Costa Mesa, CA trash pickup schedule
Costa Mesa trash and recycling: who collects, how often, how to find your pickup day, and what changes on holidays in 2026.
Population 108,881 (Census 2025 estimate)Last checked Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.
Contents10 sections
Quick answer
| Who collects | A private hauler under city contract: CR&R Environmental Services Residential trash, recycling and organics in Costa Mesa are collected by CR&R; the hauler page refers to customers as 'Costa Mesa Sanitary District residents' (the Sanitary District, not the City, runs the residential program). Three carts per unit: landfill (black lid), recycling, organics.1 |
|---|---|
| How often | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Set out | at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on collection day; carts about 1 ft apart and 3 ft from obstructions, handles and wheels toward the house; remove within 12 hours after service1 |
| Your pickup day | Not published by the city (official page)1 |
| Holidays | The city publishes a rule, not a dated list: see the holiday rule. |
Bulk items: On-call pickup: call or book online (details). Drop-off sites: 1 listed (hours and fees).
Costa Mesa holiday trash schedule 2026
| City’s rule | CR&R observes New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day; when the holiday falls on a weekday, service is postponed one day for the rest of that week.1 |
|---|---|
| Official notice | crrwasteservices.com |
| Disruption | Teamsters Local 952 labor strike causing collection delays throughout Orange County (as of 2026-10-30)2 |
No dated list of holidays is published for Costa Mesa; the holiday delay checker shows the rule above for each upcoming holiday.
Check your own day for the next three holidays with the holiday delay checker, or download a pickup calendar.
Bulk trash pickup in Costa Mesa
| How it works | On-call pickup: call or book online1 |
|---|---|
| How to request | schedule online (CR&R Online Scheduling Service, secured.crrwasteservices.com); pickup on your regular collection day1 |
| Limits | 3 free pickups per calendar year; items a two-person crew can handle1 |
| Fees | first 3 per calendar year free; additional pickups for a nominal charge (amount not stated)1 |
| Not accepted | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Items | e.g. chairs, couches, washers, dryers, sofas; E-waste and refrigerators also collected curbside by appointment1 |
Recycling in Costa Mesa
| Pickup | Not published by the city (official page) |
|---|---|
| Type | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Glass | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Plastics | Not published by the city (official page) |
Accepted
Not published by the city (official page)
Not accepted
Not published by the city (official page)
Programs
Yard waste, food scraps and seasonal pickups
| Yard waste pickup | Yes1 |
|---|---|
| Season | Not published by the city (official page) |
| How often | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Rules | up to two Organics carts per unit (65 gallons standard)1 |
| Food scraps | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Christmas trees | recurring rule (no year stated): curbside collection during the two weeks immediately after New Year's Day; not before January 1; place on the ground next to your trash containers on collection day; remove ornaments, lights, tinsel and stand; no plastic bags; trees over 6 ft cut in half; flocked trees go in the black-lid landfill cart; trees may also be broken down into the Organics cart1 |
| Leaf collection | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Cleanup events |
|
Drop-off sites: landfill, recycling and hazardous waste
OC Waste & Recycling Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers (Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano)
| Type | Household hazardous waste |
|---|---|
| Run by | The county |
| Address | Huntington Beach Collection Center, 17121 Nichols Lane, 92647, Gate 6 (nearest); also 1071 N. Blue Gum St., Anaheim; 6411 Oak Canyon, Irvine; 32250 Avenida La Pata, San Juan Capistrano · Map3 |
| Hours | 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; closed major holidays (Thanksgiving Nov. 26, 2026; New Year's Day Jan. 1, 2027) and in rainy weather; 714-834-40003 |
| Fees | free3 |
| Who can use it | Orange County residents3 |
| Limits | max 15 gallons or 125 lb per vehicle per trip; containers no larger than 5 gallons |
Item guides: Mattress · Couch and furniture · Appliances · Paint · Batteries · Electronics · Tires · Motor oil · Christmas tree.
Missed pickup and contacts
| Missed pickup form | mipu.crrwasteservices.com1 |
|---|---|
| Phone | CR&R Costa Mesa customer service (949) 646-4617; CR&R support (800) 826-96771 |
| 311 | Not published by the city (official page) |
| Official website | crrwasteservices.com |
Nearby cities
- Santa Ana, CA5 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Huntington Beach, CA6 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Garden Grove, CA8 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Irvine, CA8 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Orange, CA9 miles · A private hauler under city contract
- Fullerton, CA15 miles · A private hauler under city contract
All California cities: California trash pickup schedules.
Costa Mesa trash pickup FAQ
How do I get rid of bulky items in Costa Mesa?
On-call pickup: call or book online. schedule online (CR&R Online Scheduling Service, https://secured.crrwasteservices.com:8843/); pickup on your regular collection day Fees: first 3 per calendar year free; additional pickups for a nominal charge (amount not stated).
How do I report a missed trash pickup in Costa Mesa?
Use the city’s online form (mipu.crrwasteservices.com) or call CR&R Costa Mesa customer service (949) 646-4617; CR&R support (800) 826-9677.
Sources
- 1 Welcome to the City of Costa Mesa - Residential Services (CR&R Environmental Services)Contracted hauler · crrwasteservices.com · checked October 30, 2026
- 2 CR&R home page service banner (Orange County strike delays)Contracted hauler · crrwasteservices.com · checked October 30, 2026
- 3 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers - Locations and Hours (OC Waste & Recycling)County · oclandfills.com · checked October 30, 2026
Something changed? Report a change
Second-pass verification against every source: November 1, 2026. Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.