Storm Readiness for Your Waste Bins

Before a storm

• Sign up for service alerts. Add or update your email address and mobile number at WastePortal.sandiego.gov to keep up to date on any delays due to inclement weather. A registered Waste Portal account is required to receive alerts; customers who have not yet registered are strongly encouraged to do so.
• Keep bin lids fully closed. This prevents loose material from blowing into streets and storm drains; keeps rain from collecting inside the bin; and prevents standing water from adding significant weight, which makes a bin unsafe for crews to lift, more likely to tip in high wind and difficult for you to move.
• Do yard work before the rain arrives. Trim limbs and gather greenery while it is still dry. Wet branches and leaves are heavy and take up more room; a green bin that is already full before a storm leaves no capacity for storm debris.  
• Pick a good storage spot. Keep containers out of the wind and away from slopes, gutters and storm drains between collection days.
• If you live in a coastal area or a neighborhood prone to flash flooding, store bins on higher ground. Keep containers at the highest point of your property, away from alleys and low spots where water collects. This prevents bins from floating away or spilling into storm drains.

During a storm

• Safety comes first. If severe weather affects your property, follow all directions from emergency officials. Collection is expected to continue, if weather and safety conditions permit.
• Set bins out as scheduled if your street is open. If the road is passable and safe to drive, collection will take place on your regular service day. Place bins at the curb by 6 a.m., at least three feet apart and clear of gutters and storm drains to prevent runoff obstruction.
• Do not overload a bin in wet weather. Rain-soaked material is far heavier than it looks. Anything that keeps the lid from closing is likely to end up in the street.
• Return bins to their storage spot after service. Bins left at the curb after collection sometimes end up down the block in high wind or floodwater.

After a storm

• Report a missing or damaged bin. Submit a request at sandiego.gov/GetItDone or call 858-694-7000. There is no charge to replace a City bin lost to severe weather.
• Place only organic waste in the green bin. Leaves, branches and greenery are accepted (in addition to food scraps). Sandbags, drywall, carpet, treated lumber and flood-damaged furniture are not, and a single load containing these materials can be rejected at the Miramar Greenery.
• Dispose of flood-damaged hazardous materials properly. Paint, cleaners, pool chemicals, batteries, propane cylinders and other household hazardous waste damaged by flooding must never be placed in any bin or storm drain. City of San Diego residents may drop off these materials at no charge by appointment. Details at sandiego.gov/HHW.
• Check on a neighbor. If someone on your street is away or unable to move their bins, rolling them back in keeps the block clear and the storm drains open.

If you need assistance, call Environmental Services at 858-694-7000.