Every household in Redondo Beach gets curbside trash, recycling, and green waste collection — but the details of how it works, what goes where, and what it costs are scattered across city documents, the hauler's website, and state mandates that most people have never heard of. This guide pulls it all together: your collection schedule, your bin rules, bulky item pickups, the new organics requirements, and what the city just approved for rates in FY 2026-27.
Who handles trash in Redondo Beach
The city contracts with Arakelian Enterprises, Inc., doing business as Athens Services, for all residential and commercial solid waste collection. Athens has been Redondo Beach's hauler for years, and in spring 2026 the City Council approved a second amendment to the agreement that updates the fee structure, adds new programs, and extends the contract through June 30, 2036. That ten-year extension is significant — it means Athens will be Redondo's trash hauler for the foreseeable future.
The city's Public Works Department oversees the contract and handles complaints and service issues. If you have a problem with a missed pickup or a damaged bin, you can call Athens Services directly at (888) 336-6100or contact the city's Public Works division.
What you get: three bins
Every single-family residence in Redondo Beach receives three curbside bins from Athens Services:
Black bin — trash.This is for non-recyclable, non-compostable waste. Think food-soiled paper that can't be recycled, broken ceramics, diapers, Styrofoam, and other materials that don't belong in the other two bins. The standard residential cart is 60 gallons, though you can request a larger 90-gallon cart or a smaller 35-gallon cart depending on your household's needs.
Blue bin — recycling. Cardboard, paper, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, and plastics labeled #1 through #7 go here. Rinse containers — they don't need to be spotless, but food residue contaminates the recycling stream. No plastic bags in the blue bin. No Styrofoam. No electronics. When in doubt, it's better to put something in the black bin than to "wish-cycle" it into recycling and contaminate an entire load.
Green bin — organics.Yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, branches under four inches in diameter) goes here, along with food scraps. That last part is new for many residents. Under California's SB 1383, which took full effect in 2024, organic waste — including fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, dairy, bread, coffee grounds, and food-soiled paper like napkins and paper towels — must be diverted from the landfill. Your green bin is where it goes. Athens Services processes this material at composting facilities rather than sending it to landfill.
Collection schedule
Residential collection happens once per week on the same day each week. Your specific collection day depends on where you live in the city. To find your pickup day, visit the Athens Services website or call them at (888) 336-6100 with your address.
Bins should be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. Place them with the lid opening facing the street, at least three feet apart from each other and from any cars, mailboxes, or other obstacles. Bins should be pulled back from the curb by the end of the day after collection. Leaving bins out for extended periods can result in a code enforcement notice.
If your collection day falls on a major holiday — New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day — pickup is typically delayed by one day for the rest of that week. Athens usually distributes a holiday schedule at the start of each year. When in doubt, check their website or call.
Bulky item pickup
Every residential account gets bulky item pickups at no additional charge. Bulky items include furniture, mattresses, appliances (with doors removed for safety), and large items that don't fit in your regular bins. You schedule a pickup by calling Athens Services — items are collected curbside on a date they coordinate with you.
There are limits. Bulky pickups are intended for household items, not construction debris or hazardous materials. Electronics like TVs and computers are accepted in some cases but are better handled through the city's periodic e-waste collection events or LA County's household hazardous waste roundups, which serve Redondo Beach residents at various South Bay locations throughout the year. Check CleanLA.com for the next scheduled event near you.
What it costs: FY 2026-27 rates
Solid waste service in Redondo Beach is funded through a combination of fees charged to property owners and collected on the LA County property tax roll. You don't get a separate monthly bill from Athens — the cost is embedded in your annual property tax statement as a special charge.
In April 2026, the City Council held a public hearing under Proposition 218 — the state law that requires voter notification and protest rights before fee increases — to consider new solid waste rates for FY 2026-27. The council adopted Resolution No. CC-2605-032, establishing the updated contractor charges and city fees. The rate adjustment reflects increased operating costs, expanded organics processing under SB 1383, and the updated terms of the Athens Services contract extension through 2036.
The Proposition 218 process means that before rates change, the city must mail notices to every affected property owner. If a majority of property owners return written protests, the increase is blocked. In practice, protest thresholds are rarely met for solid waste fees in any California city, but the process ensures transparency. The city held its FY 2026-27 budget public hearing on the same June 2 agenda, linking the trash rate discussion to the broader fiscal picture.
SB 1383: the organics mandate explained
California's SB 1383 is the state law that most directly affects how Redondo Beach residents handle their trash day. The law requires a 75% reduction in organic waste sent to landfills by 2025, compared to 2014 levels. Organic waste — food scraps, yard trimmings, food-soiled paper, and even lumber and textiles — accounts for roughly half of what Californians throw away. When this material decomposes in a landfill, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term.
For Redondo Beach residents, the practical impact is straightforward: put food scraps in the green bin, not the black bin. Athens Services collects the green bin contents and routes them to composting or anaerobic digestion facilities rather than landfill. The city's January 2026 Solid Waste Programs update to the Public Works, Safety & Sustainability Commission confirmed that compliance efforts are ongoing and that Athens is the operational partner for meeting the state's diversion targets.
If you're unsure what counts as organic waste: fruit and vegetable peels, meat scraps, bones, dairy products, bread, rice, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, paper napkins, paper towels, and food-soiled cardboard (like a greasy pizza box) all go in the green bin. Plastic bags, even "compostable" ones, do not — unless your hauler explicitly says otherwise.
Multi-family and commercial service
If you live in an apartment or condo complex, your building's property manager handles the solid waste account with Athens Services. Multi-family properties use shared dumpsters or bins, and the collection schedule and bin sizes are set by the property management agreement. The FY 2026-27 rate adjustments apply to multi-family and commercial accounts as well — the April 2026 public hearing covered all three categories of service.
Commercial businesses in Redondo Beach also contract through Athens under the city's exclusive franchise agreement. Businesses that generate food waste — restaurants, grocery stores, caterers — face additional requirements under SB 1383 and the earlier AB 1826, which requires commercial organics recycling for businesses generating certain thresholds of organic waste.
Hazardous waste and electronics
None of your three bins accept hazardous waste. Paint, motor oil, batteries, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, and household chemicals must be disposed of separately. LA County operates permanent household hazardous waste collection centers and periodic roundup events throughout the South Bay.
For electronics — old TVs, computers, monitors, printers — look for e-waste collection events or certified e-waste recyclers. Putting electronics in the trash bin is illegal in California and can release toxic materials in landfills.
Street sweeping and refuse: related but separate
Street sweeping and trash collection are both managed through the Public Works Department but operate on different schedules with different contractors. Athens Services handles trash, recycling, and green waste collection. Street sweeping is also contracted through Athens but runs on its own schedule — Monday through Friday, with each street assigned a specific sweeping day. Parking restrictions during sweeping hours are the number-one source of parking tickets in the city. Check our parking guide for details on sweeping schedules and how to look up your street.
Key contacts and resources
Athens Services (trash, recycling, green waste, and bulky item pickup): (888) 336-6100
Redondo Beach Public Works (service complaints, bin issues, general questions): (310) 318-0661
LA County Household Hazardous Waste (paint, chemicals, batteries, e-waste events): (888) 253-2652 or CleanLA.com
City of Redondo Beach main line: (310) 372-1171
The bottom line: trash collection in Redondo Beach is straightforward once you know which bin gets what. The green bin now accepts food scraps — that's the biggest change in recent years. Rates are set annually through a public process. And Athens Services, the city's contracted hauler through at least 2036, handles everything from your weekly pickup to bulky items. Put the right things in the right bins, get your carts to the curb by 6 a.m., and you're covered.