Mill Valley Refuse Holiday Information

Holiday Information

Mill Valley Refuse Service collection service operates normally on all holidays EXCEPT Christmas and New Year’s Day.

When either of these two holidays falls on a weekday, collection service will operate one day later through Saturday.

Collection Holidays

The only holidays our garbage, recycling, and compost trucks don’t operate are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. When either of these two holidays falls on a weekday, collection service will operate one day later through Saturday.

Christmas Day (December 25, 2023) and New Year’s Day (January 1, 2024) both fall on Mondays this season, therefore all collection services those weeks will occur one day later through Saturday.

Normal Collection Day

MONDAY

12/25/23

1/1/24

TUESDAY

12/26/23

1/2/24

WEDNESDAY

12/27/23

1/3/24

THURSDAY

12/28/23

1/4/24

FRIDAY

12/29/23

1/5/24

Adjusted Collection Day

Collection moves to:

TUESDAY

12/26/23

1/2/24

Collection moves to:

WEDNESDAY

12/27/23

1/3/24

Collection moves to:

THURSDAY

12/28/23

1/4/24

Collection moves to:

FRIDAY

12/29/23

1/5/24

Collection moves to:

SATURDAY

12/30/23

1/6/24

Office Holidays

Our office is closed on the following holidays:

  • New Year’s Day – January 1 (also a non service day) 
  • Martin Luther King Day – the third Monday of January each year
  • President’s Day – the third Monday in February each year
  • Memorial Day – the last Monday of May each year
  • Independence Day – July 4
  • Labor Day – the first Monday in September each year
  • Columbus Day – the second Monday of October each year
  • Thanksgiving Day – the fourth Thursday of November each year
  • Christmas Day – December 25 (also a non service day) 

Don’t Trash Those Trees

Christmas trees should not end up in the landfill. We will collect them and make sure they are composted.

Please put your trees out on the curb on any regular green Compost Cart day, beginning Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 

    • Remove all ornaments, decorations, and tinsel
    • All stands must be removed
    • Trees should be cut in half with each section being no longer than 5ft for easier handling
    • Plastic trees cannot be recycled; they must go in the trash
    • Flocked trees are not accepted for composting in the green cart and must go in the trash

If you need to drop off your tree for recycling, Zero Waste Marin has provided a PDF of Christmas tree drop off locations in Marin.

Christmas Tree

Where Does It Go?

Wrapping Paper

Gift wrapping paper (any kind) is not recyclable and should go in your trash. Please consider using sustainable alternatives like cloth, paper bags, magazines, old paper maps, or newspaper for wrapping. Reusable bags or boxes are great too.

Tissue Paper

Tissue paper should be composted – put it in your Green Compost Cart. Since most tissue paper is already made up of recycled paper, it can be difficult to recycle.

Ribbons and/or Bows

Ribbons and bows are not recyclable and unfortunately should go in the trash. The good news is they are very easy to reuse, so stash them with your leftover wrapping paper for next year!

How to Gift or Tip Your Driver

It has long been a tradition for some to tip the garbage, recycling and compost collectors during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The drivers very much appreciate these gifts and are thankful for them.

However, gifts left on cans at the street have become targets for “scrooges” who are known to drive or walk along the streets snatching them before the collectors arrive. Unfortunate, but true.

The two best ways to give gifts are:

1) If you feel comfortable, you may hand your directly to your drivers/collectors (they’ll be happy to meet you!)
2) Send a gift card, check or package to our office

If you send a check, please do not make it payable to Mill Valley Refuse Service. Instead, call our office at (415) 457-9760 extension 8 so we can provide you with the name of your collectors. Or simply specify on your envelope which driver (trash, recycle or yard waste) you want your gift to go to, and include your address so our collectors can identify from whom the gift came. If you want to tip more than one collector, please send separate gifts (one envelope is okay) so we can give your gift directly to the driver(s).

Please send gift cards or packages to:

Mill Valley Refuse Service
Attn. Holiday Gift
112 Front St.
San Rafael, CA 94901

© 2024 Mill Valley Refuse Services. All rights reserved.

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