Your garbage bill, and how to cut it
Specialty Solid Waste & Recycling picks up, and the city bills you on the same bill as water and sewer. Sunnyvale uses split carts, and bigger carts cost only a little more.
Last checked Oct 20, 2026 · Rates effective July 1, 2026 (+3%)
What you pay
One split cart holds garbage on one side and food scraps on the other (the FoodCycle program). Recycling (also a split cart) and a yard trimmings cart are included.
| Cart (garbage side) | Every 2 months | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (27 gal) | $86.48 | $43.24 | $519 |
| Medium (43 gal) | $99.68 | $49.84 | $598 |
| Large (64 gal) | $115.34 | $57.67 | $692 |
The small cart is also the minimum: every house pays at least that. A house with an ADU sharing service needs at least the medium cart. A redesigned split cart is coming in 2027, and the city has warned that bigger garbage capacity may cost more.
Saving money
Large to small
$173 a yearLarge to medium saves $94, medium to small $79. For an occasional overflow, an extra garbage tag is $6.
How: Sunnyvale Utility Billing, 408-730-7400 or utilitybilling@sunnyvale.ca.gov.
Extra yard waste goes free
Put it in your own 32-gallon can labeled "Yard Waste" next to the yard cart. No charge.
Free things
2 bulky pickups a year
Each takes up to 2 bulky items plus 2 cubic yards. Book at 408-730-7400.
Extra Dumping Weekends
Spring and fall, free at the SMaRT Station, 301 Carl Road.
Free compost
At the SMaRT Station.
Hazardous waste, paint, mattresses
Free county drop-off by appointment (hhw.org, 408-299-7300). Paint at PaintCare sites, including SMaRT. Mattresses through Bye Bye Mattress.
Rules
- Timing: out no earlier than 12:01 AM the day before pickup, by 7 AM on pickup day, and back in by 6 AM the day after. Sunnyvale Municipal Code 8.16.050.
- Placement: wheels against the curb, arrow facing the street.
- No holiday collection on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day.
Facts are checked against the public sources listed on each page. Rates change every year; each page shows when it was last checked. Individual bills are confidential in California, so personal numbers are estimates from public rates. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.