The City's Integrated Waste Department will collect Christmas trees Tuesday, January 2 through Friday, January 12. Natural trees are chipped, mixed with leaves, and recycled into rich compost for beneficial reuse.

Natural Trees

• Please remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, and plastic coverings from your tree before placing on the curb.
• Do not place your tree in a plastic bag.
• Place the tree next to the containers on your regular collection day.
• Please schedule a bulky item pick-up by contacting (909) 395-2050 for Christmas trees set out after January 12.

Artificial Trees

• Donate artificial trees in good condition to your local nonprofit organizations.
• If possible, recycle the base and trunk (pole) of the tree in the blue recycling bin.
• Remove all lights, ornaments, and tinsel before placing the tree on curb.
  • If the lights are still intact, please remove them.
  • If ornaments and tinsel are still intact, please place in the black refuse bin.

Integrated Waste Holiday Refuse and Recycling Schedule

In Observance of the holidays listed below, refuse and recycling collection will be provided one day later than your normal pickup day for the remainder of the week. 

2024

Refuse and recycling collection will return to the regular schedule the following week. For questions regarding this schedule, please call Customer Service at (909) 395-2050.

The City of Ontario offers a full array of commercial and industrial services designed to meet any business’s needs. Service is available six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Call 909.395.2050 to start or change service.

FREE Waste Assessments

All bin types and sizes are available for refuse, recycling, or green waste service. City staff is also available to assess your refuse and recycling needs and recommend the most cost-effective combination of refuse and recycling to minimize cost and maximize recycling. Many businesses can reduce their waste disposal costs by 20% to 45%. To schedule an appointment, please call 909.395.2040.

Bin Service

1.5, 3, 4 and 6-yard cubic yard bins are available for refuse, commingled recycling, single commodity recycling, or green waste collection.

Roll Off and Compactor Service

Roll offs are available in 30 and 40 cubic yard capacities for regular refuse, recycling or green waste, and 11 cubic yards for heavy materials. Collection service on compactors is also available.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

If you are a small business that generates hazardous waste on a regular basis, there is a cost-effective, environmentally responsible solution for your disposal needs.

The Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator Program (CESQG) is for businesses that generate no more than 27 gallons or 220 pounds of hazardous waste, or 2.2 pounds of extremely hazardous waste per month. (Waste oil, latex paint and lead acid batteries are exempt from monthly totals.)

What to Do

1. Register with the San Bernardino Fire Department as a hazardous waste generator. Call (909) 386-8401 for more information.
2. Obtain an EPA number from the State of California. Visit www.dtsc.ca.gov for more information.

The program assists small businesses in maintaining a safe work environment and meeting all hazardous waste disposal and handling regulations. For information on CESQG, call the San Bernardino County Fire Department’s CESQG Program at (800) 645-9228.

Large businesses needing hazardous waste information can contact San Bernardino County at 909.382.5401.

Food Waste Recycling

1.5 and 3 cubic yard bins are available for food waste recycling. Collection service on compactors is also available. 

Commercial and Multi-Family Exemption Application

Certain businesses and multi-family complexes with five or more units may qualify for exemption from the mandatory organics recycling program. Only those who have submitted an exemption application and received notification of approval from the City of Ontario can avoid mandate participation.

The "SB 1383 Commercial Waiver Application" form can be viewed and downloaded below.

Commercial Business Food Waste FAQ’s

How does SB 1383 impact my business?

If you own a business or apartment/condo complex (of five units or more) you are required to:

Divert organic materials from the landfill by:

• • Subscribing to and participating in the organics collection service via City of Ontario
  • Self-haul organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or programs. Records must be maintained of this service for the amount of materials delivered to each facility.  Self-Hauling form can be found at https://www.ontarioca.gov/OMUC
• Provide collection containers for organic waste and recyclables to employees, contractors, tenants, and customers
• Collection service must be arranged so that access to an adequate number, size, and location of containers with correct labels is available.
• Provide indoor containers for organic waste and recyclables in all areas where disposal containers are provided for customers, except in restrooms.
• Annually provide educational information about the legal requirements to compost and recycle including how to properly sort between the three waste streams.

Local Food Bank

Food banks accept dry and canned food donations. Essential non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene products. Any food that is “shelf-stable” or nonperishable. And remember, only donate food that hasn’t reached its “sell-by” date yet.

Inland Valley Hope Partners

904 E. California St, Ontario, CA 91761 | (909) 391-4882

UPLM Non- Profit

1155 S. Milliken Ave Ste G, Ontario, CA 91761 | (909) 391-3999

Salvation Army

1412 S. Euclid Ave., Ontario, CA 91762 | (909) 986-6748

Helping Hands

221 W. California St., Ontario, CA 91762 | (909) 460-0984 

The City of Ontario provides residential refuse collection service. We take pride and are committed to providing reliable, timely, safe, and affordable service. The City serves approximately 30,000 single-family homes and offers several residential programs. Residential customers include single-family homes and multi-family complexes. Curbside trash and recycling are collected once a week. Among the programs offered are the roll-out services for elderly and disabled residents and bulky item pick-ups by appointment. You may also view the fees for solid waste services.

Effective January 1, 2022, all California residential residence will be required to separate organic waste from trash and participate in an organics collection program per State SB 1383, California Short Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. Residential Customers must begin placing food scraps in the green waste container (green lid) rather than in the trash container (black Lid). Items placed in the green container will be composted for more sustainable processing. The only process that will change, is how you sort your food scraps. Your trash, recycling, and green container will still be serviced the same day. We simply ask that you place any food scraps in the green container.

Suitable food scraps include fruits and vegetables, grains, meats, bones, dry/solid dairy products, eggshells, and coffee grounds.  Green waste including grass clippings, leaves, plant pruning, flowers, twigs, and small branches (less than 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet long) should also continue to be placed in the green container.

                         AVOID CONTAMINATION BY RECYCLING RIGHT

Green- Meat, Fish, Poultry, Dairy Products, Fruits and Vegetables, Bread, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Bones, Eggshells, Seafood shells, Plate Scrapings, Grass, Leaves/ Tree Branches, Shrubs/ Brush, Plants/Weeds, Garden Trimmings, Sawdust

Blue- Plastic & Glass, Empty Plastic, Bottles Rigid Plastic Containers, Empty glass bottles and jars Metal & Aluminum, Metal beverages & food cans, Aerosol cans, clean aluminum pans and foil, Mixed Dry Paper, Clean Paper, Magazines, Newspapers, Cardboard junk mail, Styrofoam

Black- Plastic Bags, Non-recyclable plastics, mixed candy packaging, personal hygiene, chopsticks, treated wood, gum.    

General Container Information

• The front of the container should face the street.
• The arrows on the container lids should point towards the street.
• The wheels to the refuse containers should be placed against the curb.
• Containers must be a minimum of 3 feet from any obstructions (trees, parked vehicles, mailboxes, etc.) and at least one foot between other containers. Containers should be in plain view and not placed behind any objects. 
• All containers should be placed out by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day, but not earlier than the evening prior to collection. Empty container must be removed from the curb no later than 24 hours after collection.
• Materials should not protrude outside the top of the container
• Do not set any items on top of the containers.

Please remember the following in order to allow the best possible service:

Residential Food Waste FAQ’s

Why is the City of Ontario’s Integrated Waste department doing this? Governor Brown signed SB 1383 into law, setting strict standards for methane emissions in California to combat climate change. To tackle this problem, the law sets a strict goal to reduce food waste in landfills by 75% by 2025. This means that all food waste needs to be diverted from the regular landfill into organics recycling programs, such as composting or using scraps for animal feed.

How much will this cost? There will be no additional cost at this time for residential customer.

Will bags be supplied? No. Customer must supply their own bags.

What type of bags can be used?  We recommend clear plastic bags. Although customer have the option to use any type of bag, they have available.

I backyard compost, do I have to participate? We encourage you to continue composting but all non- composted food waste items, such as meat, bones and dairy product can be recycled through this program.

Who collects the material & when is it picked up? The food waste will be collected along with your green waste cart. The food waste will be picked up once a week on your regular service day.

Where dose the food waste go? The food waste will be sent to an organic processing waste facility where it will be composted or used as feedstock for anaerobic digestion.

Local Food Bank

Food banks accept dry and canned food donations. Essential non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene products. Any food that is “shelf-stable” or nonperishable. And remember, only donate food that hasn’t reached its “sell-by” date yet.

Inland Valley Hope Partners

904 E California St, Ontario, CA 91761 | (909) 391-4882

UPLM Non- Profit

1155 S Milliken Ave Ste G, Ontario, CA 91761 | (909) 391-3999

Bethel Congregational Church- Pet Food Bank

536 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762 | (909) 984-9111

Helping Hands

221 w California, Ontario, CA 91762 | (909) 460-0984

Household Hazardous Waste Facility
1430 S. Cucamonga Avenue
Friday & Saturday, 9 AM - 2 PM

The Ontario HHW site will be closed Friday, December 25 and Friday, January 1 in observance of the holiday.

• Household Hazardous Waste threatens human health and the environment when disposed of improperly. There is no charge for this program.
• Reuse Center: There is a FREE reuse center where residents can pick up partially used products dropped off by other residents.
• Electronic waste is accepted at this facility. See below for details.
• Beware: A vehicle can drive with only 15 gallons of household hazardous waste in containers no larger than 5-gallons. Call for other parameters.
• Residents Only: Businesses must contact San Bernardino County at (909) 382-5401.
• For more information: Call the City of Ontario Recycling Hotline at (909) 395-2040.

Acceptable Items

Hazardous Waste: Motor oil and filters, auto fluids (anti-freeze, transmission fluids, etc.), paints and paint thinners, household cleaners, chemical drain cleaners, pesticides and fertilizers, weed killer, pool and hobby supplies.

Electronic Waste: Computers, TVs, stereos, cell phones and landlines, radios, iPods and MP3 players, microwave ovens.

Universal Waste: Household batteries, Sharps containers (needles), fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) and tubes, and mercury-containing devices.

Empty Containers: Plastic and metal containers including paint cans with no liquid or other residual materials in them are not considered hazardous waste, and can be recycled. Paint cans with dried paint in them are considered trash and can be disposed of.

Pharmaceuticals: Medications are accepted at the HHW facility, however, controlled substances are not acceptable. If you have leftover pharmaceuticals, do not flush them down the toilet because the contaminants will eventually make their way into groundwater, rivers, lakes and the ocean. Instead, bring unused portions to the HHW facility. You may also place them in a sealed container or bag and throw them in the trash container outside. If you are concerned that children may ingest your discards, crush and mix your medications with coffee grounds or kitty litter, place the mixture in a sealed container or bag and throw it in the trash.

All of these items present dangers to our health and environment. Please dispose of them properly. REDUCE AND REUSE. Use items that are less harmful to our environment, and share items with a friend or neighbor.

Sharps Collection Program

Bulky Items

Ontario offers several options for residents to discard large household items. Residents can schedule a Bulky Item collection appointment by calling (909) 395-2050, or bring items to one of the City’s Community Cleanup events scheduled throughout the year.

BY APPOINTMENT

• Residents can schedule a curbside Bulky Item collection appointment by calling (909) 395-2050.
  • Single family residents may schedule up to four (4) Bulky Item appointments per calendar year.
  • Apartment and condo residents should contact their property/association manager to schedule appointments.
  • Curbside pickup is limited to five (5) large items per appointment.

COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENTS

• Residents will receive a postcard invitation in the mail to attend one of the scheduled Community Cleanup events each year.
  • Community Cleanup events are held at 1425 S. Bon View Ave.
  • Approximately 70% of the materials collected at these events get recycled!

Acceptable Bulky Items Include:

• Furniture & Mattresses
• Appliances & Water Heaters
• Green Waste (bundled or bagged)
• Electronic Waste (TVs, computers & stereo equipment)
• Carpet

Additional Items Accepted at Community Cleanup Events Include:

• Passenger Car Tires (maximum of 4)
• Scrap Metal
• Wood Waste (lumber)

Both Bulky Item collection programs are available for Ontario Residents only. Businesses can schedule a Bulky Item Collection for a fee and are not permitted at Community Cleanup events. Residents can also report abandoned items on roadways and in alleys by calling Debris Removal at (909) 395-2639 or through the “myOntario” App.

The City of Ontario Integrated Waste Department, within the Public Works Agency, is the exclusive hauler for all residential and commercial customers and is committed to providing reliable, timely, safe, and affordable refuse collection services.

Non-Waste dealers purchasing recyclable material within the City have reporting obligations. Please reach out to IW_Environmental@ontarioca.gov for details prior to operating in the City.