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Apartment Services

Mill Valley Refuse Service provides apartment/multifamily dwellings garbage, recycling, and compost collection service to the Southern Marin communities of Almonte, Alto, Belvedere, Corte Madera, Homestead, Mill Valley, Strawberry, Tiburon and several unincorporated areas of Marin County.

Apartments are defined as multi-unit residential housing with four or more units all paid for by the property owner.

We also rent debris boxes (a.k.a dumpsters) for cleanups or remodels, portable toilets for job sites or events, and storage containers.

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COLLECTION SERVICE
Commercial bin and cart what goes where icon
WHAT GOES WHERE
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SERVICES REQUIRED BY LAW
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SERVICE INFORMATION
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PAY MY BILL

Apartment collection service

  • Weekly Collection: We offer weekly garbage, recycling, and compost collection for apartments, with additional pickups available as needed.
  • Cart/Container Placement: Ensure all carts/containers are at the street or approved location by 6:00 a.m. on pickup day.
  • Volume Options: For large volumes, we offer additional collections or larger containers for an extra fee. Details are available under Apartment Service Information.
  • Safety Guidelines: Avoid overloading carts and adhere to the 60-pound weight limit to keep our drivers safe.
  • Waste Sorting: Proper sorting helps protect the environment, conserve resources, and comply with state laws. Help us achieve Marin’s zero waste goals by carefully considering landfill contributions.

Photo by Carlos Colonia

Weekly Collection

2-yard garbage container and a gray garbage cart

GARBAGE

Wrappers, milk cartons, stretchy plastic, broken glass, compostable plastics, pet waste.

MVRS Compost Cart Thumbnail

COMPOST

Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste (trimmings) only.
Compost: It’s the law!
Blue or brown with blue lid carts for recycling

MIXED RECYCLING

All recyclables (glass, cans, paper etc.) can be placed in your recycle cart(s) together.

What Goes Where

Not sure how to properly dispose of something? Below we’ve listed common materials that can and can’t go in each of your carts. 

You can also search our What Goes Where tool to find out if a particular material can be reused, recycled, composted, or disposed of in your trash.

The County of Marin and the state of California are committed to accelerating climate progress by ensuring only garbage goes to landfills, thereby reducing methane emissions. Proper waste sorting helps protect the environment, conserve resources, and comply with state laws.

THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART!

2-yard garbage container and a gray garbage cart

Garbage

  • Commercial and apartment customers may have a gray garbage cart (or several) or 1- or 2-yard containers, depending on service level.
  • Everything in your garbage cart goes directly to landfill.
  • Garbage should be bagged.

Items Accepted in Garbage

  • Any stretchy plastic such as plastic bags*, plastic film wrap*, bubble wrap
  • Ceramic dishware
  • Diapers
  • Foil/plastic-lined paper or paperboard
  • Glass mirrors or windows
  • Light bulbs (not CFLs these are Hazardous Waste)
  • Plastic cups & lids, paper coffee cups
  • All Styrofoam™ products
  • Juice, soup, soy, milk boxes & cartons
  • Cat litter & animal waste
  • Non-recyclable plastics & rubber
  • All compostable plastics including cups, utensils, and food containers

* If possible, reuse your plastic bags and film or to the designated drop-off location at your local supermarket for recycling.

MVRS Items accepted in the gray garbage cart: wrappers, soft plastics, coated paper

Items Not Accepted in Garbage

  • Accepted recyclable materials (these go in your recycling cart)
  • Organic material: yard waste, food waste or food-soiled paper (these go in your compost cart)
  • Household Hazardous Wastes (visit the Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility for disposal information)
  • Household appliances or furniture
  • Construction materials or debris such as dirt, rock, or concrete
MVRS_Garbage_NO_June25
MVRS Compost Cart Thumbnail

Compost

It’s important — and the law — to place all organic waste in your curbside compost cart to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep valuable materials out of landfills. California’s SB 1383 law mandates organics recycling to cut landfill methane emissions, protect the environment, and recover natural resources for future generations.

Place accepted items loose in the compost cart.

Items Accepted in Compost

Food Scraps
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Seafood & shellfish
  • Bones
  • Pasta
  • Bread & grains
  • Cheese
  • Eggshells
  • Coffee grounds
Food-Soiled Paper
  • Paper napkins
  • Paper towels
  • Paper plates
  • Coffee filters
  • Tea bags
  • Pizza boxes
Yard & Garden Waste
  • Leaves
  • Flowers
  • Grass & weeds
  • Houseplants
  • Small branch trimmings

You may also place one (1) tied bundle of cuttings 2ft x 5ft next to the cart per week.

Instead of the Compost Cart you may put three (3) tied bundles 2ft x 5ft at the curb on your scheduled pick-up day.

MVRS Compost Cart Acceptable items: food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings

Items Not Accepted in Compost

  • Liquids
  • Waxed paper
  • Compostable or biodegradable plastics of any kind
  • Paper ice cream cartons
  • Milk cartons
  • Styofoam™
  • Glass
  • Metals and foil
  • Plastic bags and containers
  • Diapers
  • Cat litter
  • Animal or human waste
  • Rocks and dirt
  • Poison Oak or Bamboo
MVRS_Compost_NO_June25

Compostable plastic

Compostable / biodegradable bags, cup and cutlery which belong in garbage

We are unable to accept plastics labeled as compostable or biodegradable. Including these items would jeopardize the integrity of the compost produced by WM EarthCare™, which holds an organic certification from the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). OMRI standards forbid compostable or biodegradable plastics because many contain petroleum and degrade into microplastics, while others decompose too slowly. It is also difficult to differentiate between compostable and non-compostable plastics.

Please place any compostable or biodegradable plastics in your garbage cart or bin.

compost it's the law

To help reduce greenhouse gases and protect our environment, California now requires everyone to sort their waste: compost food scraps and yard trimmings, and recycle paper, cardboard, cans, and bottles.

Services Required by Law
Organics recycling materials in a pile
Blue or brown with blue lid carts for recycling
Cardboard recycling 2-yard container

Mixed Recycling

California is standardizing cart colors to make it easier to properly separate recycling, compost, and landfill materials, regardless of your location.

For our commercial and apartment customers:

  • Current Customers: If you have a BROWN cart for mixed recycling, please continue to use it. As these brown carts become non-serviceable, we will replace them with standardized BLUE carts.
  • New Customers: All new commercial and apartment customers will receive BLUE carts for mixed recycling.


Additionally, some businesses and complexes will have a 1- or 2-yard container specifically for cardboard recycling.

Items Accepted in Mixed STREAm Recycling

  • Office paper (any color)
  • Newspaper & magazines
  • Paperboard (like cereal & shoe boxes)
  • Junk mail and catalogs
  • Paper tubes (ex: from toilet paper or paper towels)
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Paperback books
  • Shredded paper in a bag (this can also go in compost!)
  • Flattened Cardboard (do not cut cardboard into small pieces)
  • Glass bottles & jars (clean; remove metal lids and leave loose in the cart)
  • Aluminum cans & foil (clean)
  • Plastic bottles, tubs & jugs (clean; okay to leave caps on)
  • Tin & bi-metal cans and food trays (clean)
  • Pressurized aerosol cans (empty)
  • Paint cans (empty)

Stacked, flattened cardboard wrapped in twineIf your business or complex DOES NOT have a separate cardboard container, you may place cardboard in the mixed Recycle Cart. Flatten, but do not cut into small pieces. If cardboard does not fit in the cart, it must be packed in 3’x3’x1′ bundles or smaller and tied with twine or string. Set bundles next to cart on pickup day.

Cardboard recycling 2-yard containerIf your business or complex has a separate cardboard container please flatten and place cardboard (only) in this container.

Items accepted in the MVRS paper recycle cart: cardboard, paper, paperboard
Items accepted in the MVRS container recycle cart: glass, metal and plastic jugs, tubs and bottles

Items Not Accepted in Mixed Stream Recycling

  • Waxed or plastic-coated paper
  • Paper towels or tissues
  • Paper cups
  • Plastic-lined mailing envelopes
  • Food-soiled paper (should go in compost)
  • Aseptic cartons (juice boxes, broth boxes)
  • Cartons (milk, juice, etc.)
  • Juice bags & pouches
  • Styrofoam (with or without the triangle arrows label)
  • Compostable plastic (with or without the triangle arrows label)
  • Light bulbs and CFLs
  • Fluorescent light bulbs*
  • Plate glass, windows or mirrors
  • Ceramics, Dinnerware, Pyrex
  • Plastic bags and stretchy plastic
  • Metal hangers
  • Full or partially full paint cans (metal)*
  • Full or partially full pressurized aerosol cans* 
  • Propane tanks*
*These items are considered hazardous wastes and should be  disposed of properly. Visit the Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility for disposal information.

Search for a material
with our what goes where tool

  1. Enter the Material: Type the name of the item you want to dispose of into the search bar. Instead of specific brand names or products, use general categories. For example, instead of “cottage cheese container,” search for “plastic tub.” This will help you find the correct disposal method more easily.
  2. Check the Results: Our tool will tell you if the item can be reused, recycled, composted, should go in the trash, or requires special handling.

Apartment Service Information

Only apartment owners or account managers may start, change, or stop service. If you are a resident of an apartment and have questions about your complex’s service levels, please refer questions to your apartment owner or manager.

Service Levels & Cart/Container Options

When an apartment owner or account manager signs up for service, our customer support representative will review service and cart options to ensure the right fit for your complex size. 

If you have any questions or want to make changes to your service, please email us at customer@millvalleyrefuse.com or call our office at (415) 457-9760, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Service Levels

There are three levels of garbage services available for apartment customers depending on whether carts or containers are brought to the street or if our drivers have to come onto the property to pick up and return them.

Curbside

This is the base rate for garbage service for carts or containers that are one (1) to five (5) feet from the street. We will also pick up trash carts from inside a trash enclosure, provided it is within five (5) feet from the street.

Note: if our service trucks are able to drive up to trash enclosures on a commercial property’s parking lot or service alley, and trash containers are within five (5) feet of where the truck can park, MVRS will charge the same as if the cans or containers were at curbside. 

On-Premise

When your carts or containers are visible from the street, no more than 25 feet from the street, and accessible to a wheeled cart (no steps allowed). The rate is an additional $8 per can or container, per month. Carts or containers will be left empty at the street unless you request they be returned for an additional $8 per cart or container per month.

On Premise-Plus

On-Premise Plus Service is defined as carts or containers not visible from the street or beyond 25 feet from the street, but accessible to a wheeled cart (no steps allowed). The rate is an additional $18 per cart, per month. Carts or containers will be left empty at the street unless you request they be returned for an additional $18 per cart or container per month.

Cart & Container Options

GARBAGE OPTIONS

COMPOST OPTION

RECYCLING OPTIONS

2 Yard garbage container and a gray garbage cartMVRS Compost Cart Thumbnail2 Yard garbage container and a gray garbage cart
  • 64-gallon gray cart
  • 96-gallon gray cart
  • 1-yard container
  • 2-yard container
  • 32-gallon cart

Why only one size? Compost gets heavy! We find it’s better to have multiple smaller carts than one big one for commercial compost.

  • 64-gallon blue cart
  • 1-yard container for cardboard only
  • 2-yard container for cardboard only

A Note About Your Mixed Recycling Cart Colors

Blue or brown with blue lid carts for recyclingCalifornia is in the process of standardizing cart colors to make it easier to properly separate materials to recycle, compost, or landfill no matter where you are.

If you have an all BROWN cart (brown body, brown lid) for recycling, please continue to use it for recycling. As these brown carts become non-serviceable, we will replace them with the new standardized all BLUE carts.

New apartment customers receive all BLUE carts for recycling.

Apartments are charged a minimum of one 32-gallon can per unit. Baseline apartment service includes weekly pickup of garbage, recycling and compost carts, but rates ultimately depend on the number of carts or containers used and frequency of pickup. 

Rates, terms, and conditions for each service area are provided in the PDF documents below.

Almonte

2026-2027

2026-2027

2026-2027

Corte Madera

2026-2027

2026-2027

2026-2027

Mill Valley

2026-2027

2026-2027

2026-2027

Please email us at customer@millvalleyrefuse.com or call our office at (415) 457-9760, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Our customer support team will be happy to assist you.

Apartment customers are billed monthly. Set up or log in to your account to pay your bill online or set up reoccurring payments.

Log In to your account

What is Contamination?

California law requires all generators of waste (businesses, public entities, and single/multifamily residents) to properly sort their waste, by either placing food scraps, food/beverage soiled paper products, and yard trimmings in the compost cart or self-hauling compostable material to a composting facility or program. Residents must also place recyclables such as paper and cardboard, (and cans and bottles) in the recycling cart. Jurisdictions (cities, counties, and special districts) have the authority to assess a fine for non-compliance.

Recycling contamination

  • Occurs when non-recyclable materials or garbage are mistakenly placed in the recycling cart. These unwanted items can disrupt the recycling process and reduce the quality of recyclable materials.
  • View our Recycling Violation Notice (pdf).

Compost contamination

  • Occurs when non-compostable items, like plastic or metal, are put into the compost cart. These contaminants can interfere with the composting process and lower the quality of the resulting compost.
  • View our Compost Violation Notice (pdf).

GARBAGE contamination

  • Occurs when items that could be recycled or composted, such as paper, plastics, or organic waste, or hazardous items end up in the garbage cart. This prevents these materials from being properly processed and reused and is harmful to the environment.
  • View our Garbage Violation Notice (pdf).

contamination violations

Your carts will not be dumped if heavily contaminated.

Instead, our driver will leave a Violation Notice on the cart handle describing the contaminant observed in the cart and provide an opportunity to clean out the cart for pick up the following week. You may opt to request a special pickup (for a fee) after cleaning the cart.

When a cart is tagged, a sticker that describes a number of the most common contaminants will be placed on the cart lid as a permanent reminder of what should NOT be put in the cart.

If you receive a Violation Notice and want to schedule a special pickup, please email us at customer@millvalleyrefuse.com or call our office Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., at (415) 457-9760. Our customer support team will be happy to assist you.

We make every effort to provide the best service possible. If your carts or containers are skipped on your regular service day, please email us at customer@millvalleyrefuse.com or call our office at (415) 457-9760, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Our customer support team will be happy to assist you. 

We will pick up your cart or return your call the following morning.

Gray MVRS garbage cart overflowing with trash bagsIf your complex is experiencing high volumes of garbage, recycling, and compost, it may be time to add weekend collection service to your regular collection schedule. Additional fees apply.
  • Make it easy to recycle right & comply with California law SB 1383
  • Prevent contamination fees
  • Avoid unsightly mess & pests
Getting set up is easy! Send us an email or call our office Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at (415) 457-9760.

Mill Valley Refuse Service does not offer curbside pickup of hazardous waste for apartment customers. Instead, you can use the Marin Household Hazardous Waste Facility in San Rafael for safe disposal of approved hazardous materials.

Beyond the Cart: Where Does Your Waste Go?

Wood Sign for Redwood Sanitary Land Fill Inc in grass meadow

Garbage

Garbage collected by Mill Valley Refuse service is taken to the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center in Novato.

Wm EarthCare Logo

Compost

Compost collected by Mill Valley Refuse service is taken to the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center where it is processed into Homegrown Compost, a premium, affordable compost which you can purchase directly from The Redwood Landfill’s WM EarthCare™ Center in Novato.

California law (SB 1383) requires everyone in California – from residents and businesses to schools, apartments, and government buildings – to sort their organic waste properly so it doesn’t end up in landfills. Diverting organic waste from landfill is an integral part of the state’s climate change program and can significantly reduce the impacts of climate change in our lifetime. 

A worker in safety vest and mask sorts paper recycling

RECYCLING

All recycling collected by Mill Valley Refuse service is taken to the Marin Resource Recovery Center where it is sorted to be processed into raw materials, which are then used to create new products, reducing the need for virgin resources and minimizing environmental impact.

California law (SB 1383) requires everyone in California – from residents and businesses to schools, apartments, and government buildings – to sort recyclable and compostable materials into the appropriate containers.