Residential Newsletter – Fall 2025

Winter Service Reminders

• Yard waste collection is suspended from December-March and will resume April 1, weather permitting. Remember to store your yard waste cart in a safe place out of the snow.
• Be sure to place trash and recycle carts for pickup at the edge of the property line so that they are not in the path of the snowplow. STR employees will return them back to your driveway/property after emptying.
• Dig out a spot: When you clear your driveway, be sure to dig out a spot for your carts. If you have a snow removal service, provide instructions to them.
• Customers must remove snow and ice from in front of bear boxes to allow doors to swing freely and fully. STR will not service bear boxes unless a clear, unobstructed direct path of access at least 36” wide is cleared of snow, including removing roadside snow berm.
• We understand that it might snow, or the plow might leave a berm after you place carts out for collection. In that instance, our crews will do the best they can to access and empty them. Please do the best you can.
• Sign up for notifications in the STR app. If we aren’t able to access your area due to hazardous conditions, we will send out a service alert. Download the app in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Important Notice!

We’re excited to announce that we’ve upgraded our billing system to serve you better. With the new system all customers will be seeing a new account number on your billing statements.

• If you make online payments, you will need to re-register on our website, www.southtahoerefuse.com, using your new account number. Click on the “Make a Payment” button and follow the prompts to create your new account profile.
• Customers with payments set up through their bank or payment software: Please update this new account number with your bank’s Billpay or payment software.
• Automatic payments through a credit card on file with South Tahoe Refuse should continue uninterrupted.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this transition. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@southtahoerefuse.com or 530-541-5105.

Spotlight on our Team

You might see them hustling from stop to stop in your neighborhood on pickup day, lifting cans from bear boxes and tipping recycle and garbage carts. It’s your friendly, hard-working STR collection crew! The Collection Department is our front line service provider for all the South Tahoe Refuse residential services. This team works hard all week long to be sure your trash, recycling, and yard waste is collected efficiently and safely. Next time you see them in your neighborhood give them a wave or high five.

Cardboard, Cardboard, and More Cardboard!

What’s the #1 item we’re finding in the recycle carts? You guessed it – cardboard! Cardboard accounts for 67% (by weight) of everything from the recycle carts. From January-August 2025, we have already sent 2,281,800 pounds of cardboard for recycling!

Get Cash for Bottles & Cans at STR’s Recycling Buy Back Center

When you purchase certain beverage containers in California, you pay a small deposit (CRV) that is redeemable at authorized recycling centers. STR’s Recycle Buy-Back Center is located at 2192 Ruth Ave. and operates Tuesday-Saturday, 9:00am to 4:00pm.

Please note the following guidelines if requesting CRV redemption:

• The containers must be stamped with one of the following: CA Redemption Value, CA Cash Value, CA Cash Refund.
• All items must be separated by container/material type.
• All materials must be clean & dry.
• State law limits CRV payments to out-of-state customers to no more than twenty-five pounds per material type up to $50/day.

You can reach the Buyback Center at 530-542-8344. Non-CRV recyclables can be dropped off at STR’s Resource Recovery Facility at 2121 Eloise Ave. at no charge.