Residential Services

Curbside Collection

South Tahoe Refuse has transitioned to semi-automated cart collection. Select your state below to get all the info you need on the new system.

Download the Service Guide for carts here

Download the Spanish Service Guide for carts here

Choose your state!

California Residents

The new 3-cart program has begun for customers in the City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County Area A. Customers in County Area B, formerly know as American River Disposal, will continue using the existing system until further notice.

Default cart delivery was one 95-gallon animal-resistant garbage cart (unless residence has a bear box), one 95-gallon recycling cart, and one 95-gallon yard waste cart. If you’d like to request a different size, please fill out the cart swap request form.

Garbage pickup service is weekly and recycling and yard waste collection services are bi-weekly (alternating – see weekly calendar). Find your pickup days.

All equipment and service for garbage, recycling and yard waste is included in one quarterly rate.

Low-Income Senior Rate: To participate in this program, you must be a permanent resident in the STR service area and qualify for the Liberty Utilities CARE program. Click here to fill out the form.

Service Protocol

Download the Service Guide here or the Spanish Service Guide here.
Important announcement: if you notice your newly delivered garbage cart lock is not latching when you close the lid, check out this video to see if the pin in the lock mechanism was left in (preventing it from latching). If it still isn’t working or if you have to slam the lid for it to latch, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 to get a replacement.
Your pickup DAY will remain the same. Garbage is picked up weekly and recycle and yard waste alternate weeks. See calendar. Note that pickup TIMES are subject to change. On your service pickup day, containers must be placed at curbside by 7:00 a.m.
As soon as the carts have been delivered, only company-owned containers will be serviced (with the exception of bear boxes for trash and extra recycling and yard waste which may be placed in 32-gallon Rubbermaid type cans).
Note that garbage, recycling, and yard waste will be collected in different trucks.
Carts should not obstruct bike lanes or sidewalks.
Place your carts two feet apart and at least 3 feet from any obstruction, such as cars, trees or mailboxes, so the collection truck can easily approach the cart.
Place the cart so the lid opens toward the street and the handle is away from the street.
Did we miss a pickup? Call us within 24 hours and we can come back out to service missed carts.
No hazardous wastes such as automotive fluids, pesticides and fertilizers, paint products, cleaning products, batteries, etc. should be put in any carts Find out how to dispose of hazardous waste safely and legally.

What Goes Where?

California’s SB 1383 requires that customers place their trash, recycling, and yard waste in the appropriate cart. Please note that once the program gets established, STR is required to monitor the contents of the carts and notify customers if items are placed in the wrong cart. Local jurisdictions are required to enforce this requirement and will be notified of those with repeated violations.

Garbage/Landfill

garbage landfill If you have a bear box, continue to use your bear box for garbage only – our crew will service it as they have in the past. Bear boxes must have cans inside them and all material should be bagged and inside the cans. Recycling and yard waste carts should be used for material other than garbage.

Important announcement: if you notice your newly delivered garbage cart lock is not latching when you close the lid, check out this video to see if the pin in the lock mechanism was left in (preventing it from latching). If it still isn’t working, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 to get a replacement.

Garbage will continue to be serviced weekly. Please put non-recyclable items in the garbage/trash cart (i.e. plastic bags, plastic wrappers, polystyrene foam, kitty litter, diapers, and broken dishes). Food scraps also go in the garbage cart. Find out what goes in your garbage/landfill cart.

What if I have extra garbage?

If you have garbage that will not fit in your cart or bear box, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 to learn about options.

Yard Waste

ANNOUNCEMENT: Yard waste collection is suspended in the winter months unless conditions allow for yard cleanup, i.e. there is not snow on the ground. Due to current conditions, we will pick up yard waste the week of December 16th. You can find announcements here if we are able to continue beyond that.

STR’s California customers are entitled to up to two green-lid yard waste carts which are serviced bi-weekly. Additional carts are available for customers that can attest to having the space to store them. All carts must be kept for at least one year.

The green-lid yard waste cart is for vegetative waste only. No food waste! Acceptable material includes pine needles, pinecones, leaves, brush, grass clippings, flowers, wreaths, and wood branches 3” diameter or smaller. Find out what goes in your yard waste cart.

Food waste continues to go into the garbage cart or can be self-hauled to STR’s drop-off location. Also, no glass, plastic, rocks, dirt, cat or dog waste, or painted wood in the yard waste cart.

What if I have extra yard waste?

All STR customers can drop off clean yard waste at STR for FREE. Learn more

STR will be scheduling yard waste cleanup weeks in the Spring and Fall beginning 2025. You may also put extra yard waste out for collection loose in a 32-gallon Rubbermaid type can or in paper yard waste bags (available at all local hardware stores).

Recycling

California customers are provided with one 65- or 95-gallon blue lid cart for mixed recycling, serviced every other week. Put all recyclables together. Please remember to flatten boxes, clean & empty containers, and keep recyclables loose (no plastic bags, string or tape). See our recycle cart Acceptable Items.

Recyclable items include: Plastic bottles and jugs (# 1, 2, & 5), aluminum cans, steel/tin cans, cardboard (flatten), Mixed paper (newspaper, office, junk mail, etc.), and glass containers.

What if I have extra recycling?

If you have recycling that doesn’t fit in your cart:

You may place folded cardboard next to your cart, but please be sure it is secured and will not blow away.
You may place recycling that doesn’t fit in your cart in a 32-gallon Rubbermaid type can with a tight-fitting lid (loose, no plastic bags please). Place the can next to your recycling cart.
You may also bring it to our Transfer Station at no charge or for CRV items, to our Recycle Buyback Center.

Cart FAQs – California

Frequently Asked Questions

When does cart collection begin and what time should I place my carts out?

Cart delivery began the last week in August and has been completed. Your recycling and yard waste is collected on the same day as your garbage every other week (calendar is included in the Service Guide delivered with the carts and can be found here). It should be placed out before 7am on your scheduled collection day.

I received one of the black, animal-resistant garbage carts, but it doesn't seem to latch.

If you notice your newly delivered garbage cart is not latching when you close the lid, check out this video to see if the pin in the lock mechanism was left in (preventing it from latching). If it still isn’t working, or if you need to slam the lid for it to latch, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 to get a replacement.

I did not get any carts or didn’t get the right size trash cart. What should I do?

If you did not receive any carts and the rest of your neighborhood did, or if you received the wrong size carts, please contact our Customer Service Team at 530-541-5105 and we will deliver them or swap them out as soon as possible.

What if I want a different sized cart or an additional cart?

If you need a different cart size or an additional cart after using the ones provided for about a month, please fill out a cart swap request form

Why are you making the switch to cart collection?

California’s SB 1383 requires that customers separate their organic material from their trash and recycling and that color-coded containers are provided for each material. In addition, making the switch to a semi-automated collection system will result in a safer working environment for South Tahoe Refuse employees which is why we are making the adjustment throughout our service area. There will be reduced exposure to injury from lifting, as well as reduced exposure to sharp, harmful, and even hazardous material.

How does it work if I have a bear box?

STR will continue to service bear boxes for garbage/landfill material only. Continue to place your garbage inside your cans in the bear box. Your recycling and yard waste should be placed inside the blue and green-lid carts respectively and placed out for collection on your pickup day.

What if I don’t want the carts? Will you take them back?

In California, no. The new carts are mandatory under SB 1383 and City Code 4.150.110 and County Code 8.45.010.

How will this work in the winter?

The process is “semi-automated,” meaning each collection truck will have an STR employee that positions the carts to be tipped into the truck, so we will continue to maneuver around unplowed streets and snow berms when necessary. Customers will be asked to place their carts at the edge of the property line so that they are not in the path of the snowplow and STR employees will return them back to the customer’s property after emptying.

See pages 11 & 12 of your Service Guide for winter service instructions.

Where do I store my carts?

Each property is unique – you may store your cart(s) behind or beside your home, on or under a back porch, or inside your carport or garage. Do not store them on the sidewalk in front of your home or at the curb

What if I have more material than will fit in the carts?

See “What Goes Where” section above for each material type to learn about what to do if you have extra.

Do I have to put the recyclables in the blue-lid cart?

In California, yes. State law requires residents to use the cart delivered for recycling moving forward. In between pickup days you may store recyclables wherever is convenient for you, but for collection day, they must be presented in the cart.

What types of recyclables are collected in the recycling cart?

Plastic bottles and jugs (# 1, 2, & 5)
Aluminum cans
Steel/tin cans
Cardboard (flatten)
Mixed paper, newspaper, office, junk mail, etc.
Glass containers

No need to sort, just make sure they are clean and dry. Please do not bag your recyclables.

What happens if I put the wrong material in the carts?

South Tahoe Refuse is required to check the carts to be sure customers follow the separation requirements and document contamination. You will be notified if you are not placing items in the appropriate cart. If it becomes a chronic issue, there may be penalties from the City or County.

Are there any special instructions for placing carts out for collection?

Carts should be placed at least two (2) feet apart from each other or other objects and within three (3) feet of the roadway. Do not place it behind or too close to trees, mailboxes, lamp posts, snow berms, or parked cars. Do not place cart on top of another object, including snow piles. You are responsible for clearing a path to your containers during snow conditions, and this includes bear boxes.

What if my cart/lid looks warped or damaged?

Due to the shipment process for the carts, some carts and lids may appear warped or misshapen when they first arrive at your curb. Place the cart in your garage or out of the elements and allow at least 1 week for the cart/lid to relax. If it still appears warped or misshapen after that time, contact STR to discuss options at 530-541-5105.

What if my cart is lost or stolen?

Each cart will be assigned to an address using a serial number and RFID tag. If a cart is found, it can be tracked and returned to the address it was assigned to. If your cart has been damaged, stolen, or lost, please contact STR to discuss replacement options at 530-541-5105.

Does STR clean the carts? What happens if one of my carts breaks?

The basic upkeep of the carts is the responsibility of the customer, but STR will offer steam-cleaning or a cart exchange at the customer’s request, up to two times per year. A fee will be charged for such cleaning (or container exchange) at the jurisdiction-approved rate for such service. While basic upkeep of the carts is the responsibility of the customer, STR will service or replace carts that malfunction. Please contact our Customer Service Specialist at 530-541-5105 for all cart-related requests or issues.

Can I label the carts with my address?

No, STR will label the carts in correspondence with the law. Each cart has a serial number identifier in case there is any question of which carts belongs to which address.

How do I know which week is recycling and which is green waste?

The schedule of recycling and yard waste can be found here. Find your pickup day here or download the app which will enable you to opt in to receive important service alerts as well.

What if I have a medical condition and cannot get my carts out for collection?

If for medical reasons, no one in your household is able to place your carts at the curb, STR will collect the carts from your yard at no charge. A medical note from a physician must be filed annually with STR for this service.

Special Services – California

Bulky Item Pickup
STR will provide 2 free bulky item pickups per year to each California residential customer located in the City of South Lake Tahoe and Area A of El Dorado County (the STR service area within the Tahoe Basin). These customers may also bring the two bulky item(s) to the Transfer Station after making an appointment. Bulky items have a limit of 150lbs per item. No electronics, freon-containing items, hot tubs, wood burning stoves, boats, and vehicles. Please call STR office to schedule a pickup or make an appointment for drop-off.

Christmas Tree Recycling
South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling provides free curbside Christmas tree recycling to all our residential customers. Place your tree next to your trash cart or bear box on your normal pickup day from December 26th – January 9th. Trees must be cut into 5’ lengths and all tinsel, lights, nails, and stands must be removed. Flocked trees are not accepted. You can also drop off your Christmas tree at our Resource Recovery Facility (2121 Eloise Ave.) at no charge from December 26th – January 15th. All trees will be will be sent for composting along with our other yard waste.

Debris Boxes for Larger Projects
Are you taking out a patio, building a fence, overhauling your backyard or doing a remodel? Learn about our Debris Boxes

Nevada Residents

Cart delivery has been completed for our Douglas County Tahoe Township residential customers. Each current customer should have received a new bear-resistant garbage cart that is sized to mirror your current garbage subscription level (unless you have a bear box, in which case you will continue to use the bear box for garbage). Recycling and yard waste cart sizes are also based on your subscription level. If you believe you received the incorrect size for your current service level, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 and we will correct it immediately.

If you would like to change your service level and receive different sized carts, we will begin taking requests for service changes beginning January 1, 2025. Due to limited inventory of carts, we will not be able to accommodate requests any sooner. Please contact our office at 530-541-5105 after January 1st to change cart sizes/service level.

Garbage pickup service is weekly and recycling and yard waste collection services are bi-weekly (alternating – see weekly calendar). Find your pickup days.

While recycling and yard waste separation is not required, STR encourages our Tahoe Township customers to participate in these programs as it reduces the amount of material sent to the landfill. In addition, the services are already included in your rates!

Service Protocol

Your pickup DAY will remain the same. Note that pickup TIMES are subject to change.
Note that garbage, recycling, and yard waste will be collected in different trucks.
On your service pickup day, containers must be placed curbside by 7:00 a.m.
Place carts 2 feet apart from each other and at least 3 feet away from vehicles and structures.
All carts have wheels for your convenience.
Extra cans or bags outside the cart(s) will not be collected unless you’ve given authorization. Charges do apply. Contact our office at 530-541-5105 to learn more and authorize our collection crew to pick up extra material. Customers that consistently have extra may be required to increase their service level.
No hazardous wastes such as automotive fluids, pesticides and fertilizers, paint products, cleaning products, batteries, etc. Find out how to dispose of hazardous waste safely and legally
Carts should not obstruct bike lanes or sidewalks.
Place the cart so the lid opens toward the street and the handle is away from the street.
Did we miss a pickup? Call us within 24 hours and we can come back out to service missed carts.

What Goes Where?

Unless you’ve elected to opt out of recycling and yard waste, you will receive carts for those materials. The size corresponds to the level of service you’ve subscribed to. Read the info below for details on garbage collection, recycling, and yard waste.

Garbage/Landfill

Garbage will be serviced weekly. Please put non-recyclable items in the garbage/trash cart (i.e. plastic bags, plastic wrappers, polystyrene foam, kitty litter, diapers, and broken dishes). Food scraps also go in the garbage cart. Find out what goes in your garbage/landfill cart.

Yard Waste

The green-lid cart is for vegetative yard waste only and is serviced every other week. Do not put food waste in the green cart! Acceptable material includes pine needles, pinecones, leaves, brush, grass clippings, flowers, wreaths, and wood branches 6” diameter or smaller. See our yard waste cart Acceptable Items.

Note that all STR customers can drop off clean yard waste at STR for FREE. Learn more.

Recycling

The blue-lid cart is for mixed recycling and is serviced every other week. Put all recyclables together. Do not bag your recyclables. Please remember to flatten boxes, clean & empty containers, and keep recyclables loose (no plastic bags, string or tape). See our recycle cart Acceptable Items.

Recyclable items include: Plastic bottles and jugs (# 1, 2, & 5), aluminum cans, steel/tin cans, cardboard (flatten), Mixed paper (newspaper, office, junk mail, etc.), glass containers.

Note that all STR customers can drop off the recyclable items listed above for FREE.

FAQs – Nevada

Frequently Asked Questions

When does cart collection begin and what time should I place my carts out?

Cart delivery has been completed for our Nevada customers. Your recycling and yard waste is collected on the same day as your garbage, but will alternate weeks – see calendar. Carts should be placed out before 7am on your scheduled collection day. Find your recycling and yard waste pickup days.

I received one of the black, animal-resistant garbage carts, but it doesn't seem to latch.

If you notice your newly delivered garbage cart is not latching when you close the lid, check out this video to see if the pin in the lock mechanism was left in (preventing it from latching). If it still isn’t working, please contact our office at 530-541-5105 to get a replacement.

Why are you making the switch to cart collection?

A semi-automated 3-cart system has a number of advantages. Primarily, it is safer for garbage collection workers. Moving to a semi-automated cart system is proven to drastically decrease injuries which will help reduce workers compensation rates and lower future billing increases. In addition, a 3-cart system:

Is easier for residents to use
Reduces unnecessary plastic bag waste
Increases recycling and composting
Is cleaner for our neighborhoods

What if I want a different sized cart or an additional cart?

If you need a different cart size or an additional cart after using the ones provided for about a month, please contact our office to change your service level. Note that due to inventory and demand for cart exchanges at the beginning of the program, we cannot guarantee any size/service changes until after November 1^st.

How does it work if I have a bear box?

What if I have more material than will fit in the carts?

Extra cans or bags outside the cart(s) will not be collected unless you’ve given authorization. Charges do apply. Contact our office at 530-541-5105 to learn more and authorize our collection crew to pick up extra material. Customers that consistently have extra may be required to increase their service level.

I did not get any carts or didn’t get the right size trash cart. What should I do?

Please contact our Customer Service Specialist at 530-541-5105 for all cart-related requests or issues.

What types of recyclables are collected in the recycling cart?

Plastic bottles and jugs (# 1, 2, & 5)
Aluminum cans
Steel/tin cans
Cardboard (flatten)
Mixed paper, newspaper, office, junk mail, etc.
Glass containers

No need to sort, just make sure they are clean and dry. Please do not bag your recyclables.

Do I have to put the recyclables in the blue-lid cart?

While we strongly encourage all customers to participate in the recycling program, Nevada customers may opt out of receiving the blue-lid recycling cart. Note that opting out does not lower your quarterly rate. If you choose to participate in the recycling program, only recyclable material may go in the blue-lid cart.

What happens if I put the wrong material in the carts?

South Tahoe Refuse will notify you if you are not placing items in the appropriate cart. Service fees may be applied.

Are there any special instructions for placing carts out for collection?

How will this work in the winter?

Where do I store my carts?

What if I don’t want the carts? Will you take them back?

In Nevada the recycling and yard waste carts are optional. All customers without a bear box will need to use the STR-provided garbage cart.

What do I do with my old garbage cans?

Residents are welcome to keep them for extra yard waste or for other household uses like collecting and transporting recycling to the STR Recycling Center. If you would like it removed, you can tag it with a sticker that will be provided with your new carts and STR will pick it up the week following cart delivery.

What if my cart/lid looks warped or damaged?

What if my cart is lost or stolen?

Does STR clean the carts? What happens if one of my carts breaks?

Can I label the carts with my address?

No, STR will label the carts in correspondence with the law. Each cart has a serial number identifier in case there is any question of which carts belongs to which address.

How do I know which week is recycling and which is green waste?

Find your schedule here or download the app which will enable you to opt in to receive important service alerts as well.

What if I have a medical condition and cannot get my carts out for collection?

Special Services – Nevada

Annual Cleanup Weeks
Two cleanup weeks are provided for Douglas County Tahoe Township customers. Spring Cleanup is the last full (7-day) week in May and Fall Cleanup is last full (7-day) week in October. During these weeks, on your regular collection day, you may place up to six (6) bags of extra material out for pickup. Bags can contain garbage or yard waste, but please don’t mix them.

Compost Your Combustibles
This annual yard waste drop-off program is organized by Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in partnership with STR and Heavenly Resort. Dates and drop-off location varies year to year and will be announced by TDFPD.

Debris Boxes for Larger Projects
Are you taking out a patio, building a fence, overhauling your backyard or doing a remodel? Learn about our Debris Boxes