Commercial Garbage / Landfill Service
East Bay Sanitary provides a variety of cart and/or bins for the collection of business garbage, or non-recyclable and non-compostable items. All items placed in designated garbage carts or bins will go directly to the landfill.
The size and number of garbage carts and/or bins a business uses varies, but what goes in these garbage containers remains the same: garbage only. Your garbage container should be clearly marked and easy to identify.
While not everything can be recycled or composted, a lot can. If you separate your waste properly, you may be able to save money by getting a smaller garbage cart. Visit our Commercial Services page to review the cart options, set out rules and how to stop, start or change service for residential customers.
*Please note that California implemented a new law January 1, 2022, SB 1383, that mandates standardizing the colors of containers for garbage, recycling and organic materials. The blue cart will be changing to gray in the near future. We will inform you before this occurs.
What Belongs in Garbage
Only place materials that cannot be reused or recycled in your trash.
Below are a few of the things that belong in your garbage/landfill cart or bin. This list is not exhaustive.
- Plastic bags*
- Plastic Film/Wrap
- Mylar (shiny metal) bags or wrappers (potato chips, candy bars, etc)
- Ceramic dishware or glassware
- Glass mirrors and windows (in small pieces double bagged in brown paper bags)
- Cat litter and animal feces (bagged)
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Diapers
- Plastic Straws
- Plastic utensils
- Hangers
- Garden Hoses
- “Biodegradable” or compostable bags
- Sponges
- Styrofoam
*Clean plastic bags may be returned to your local grocery store for recycling.
What Doesn’t Belong in Garbage
No food, recyclables, or household hazardous waste in garbage.
Below are a few of the things that do not belong in your garbage / landfill cart. This list is not exhaustive.
- Food scraps
- Food-Soiled paper
- Yard waste
- Plant trimmings
- Recyclable Plastic bottles, jugs, or tubs
- Recyclable Glass bottles or containers
- Recyclable Aluminum or metal containers
- Recyclable cardboard, glass, metal, paper or plastic
- Cooking oil or grease
- Motor oil
- Electronics
- Bulky trash items
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW): fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or tubes, batteries, paint, pesticides, cleaning products or electronics. All of these items must be delivered to the West Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste Facility
Get the Guide
Check out the Commercial Recycling Guide for everything you ever wanted to know about recycling and garbage services in El Cerrito.
Commercial Recycling Laws
All commercial businesses producing more than 2 cubic yards of solid waste per week must separate recycling and organic waste from garbage by law.