This delay comes as the city plans to replace the old black trash bins with new gray ones, as part of a citywide effort to modernize waste collection.
SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s residential trash system has hit a delay. The city’s long-anticipated rollout of new garbage bins was set to begin this week, but delivery of the new bins has been pushed back.
This delay comes as the city plans to replace the old black trash bins with new gray ones, as part of a citywide effort to modernize waste collection. Residents will also eventually see their current blue recycling bins replaced with a lighter blue version in the months to come.
The city’s Environmental Services Department confirmed the rollout has been pushed back. As of last Tuesday’s deadline, fewer than half of San Diego’s 225,000 trash customers had selected their preferred bin size.
Because of that, anyone who did not choose a size will automatically receive the largest available bin, a 95-gallon container, which comes with the highest monthly fee of $43.60.
People who have not selected their trash bin sizes can still make changes, even if the large bin shows up on your curb. Residents will have 30 days to request a different size, so it’s important to create your online account for trash collection so you can make those selections. If you opt for a smaller one, the city says you’ll receive a credit on next year’s tax bill.
A spokesperson for Environmental Services told CBS 8 the scope of the project — delivering new bins to hundreds of thousands of customers — makes this a major logistical undertaking. The updated timeline now calls for a phased rollout, beginning next week and continuing neighborhood by neighborhood into 2026.
More details about the rollout plan, including what to do with your old trash bins, are expected to be released by the city later this week. Customers will be notified directly about what to expect and how to prepare. For the most updated information, visit the City of San Diego’s trash update webpage.