Reviewed September 21, 2026 against City and County sources. Confirm hours before you drive.
- 1Search WasteFreeSD.org for the item and your ZIP — it is the regional official directory.
- 2City of San Diego questions: Environmental Services 858-694-7000, trash@sandiego.gov, or sandiego.gov/environmental-services.
- 3Drive-up campus: mattress site and HHW at 5161 Convoy St; Recycling Center at 5165 Convoy St; landfill/greenery at 5180 Convoy St. Check hours before you go.
- 4Unincorporated HHW: sdhhw.org or 1-877-713-2784. Franchise bulky pickup is on your hauler bill, not the City.
The official stack
WasteFreeSD.org is San Diego County’s public directory for reuse, repair, bulky items, appliances, and recycling outlets. City Environmental Services points residents there for anything that is not a standard cart. Use it before you trust a random “free pickup” post.
The Miramar campus is the City’s physical hub. Mattress Collection Site: 5161 Convoy St, Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–3 p.m., free for qualifying mattresses and box springs. HHW Transfer Facility: same entrance, appointment only, Wednesday and Saturday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. for City residents (hours have changed before — confirm). Recycling Center: 5165 Convoy St, Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m., CRV payouts, metals, cardboard, TVs/computers, appliance recycling fees. Landfill and Greenery: 5180 Convoy St, Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Recorded landfill weather line: 858-492-6100. Recycling Center desk: 858-268-8971. ESD customer service: 858-694-7000, weekdays 6:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Blue cart: empty, dry, loose bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, rigid plastics. Green cart: food and yard organics, no plastic bags. Gray cart: dry household trash that is not banned. Get It Done handles HHW appointments and illegal-dump reports.
County, other cities, private help
Unincorporated residents use franchise haulers for carts and bulky items, and the County HHW program (sdhhw.org, 1-877-R-1-EARTH) for chemicals. A door-to-door HHW service exists for eligible elderly or disabled unincorporated residents (limited trips). Several South Bay cities share a household hazardous waste collection facility that does not require an appointment — confirm on the city public-works page if you live in Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, or National City.
CalRecycle and DTSC list statewide e-waste collectors. Bye Bye Mattress (Mattress Recycling Council) explains the free mattress program beyond San Diego’s site.
Fred’s is the hired truck when drop-off is not practical. We sort for donation and recycling first. We will not take HHW, asbestos, or loads that would fail a Miramar inspection. Posted junk-removal rates start at $69 curbside. Use this knowledge base to decide whether you should self-haul for free (mattress) or pay for labor (a second-floor fridge). Text a photo either way.
Official sources
Need pickup instead of drop-off? See junk removal or text a photo.
