Residential Services at STR

South Lake Tahoe Residential Services

We provide an "unlimited" curbside can service for the residential areas within the City of South Lake Tahoe and within the unincorporated El Dorado County areas. This service includes normal household refuse (municipal solid waste) and yard waste.

Unlimited collection DOES NOT include:

Hazardous waste (see Household Hazardous Waste)

Appliances and furniture

Construction materials

Auto parts

Some of these items may be picked up at curbside for additional fees; others are accepted at the South Tahoe Refuse Transfer Station.

Refuse is required to be...

Containerized in a sealed or lidded container

Cans: NOT to exceed 45 gallons and 50 pounds

Bags: NOT to exceed 30 pounds

Boxes: Sealed and NOT to exceed 30 pounds

Refuse containers must be placed at curbside by 5 a.m. on the day of pickup.

The collection trucks operate on ALL holidays!

Pickup times may vary greatly depending on the season, amount of refuse being picked up and weather conditions.

Every effort is made to run the collection routes as consistently as possible; however, extenuating circumstances may occur.

When your pickup is missed due to unsafe conditions, your garbage will be picked up the next week on your regularly scheduled pickup day.

Refuse containers may not be more than 3 to 4 feet from the road's edge. Our employees will return your can(s) 20 feet from the curb, whenever possible.

All can enclosures must have a clear path a minimum of 3 feet wide, clear of all obstructions, including snow and ice, and must be fully operational.

Enclosures must be no more than 10 feet from the road's edge.

If the enclosure is lockable, our employees carry a 3/8-inch square-type key. All other types of keys should be made available to the drivers. You can secure the key to the enclosure with a wire long enough to access the lock. Please winterize your enclosure to inhibit freezing.

Animals are a part of what makes this community so attractive. Unfortunately, the refuse that people generate is attractive to animals. Collection staff will make every effort to clean up debris scattered by animals, within reason, and return the cans in serviceable order. Minor to severe damage may be caused to cans by persistent animals such as bears.

If you are going to try to deter animals, please do not use liquid bleach or other caustic products that may cause eye and skin injuries. Further information on this topic may be found at “Be Bear Aware”.

For information regarding construction debris and large cleanup projects or for smaller container rentals, please contact Tahoe Basin Container Service at

(530) 541-4353.