E-Waste Disposal in San Rafael, California

Yard waste in San Rafael runs into two rules that catch every first-time set-out. (1) Marin Sanitary Service — the contracted curbside hauler for most of the city, since San Rafael does not run sanitation directly — runs a single weekly green compostables cart that combines yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper under California SB 1383, and the cart only accepts branches under 4 feet long and 3 inches in diameter. Anything bigger has to be cut down or self-hauled. (2) Even within the cap, the cart bans "compostable" or "biodegradable" plastics and bag liners, coated paper cups and cartons, waxed cardboard, palm fronds, yucca, bamboo, and poison oak — all because the downstream WM EarthCare windrow at Redwood Landfill is OMRI-certified for organic compost and these items don't break down in the windrow. Curbside extras the night before service day cap at 14 bags or cans of garbage, recyclables, or yard waste; over-cart yard waste requires a phone call to MSS at (415) 456-2601 prior to service day. The two MSS Curbside Cleanup weeks each year (fall and spring) are the only windows when residents can set out 14 bags of extra material at no extra cost on the regular day. The single-family Curbside Cleanup is separate from the Canal Neighborhood's monthly multifamily bulky-item event — single-family residents are pushed to the twice-yearly Cleanups, and even the multifamily event explicitly excludes mattresses, fridges, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, construction debris, toilets, tires, and propane grills. Self-haul yard waste runs through the Marin Resource Recovery Center (MRRC) at 565 Jacoby Street (inside San Rafael city limits; (415) 485-5647) or Redwood Landfill / WM EarthCare in Novato (~16 mi north on US-101) — MRRC yard-waste rates are not published online and quote by phone. North-edge San Rafael (Hamilton, Bel Marin Keys, Ignacio) routes to Recology Sonoma Marin instead at (800) 243-0291; the rules and rates differ. For grass clippings, leaves, brush, and homeowner-pruned limbs that fit the MSS caps, the right move is the green cart on the regular weekly day, the next MSS Curbside Cleanup week, or a self-haul to MRRC. For palm fronds, yucca, bamboo, poison oak, and over-cap limbs, options are the MRRC self-haul, the over-cart MSS phone-call, or a private hauler — Muvr publishes upfront tiers (single-item from $99, partial loads from $199, full truck loads from $699) and 1-800-GOT-JUNK's San Rafael franchise (655 Du Bois Street, Suite F) runs a volume-based on-site quote after the truck arrives. Yard waste itself is on Dropcurb's nationwide blacklist — we are not a yard-waste hauler, do not replace the MSS green cart, and do not haul tree parts, palm fronds, bamboo, poison oak cuts, or stumps. Where Dropcurb fits a San Rafael yard reset is the bulky non-yard pile that surfaces alongside it: the rotted wood-frame patio set from a Lucas Valley or Sleepy Hollow back yard, the sun-cracked Adirondacks, the rusted gas grill, the broken patio umbrella, the hollow plastic playset, the gazebo and pergola frame, the deflated kiddie pool, the old smoker, the patio heater, the basketball hoop, plus any couches, mattresses, dressers, fridges, washers, dryers, ranges, and microwaves from the related cleanout. From $79, locked at checkout, same-day from the curb. You curb the bulky stuff. We disappear it by tonight. Standard yard debris stays in the MSS green cart, the next Curbside Cleanup, the MRRC tip, or the over-cart MSS phone-call.

City program details: San Rafael does not run residential sanitation directly — Marin Sanitary Service (MSS) is the contracted curbside hauler for the bulk of the city ((415) 456-2601, M–F 8a–5p), with the north edge (Hamilton, Bel Marin Keys, Ignacio) routed to Recology Sonoma Marin at (800) 243-0291. MSS runs a three-cart system: weekly garbage, recycling, and a single green compostables cart that combines yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper under California SB 1383 (effective January 1, 2022). The green cart accepts grass clippings, leaves, weeds, flowers, straw, shrub and tree clippings, and branches under 4 feet long and 3 inches in diameter. "Compostable" or "biodegradable" plastics, bag liners, coated paper cups and cartons, and waxed cardboard are banned because the downstream WM EarthCare windrow at Redwood Landfill is OMRI-certified for organic compost. Palm fronds, yucca, bamboo, and poison oak are also explicitly banned from the cart, along with dirt, soil, rocks, and pet/human waste. Curbside extras cap at 14 bags or cans the night before service day, max 32 gallons each. Over-cart yard waste requires a phone call to MSS at (415) 456-2601 prior to service day. Two MSS Curbside Cleanup weeks each year (fall and spring) are the only windows when residents can set out 14 bags of extra material at no extra cost on the regular service day. The single-family Curbside Cleanup is separate from the monthly Canal Neighborhood multifamily bulky-item event (last Saturday, 8a–2p; multifamily-only; mattresses, fridges, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, construction debris, toilets, tires, and propane grills NOT allowed) — single-family residents are pushed to the twice-yearly Cleanups instead. Free curbside Christmas tree pickup runs January 5–16, 2026 (trees over 6 ft must be cut in half; flocked, decorated, and stand-attached trees not collected; $5 fee for late set-out; up to 2 unflocked trees free at MRRC during all of January). The Public Works overflow line at (415) 485-3174 handles fridges, microwaves, or large bulky/yard items beyond cart capacity (City Hall: 1400 Fifth Ave). Self-haul yard waste runs through the Marin Resource Recovery Center (MRRC) at 565 Jacoby Street (inside San Rafael city limits; (415) 485-5647; M–Sat 8a–4p, Sun 9a–4p) or Redwood Landfill / WM EarthCare in Novato (~16 mi north on US-101). MRRC yard-waste tipping rates are not published online — call (415) 485-5647 for an estimate.

San Rafael does not run residential sanitation directly — curbside service is contracted to Marin Sanitary Service (MSS), the family-owned Garbarino hauler founded in 1948 and serving 33,000+ accounts across central Marin; (415) 456-2601, M–F 8a–5p. North-edge San Rafael (Hamilton, Bel Marin Keys, Ignacio) is routed to Recology Sonoma Marin instead at (800) 243-0291. MSS runs a three-cart system: weekly garbage, recycling, and a single green compostables cart that combines yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper under California SB 1383 (effective January 1, 2022). The green cart accepts grass clippings, leaves, weeds, flowers, straw, shrub and tree clippings, and branches under 4 feet long and 3 inches in diameter. "Compostable" or "biodegradable" plastics and bag liners are banned because the downstream WM EarthCare windrow at Redwood Landfill in Novato is OMRI-certified for organic compost; coated paper cups and cartons and waxed cardboard are also banned. Palm fronds, yucca, bamboo, and poison oak are explicitly banned (they do not break down in the windrow); dirt, soil, rocks, and pet/human waste are also excluded. Curbside extras the night before service day cap at 14 bags or cans of garbage, recyclables, or yard waste, each under 32 gallons. Over-cart yard waste requires a phone call to MSS at (415) 456-2601 prior to service day. The two MSS Curbside Cleanup weeks each year (fall and spring) are the only windows when residents can set out 14 bags of extra material at no extra cost on the regular service day. The single-family Curbside Cleanup is separate from the Canal Neighborhood's monthly multifamily bulky-item event (last Saturday, 8a–2p; multifamily-only; the event explicitly excludes mattresses, fridges, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, construction debris, toilets, tires, and propane grills) — single-family residents are pushed to the twice-yearly Cleanups instead. Holidays cap at Christmas Day and New Year's Day; when either falls Mon–Fri, all subsequent collections that week shift one day later through Saturday. Free curbside Christmas tree pickup runs January 5–16, 2026 (trees over 6 feet must be cut in half; flocked, decorated, and stand-attached trees are not collected; $5 fee for late set-out; up to 2 unflocked trees free at MRRC during all of January). The Public Works overflow line at (415) 485-3174 handles fridges, microwaves, and large bulky/yard items beyond cart capacity (City Hall: 1400 Fifth Ave). Self-haul yard waste runs through the Marin Resource Recovery Center (MRRC) at 565 Jacoby Street (inside San Rafael city limits; (415) 485-5647; M–Sat 8a–4p, Sun 9a–4p; closed New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving + day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day) — MRRC accepts clean yard debris (yard trimmings, logs, tree sections) alongside mixed C&D, sheetrock, untreated wood, dirt and rock, bathroom fixtures, appliances, mattresses, box springs, bed frames, furniture, and non-commercial tires up to 41 inches. Treated wood is NOT accepted by any Marin hauler or HHW facility — must go to a Cal-authorized site. MRRC yard-waste rates are not published online — call (415) 485-5647 for an estimate. Redwood Landfill / WM EarthCare in Novato is the actual downstream composter, ~16 mi north of central San Rafael on US-101. San Rafael is Marin's county seat and largest city — population 61,271 (2020 Census); median household income $119,435 (2024 Data USA); median property value $1.36M; 53% owner-occupied; foreign-born 28.3%; Hispanic/Latino 35.5%, concentrated in the Canal Neighborhood. The yard-having neighborhoods — Lucas Valley / Marinwood, Sleepy Hollow / Dominican, Peacock Gap, Glenwood / Sun Valley / Bret Harte / Gerstle Park, and Terra Linda — run lots from 0.25 to 1+ acre with mature oak, redwood, and pine canopy. Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic anchor large-lot residential demand in the northwest hills (Skywalker Ranch sits in adjacent Lucas Valley). Yard-waste volume peaks in late spring (grass flush + post-rain) and again in autumn after Diablo wind events drop branches and oak shedding.

Dropcurb picks up electronics same-day in San Rafael for $99 flat — no wait, no annual limits, no restrictions.