Danville Trash Cart Guide: Organics, Recycling & Cleaning Tips

In Danville, the green organics cart usually smells the most, because since 2022 it holds food scraps as well as yard trimmings. Most Danville homes have three carts at the curb every week: black, blue, and green. They don’t get dirty at the same rate, and they don’t need cleaning on the same schedule.

Key takeaways

Danville is part of RecycleSmart, along with Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and unincorporated Alamo, Blackhawk, and Diablo. Republic Services collects all three carts.
Since January 1, 2022, California’s SB 1383 requires residents to put food scraps in the green organics cart, including meat, dairy, bones, and leftovers.
So the green cart is the most likely to smell, draw flies, and need regular cleaning.
Hot Danville summers make this worse. Plan on cleaning the green cart about every two weeks from late spring through early fall.
Clean carts the day after pickup, and keep the wash water out of the street and storm drains.

This local guide covers all three: who collects them, what goes in each, and how to keep them clean. People call them trash bins, trash cans, or garbage cans. Locally, they are called carts.

How trash service works in Danville

Danville’s garbage, recycling, and organics service runs through RecycleSmart, a joint powers authority that also covers Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda, plus the unincorporated communities of Alamo, Blackhawk, and Diablo. Republic Services collects all three carts under that agreement.

Each home gets three carts:

Black cart: landfill, for anything that can’t be recycled or composted.
Blue cart: recycling, like cardboard, paper, cans, glass, and plastic containers. The Town asks that recyclables be empty, clean, dry, and loose.
Green cart: organics, meaning yard trimmings, food scraps, and uncoated food-soiled paper like napkins and pizza boxes.

Next door in San Ramon, the setup is similar but the provider is different. San Ramon contracts with ACI of San Ramon, and its carts are gray for landfill, blue for recycling, and green for organics. Food scraps go in the green cart there too.

Why the green cart smells most

California’s SB 1383 took effect on January 1, 2022. Together with RecycleSmart’s local ordinance, it requires residents to keep organic material out of the landfill. So food goes in the green cart. The Town of Danville’s guidance covers a lot: meat, dairy, grains, fruit and pits, bones and shells, cooked food, and leftovers all belong there.

The law helps the climate. Organic material makes up about half of what Californians send to landfills, and it produces greenhouse gases as it breaks down. But it changes what your green cart holds. A cart that used to hold grass clippings and leaves now holds chicken bones and yogurt, often for up to a week, and plastic bags aren’t allowed to contain any of it.

In a Danville summer, that cart becomes the warmest, wettest container at the house, full of food for germs. For more on what grows in there, see what grows in your trash bin.

Which cart to clean, and how often

Green (organics); What makes it dirty: Food scraps, meat, dairy, wet yard waste; Suggested cleaning: Every 2 weeks in summer, monthly otherwise
Black (landfill); What makes it dirty: Leaky bags, diapers, pet waste; Suggested cleaning: Monthly
Blue (recycling); What makes it dirty: Sticky residue from cans, bottles, containers; Suggested cleaning: Every 2–3 months, or when it’s sticky

Use these as starting points. If a cart smells when it is empty, clean it. For a fuller breakdown by household, see how often to clean your trash bin.

Habits that help in Danville

Wrap food scraps. The Town suggests newspaper, paper bags, or BPI-certified compostable bags. Plastic bags aren’t accepted in the green cart.
Use the free kitchen pail. RecycleSmart residents can call Republic Services at 925-685-4711 to request a free 3-gallon food scrap pail once every two years.
Freeze meat and fish scraps and add them to the green cart the night before pickup. Less time in a warm cart means less smell.
Keep lids closed. Beginning November 1, 2026, Republic Services charges a $10 fee each time a black landfill cart is too full for the lid to close. An open lid also lets flies in.
Park carts in the shade between pickups when you can.

Where the wash water goes

If you clean carts yourself, watch where the water runs. In Contra Costa County, only rain may go down the storm drain. Dirty wash water from a trash cart running down the driveway into the gutter breaks this rule. We cover the details in our guide to washing bins without breaking storm drain rules.

Professional cleaning in Danville

Next pickup day, open the green cart after the truck leaves. What’s left on the bottom needs cleaning.

A local supply and food-scrap check before washing

Blackhawk Ace Hardware at 3438 Camino Tassajara is a Danville option to check for a brush and gloves. Confirm current stock and choose a handle that reaches your cart comfortably; this is not a claim that any specific product is on the shelf.

The Town’s organics guidance also offers a free kitchen food-scrap pail through Republic Services once every two years. Improving containment in the kitchen can reduce what reaches the cart floor before your next clean. For a fuller shopping and cleaning checklist, see our local DIY guide.

Spotted our vehicle nearby? Here is what the orange Bin Bliss truck does and how to check service for your address.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Who picks up trash in Danville, CA?

Republic Services collects landfill, recycling, and organics carts in Danville under RecycleSmart, the joint powers authority that also serves Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Alamo, Blackhawk, and Diablo. Customer service is 925-685-4711.

Can I put meat in the green cart in Danville?

Yes. The Town of Danville’s guidance includes meat, dairy, bones and shells, cooked food, and leftovers in the green organics cart. Remove food packaging first.

Can I use plastic bags in the green cart?

No. Plastic bags aren’t accepted in the green cart. Use newspaper, paper bags, or BPI-certified compostable bags instead.

Is there a fee for an overfilled trash cart in Danville?

According to Republic Services, beginning November 1, 2026, an overfilled black landfill cart results in a $10 fee per occurrence. The lid needs to close fully.

Is San Ramon’s trash service the same as Danville’s?

No. San Ramon contracts with ACI of San Ramon instead of Republic Services, and its landfill cart is gray instead of black. Food scraps go in the green organics cart in both.

Give your Danville carts a clean start after collection.

Bin Bliss cleans the interior, lid and handles and captures the dirty wash water, so you can leave the messy scrub to us.

Your first cleaning starts at $49 for one bin. Send your address and bin count; we’ll confirm the price, cleaning date and where to leave the empty bins before booking.

Text CLEAN to (925) 414-4442

See local service details · See prices and cleaning options · Call (925) 414-4442