Curbside Collection Rules

The city provides the collection of household trash. Two types of trash collection based on property location are provided, automated and manual. The majority of O‘ahu homes are part of the automated cart collection. For houses that are located in narrow streets where city automated trucks can’t drive in, the city offers the manual cart collection.

General Rules

Place refuse at curb by 6 a.m. on collection days, but not before 6 p.m. on the previous evening.
If you believe your cart was not serviced, click REPORT A MISSED PICK UP to contact your local collection yard for assistance.
Do not leave containers at the curb on non-collection days. Containers must be kept on your property.
Securely bag all refuse, especially loose, lightweight material that could scatter (plastic bags, packing material) and organics (food and pet waste).
Drain and wrap garbage (food scraps).
Securely wrap any items that might cause injury or illness, such as sharp glass, light bulbs or metal.
Pour motor oil into oil-absorbent boxes before placing in the trash.
No liquids.
No concrete, construction debris, soil or rocks.
No radioactive material. If someone in your household has received radioactive medical treatment, waste such as tissue paper and diapers may become contaminated through contact with that person. Please contact your neighborhood collection yard. City personnel will come to your house to test these items. A single contaminated tissue can trigger the safety sensors at the disposal facilities and require isolation and inspection of the entire truckload of waste.

Automated Cart Collection (Gray, Blue, Green Carts)

Household receives a set of three carts for sorting waste – gray for refuse, green for green waste, and blue for mixed recyclables.
Regular trash (gray cart) is collected once a week.
Green waste (green cart) and recyclables (blue cart) are collected once every two weeks, alternating weekly between the green and blue carts.
A collection schedule for your residence with a weekly calendar of the days when your carts will be picked up is available on this website.
Place all refuse inside the cart. Only refuse in the cart can be picked up.
Do not overload the cart. The lid should be closed to avoid spillage.
Place cart directly at the curb with the handle away from the street. Allow at least five (5) feet of clearance from fences, lampposts, fire hydrants, mailboxes, parked cars and other obstructions. Do not block access to or park vehicles in front of the cart.

Recycle green waste and mixed recyclables in the green and blue carts. Do not use your gray refuse cart for items that could be sorted for recycling. Do not use your recycling carts for trash.
Broken cart? Please contact your nearest collection yard. Our supervisors can often repair broken wheels or lid hinges; otherwise, the cart will be replaced.

Manual Collection (Resident provides the trash can)

Refuse should not exceed 75 pounds per container.
Householder is responsible for providing containers no larger than 35 gallons. Non-durable containers, such as plastic bags, may be used if they are able to contain the refuse securely at all times.
Householders on manual collection refrain from tying or securing lids to trash cans as it is essential for maintaining a safe working environment and an effective waste management system.