is usually enough.
What Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena offer beyond the cart
None of the three runs a brush program like LA's, and their bulky pickups exclude yard debris:
- Burbank's bulky pickup lists yard waste among what it won't collect.[12]
- Pasadena's bulky pickup excludes landscaping debris.[13]
- Glendale apartment and business properties get up to four free bulky appointments a year, and each one can be 10 bundles of green waste instead of bulky items.[14] Glendale also offers paid horse manure collection; call (818) 548-3916 for pricing.[6]
- Altadena customers of the County's hauler can put out 10 bags or bundles of green waste on each on-call bulky pickup.[15]
Things that don't belong with yard waste
Dirt, sod and rock
Soil isn't green waste. Burbank bans dirt from the green cart,[5] and LA Sanitation's bulky crews won't take dirt or concrete.[16] See how to get rid of concrete and dirt for where heavy material can go.
Treated wood
Old railroad ties, pressure-treated landscape timbers and fence posts are a different category. CalRecycle says wood treated with preservatives against insects and rot must be managed as hazardous waste.[17] Burbank sends railroad ties and treated wood to a S.A.F.E. Center.[18] Glendale residents can bring treated railroad ties to the City's hazardous waste drop-off on Flower Street.[19] Plain, clean, untreated wood is fine in LA's green bin.[3]
Burnt branches
If you're clearing fire-damaged vegetation, Scholl Canyon Landfill in Glendale can't accept burnt green waste, and undeclared burnt loads are fined $500 and sent back.[20]
Mowers, blowers and chainsaws
Burbank charges a $12.14 Special Handling Fee per item to collect gas chainsaws, lawnmowers and gas leaf blowers on bulky pickup.[12] Drain fuel and oil first. S.A.F.E. Centers take automotive fluids and fuels and used motor oil for free.[21]
Hauling it yourself
SB 1383 lets some jurisdictions allow residents to self-haul organic waste to a facility.[2] A few Valley-area facilities list green waste among what they take:
- WM Sun Valley Recycling Park, 9227 Tujunga Ave., lists yard and green waste and is open Monday to Saturday.[22] Its page doesn't say whether walk-up public customers can unload, so call before you drive over.[22]
- Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center accepts yard and green waste,[23] Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.[23]
Cover the load. Loose branches blow out of a truck bed, and at Sunshine Canyon an untarped load costs an extra $175.[24]
Prep checklist
Before pickup day
- Cut branches so the green cart lid closes flat.
- For LA brush pickup: bundles tied, 4 feet or shorter, 30 pounds or lighter.
- Shake loose soil off roots and sod; keep dirt out of the cart.
- Set aside treated timbers and railroad ties for a hazardous waste drop-off.
- Empty gas and oil from mowers, blowers and trimmers before disposal.
- Leave a clear path from the backyard to the curb or driveway.
- Mark sprinkler heads and low branches so nobody trips on haul day.
When to call a hauler
The green cart and LA's yearly brush pickup cover most homes. A hauler starts to make sense when a hedge removal or tree trim leaves more than a few weeks of green bins, when you've already used this year's brush pickup, when the pile is mixed with old fencing, a broken playset or a shed, or when you just want the yard clear before a party, a listing photo or a move-out inspection.
I called Legacy on a Sunday and I scheduled them for Monday to pick up a pretty sizable pile of yard waste from a massive privacy hedge I’d cut back. They were super fast, very professional, show up with a glossy new truck and trailer, and charged me less than half the quote I’d gotten prior. Highly recommend!
Legacy Junk Removal is a family business on Victory Blvd in North Hollywood. Same-day service most days when you reach us by early afternoon; next-morning slots are common. Our yard waste removal page covers how a haul-away works. Send a few photos of the pile and where it sits on the property.