Bulky Item and Cleanup Day Pickup: How It Works in Danville vs San Ramon
Two neighboring towns, two completely different systems for getting rid of a couch. Here’s what each program covers, the timing rules, and how to avoid a citation or a missed pickup.
Key takeaways
- Danville and the rest of the RecycleSmart area use Reuse & Cleanup Days plus free on-call curbside services, arranged through Republic Services at 925-685-4711.
- San Ramon runs neighborhood cleanup days and bulky pickups through ACI at 925-380-9480, with stricter set-out timing.
- In San Ramon, items go out by 5:30 a.m., within three feet of the curb, and no more than 24 hours in advance.
- Limits usually apply to the number of large items and tires per pickup.
- Neither program covers hazardous waste, which has its own separate handling.
Danville and San Ramon sit next to each other and handle bulky waste through completely different systems. One runs through a county authority, the other through a city contract, and the timing rules are not the same.
If you have a couch, a mattress, four tires, or the contents of a garage to move, this is what each program covers.
Danville and the RecycleSmart area
Danville, along with Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda, is served by RecycleSmart, which contracts with Republic Services for collection and with Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery for recyclables processing and Reuse Day services.
Two routes exist for what does not fit in a cart:
- Reuse & Cleanup Days. Run twice a year. The emphasis on reuse is deliberate: items in usable condition get a second life rather than going to landfill.
- Free on-call curbside services. Included with your service and scheduled by phone. This is the route most people should be using and most people do not know about.
Both are arranged through Republic Services at 925-685-4711.
Do not force it into the black cart. As of 1 November 2026 that carries a $10 per occurrence overfill fee, and a mattress was never going to fit anyway.
San Ramon and ACI
San Ramon contracts directly with ACI of San Ramon, reachable at 925-380-9480. Bulky and cleanup collection here has firmer rules about placement and timing, and they are enforced.
- Within three feet of the curb, without blocking the street or the sidewalk.
- Out by 5:30 a.m. on the scheduled day. Crews start early.
- No more than 24 hours in advance. This is the one that catches people. Setting a sofa out on Friday for a Monday collection is a code enforcement problem, not a head start.
- Contained items. Loose small items need to be bagged, boxed, or bundled.
Limits generally apply per pickup. Expect a small number of car or light truck tires with rims separated, and a couple of large bulky or e-waste items in the 60 to 200 pound range. Items that are broken, stained, or non-working go to landfill rather than reuse, so if you are hoping something finds a second home, it needs to be in usable condition with all its parts.
Side by side
| Danville & RecycleSmart area | San Ramon | |
|---|---|---|
| Hauler | Republic Services | ACI of San Ramon |
| Phone | 925-685-4711 | 925-380-9480 |
| Bulky route | Reuse & Cleanup Days, free on-call curbside | Neighborhood cleanup days, bulky pickup |
| Set-out time | Confirm when scheduling | By 5:30 a.m., no more than 24 hours early |
| Extra bagged garbage | On-call service | Prepaid Extra Garbage tag required |
New to either town? Start with how trash, recycling, and organics work in Danville and San Ramon.
What neither program takes
Household hazardous waste is outside both systems: paint, solvents, pesticides, batteries, fluorescent tubes, motor oil, and similar. Some categories are handled by dedicated contractors with their own scheduling lines. Never put these in a cart, and never leave them out for a bulky pickup.
The same logic applies to us. Bin Bliss cleans empty household carts. We do not handle hazardous material, medical waste, or sharps, and we will not clean a bin containing them.
After the clear-out
A garage clear-out or a move leaves carts full of crushed packaging dust, spilled paint chips, and something sticky in the bottom. That is a good moment to get them cleaned.
Leave the empty carts at the curb the morning after your next pickup and Bin Bliss will clean them where they stand, in Danville, San Ramon, Alamo, Blackhawk, Walnut Creek, and nearby communities. Deep clean, EPA-registered disinfectant, dirty water captured, scent of your choice. First cleaning from $49.
Text CLEAN to (888) 888-8888 to book. Program details and fees change, so confirm current rules with your hauler before setting anything at the curb.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of a couch in Danville?
Through RecycleSmart’s Reuse & Cleanup Days or the free on-call curbside services included with your service. Call Republic Services at 925-685-4711 to arrange it. Do not force furniture into a cart, which now risks an overfill fee.
How do I schedule a bulky pickup in San Ramon?
Contact ACI of San Ramon at 925-380-9480. Items go within three feet of the curb by 5:30 a.m. on the scheduled day, set out no more than 24 hours in advance, without blocking the street or sidewalk.
Can I put extra bags of trash out on cleanup day?
In San Ramon, contained trash, meaning bagged, boxed, or bundled, is generally accepted on a scheduled neighborhood cleanup day. Extra garbage on a normal collection day is different and requires a prepaid tag.
What about paint, batteries, and chemicals?
Those are household hazardous waste and are never part of a bulky or cart pickup. Both towns direct residents to dedicated hazardous waste handling, and some items have their own scheduled collection contractors.
Why are the two programs so different?
San Ramon contracts directly with ACI. Danville’s service runs through RecycleSmart, a joint powers authority covering several central county communities, which contracts with Republic Services. Different agreements produce different rules.
Keep reading
When Is Trash Pickup in Danville? Schedule and Holiday Delays
Danville’s carts are collected weekly by Republic Services under RecycleSmart. Only two holidays delay collection. Here’s how to find your day, what shifts, and what doesn’t.
When Is Trash Pickup in San Ramon? ACI Schedule, Holidays, and Extra Garbage Rules
San Ramon uses ACI, not Republic Services, and its holiday rules differ from Danville’s. Here’s how to find your day, what happens around the winter holidays, and how extra garbage works.
The Overfill Fee on Contra Costa Black Carts: What It Is and How to Avoid It
RecycleSmart is charging $10 per occurrence for overfilled black landfill carts. Here’s what counts as overfilled, which weeks catch people out, and the cheaper ways to handle extra waste.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes and reflects the information available to us when it was written. It isn’t medical, health, or professional cleaning advice. Collection schedules, fees, and local rules change, so confirm current details with your city or hauler before relying on them. Always follow the directions on any cleaning or disinfecting product’s label, never mix cleaning chemicals, and check your city’s rules before letting wash water run into a street or storm drain. We make no warranty as to accuracy or completeness and provide this content “as is.” Product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.