Disposal & donation guidelines

Los Angeles

Donate and recycle first — dispose last. Where to take furniture, appliances, mattresses, electronics, metal, and renovation debris around LA.

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LA runs no public city dump — you tip at private landfills & recycling facilities. Mixed construction debris from within LA City must go to a City-certified C&D processor (and needs a LASAN hauler permit), and California makes mattress drop-off free. These are general guidelines about where to go and what they take, not exact prices. Divert to donation and scrap first.

02 By what you're hauling
Where each load goes
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Appliances & metal

Fridges, washers, AC, scrap — pays cash
  • SA Recycling
    The main LA scrap network (Sims yards operate as SA) — 10313 Alameda St · 2104 E 15th St · 2728 Long Beach Ave · Sun Valley (9754 San Fernando Rd) + Gardena/Carson/El Monte. Cash, photo ID, no appointment · appliances, AC units, water heaters.
    CashFreon recovered first (CA)
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Furniture & mixed junk / C&D

Full cleanouts — private landfills & MRFs
  • Sunshine Canyon Landfill
    14747 San Fernando Rd, Sylmar · the valley workhorse — MSW, C&D, green waste. Public drop-off, no appointment.
    MSW + C&D
  • Athens DART (Downey)
    9770 Washburn Rd, Downey · self-haul-friendly — C&D, green waste, bulky furniture / garage clean-outs, general trash.
    Self-haul OK
  • Puente Hills MRF
    13130 Crossroads Pkwy S, City of Industry · self-haul accepted if the load is recoverable (not pure trash); safety vest required.
  • C&D-focused (central/Westside)
    WM Downtown Diversion (mixed C&D, closest to downtown) · California Waste Services — 621 W 152nd St, Gardena.
  • Note
    The City's S.A.F.E. Centers take only HHW + e-waste — not bulk junk, furniture, or C&D.
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Mattresses

Free statewide take-back
  • Bye Bye Mattress
    California's program makes mattress/box-spring drop-off free at 240+ sites, and haulers are accepted (book an appointment for multi-unit loads). Must be reasonably clean & dry — wet/soiled/bed-bug units are rejected.
    Free
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Electronics / e-waste

Landfill-banned in California
  • Homeboy Electronics Recycling
    4940 Branyon Ave, South Gate · free for TVs, monitors, computers (social enterprise). Plus E-Waste LA (Van Nuys), LASAN S.A.F.E. Centers, and Best Buy (still free in CA).
  • Rule
    E-waste and universal waste (batteries, lamps) are hazardous and banned from the trash in CA.
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Freon appliances

Extra steps in California
  • Recover the refrigerant first
    EPA §608 requires refrigerant recovered before disposal, and CA requires processing by a Certified Appliance Recycler — you can't just drop a charged fridge at a scrap yard.
  • Best for working units
    LADWP free pickup + ~$60 rebate, or SCE free pickup of a working secondary fridge/freezer — they handle the freon.
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Tires & C&D

Special handling
  • Tires
    Hauling 10+ used tires requires a CalRecycle-registered tire hauler + trip log; take them to a CalRecycle tire facility.
  • C&D (LA City)
    Mixed C&D generated in the City of LA must go to a City-certified processor (not a regular landfill), and you need a LASAN private-hauler permit; LA green-building rules require ~65% diversion.
03 Rules worth knowing
Staying legal in LA
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Register your business in each city

The City of LA requires a Business Tax Registration Certificate; each city you work (Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills…) is separate. Pure haul-away needs no seller's permit — but if you resell salvaged items you must hold one and collect tax.

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Mind the commercial-franchise zones (RecycLA)

LA and unincorporated LA County run exclusive commercial-collection franchises. One-time junk removal from a house isn't covered, and C&D / donation / recycling are carved out — but hauling ordinary mixed trash from a commercial or 5+ unit account is a grey area. Structure loads as C&D, donation, or recycling, and confirm with LASAN.

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C&D needs a LASAN hauler permit + certified processor

To haul construction debris generated in the City of LA you need a Bureau of Sanitation private-hauler permit, and the debris must go to a City-certified C&D processing facility.

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CARB: your truck needs a 2010-or-newer engine

Diesel trucks over 14,000 lbs must have a 2010+ engine to register in California (a low-use exemption exists under ~1,000 CA miles/yr). The separate electric-truck fleet mandate is being repealed — you don't need to buy an EV.

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Refrigerant & e-waste

Recover refrigerant before scrapping a fridge/AC (EPA §608 + CA Certified Appliance Recycler), and never landfill e-waste or universal waste.

For informational purposes only. These are general guidelines to help you plan a run — not an official disposal guide or legal advice. Hours, accepted materials, fees, and rules change often and vary by load, so always confirm directly with the facility and follow all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.