Residential Services

• Container Information

  
  Container Information
  Per California Senate Bill 1383, all residents are required to have landfill, recycling, and organics services. As of July 1, 2025, the basic residential cart service for each Lake Forest resident includes one (1) landfill cart; up to two (2) recycling carts; and up to one (1) organics cart. Each resident can either select a 35-gallon, 65-gallon, or 95-gallon cart for each waste stream; however, monthly rates are based on the size of the trash cart.

  Residents with questions regarding residential services can contact our customer service team at (949) 520-6005.

• Collection Day Reminders

  

  1. Carts should be placed at the curbside no later than 6:30 a.m. on collection day and removed from the curbside within 12 hours after service.
  2. Carts should be placed with the handles and wheels facing towards your home.
  3. Place carts side-by-side approximately 1 foot apart and at least 3 feet from any obstruction (i.e. vehicles, fire hydrants, trees)
  4. Items placed outside of carts will not be collected. Cart lids should be closed. Please do not overload.

  
• Contamination and Monitoring

  SB 1383 also requires that all service routes be randomly audited on an annual basis. To stay compliant with these California mandates, CR&R will be working alongside the City of Lake Forest to conduct route audits.

  To reduce contamination, use the guidelines below and examples when sorting landfill, recycling, and organic materials in your carts.

  

  Non-containerization
  CR&R and City will enforce a new requirement that prohibit non-containerization of landfill, recyclable, and organic materials.

  

  Please click HERE for more information about the prohibition of non-containerization within Lake Forest.

• How To Effectively Recycle

  

  Please make sure your recyclables items are empty and thoroughly scraped of any contents prior to placing them in your recycling cart. Heavily-soiled recyclables can contaminate an entire truck full of recyclables materials, causing recyclables materials to go to the landfill instead of being recycled.

  The following items are recyclable:

  • Plastics larger than a credit card - These are typically items like large plastic containers or household items that are easy to sort.
  • Plastic bottles - Examples include water bottles, soda bottles, and detergent bottles
  • Plastic containers - Items like your yogurt tubs, buckets, and “clamshell” to-go containers (those clear, hinged containers often used for salads or bakery items).
  • Plastic containers - Items like your yogurt tubs, buckets, and “clamshell” to-go containers (those clear, hinged containers often used for salads or bakery items).
  • Plastic labeled with recycling codes #1 through #7 – These are recyclable plastics. Look for recycling codes on plastic containers.

  Recycling Tip: Use left-over dishwater to quickly rinse out residue from your recyclables.

  Organics Recycling
  The City of Lake Forest and CR&R Environmental Services are expanding the city’s Organics Recycling Program, with food scrap kitchen pails! Kitchen Food Scrap Pails make organics recycling easy. Simply discard food scraps, coffee grounds, or yard waste into your kitchen pail and empty the contents into your green organics cart.

  Click HERE to learn more about how to effectively use your Kitchen Food Scrap Pail.

  

  Mixed-use Recycling
  To prevent contamination from occurring in your CR&R carts, it is important to identify and remove materials unsuitable for recycling. Please review this section for more information on what’s acceptable and unacceptable for recycling.

• Bulky Item Collection

  
  Items that cannot fit in your carts, such as a chair or desk, are considered bulky items and require special pickup. Each resident is entitled to three (3) bulky item pickups free-of-charge per calendar year. A bulky item pickup may include up to 10 large items. Please note that bulky items much be manageable by a two-person crew.

  Common bulky items include:

  • Couches
  • Desks
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • Mattresses
  • Excess Green Waste
  • Sleeper couches
  • Range
  • Washer/Dryer

  Universal Waste such as, Fluorescent tubes, Thermostats containing Mercury, Heat Lamps containing Mercury, and Batteries (other than automotive) are collected for a nominal fee.

  Refrigerators and appliances that contain Freon and other chemicals require special handling.  Electronic Waste such as, a dishwasher, microwave, Television and Computer Peripherals may all be collected for a nominal charge.

  To arrange a pickup of bulky items, Universal Waste, or a Refrigerator containing Freon on your regular service day, please use our Online Scheduling Service.

• Hazardous Waste

  
  Household Hazardous Wastes (HHW) are products that are flammable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic. Due to California’s environmental legislation, it is illegal to dispose of HHW in any of your CR&R containers.

  Common examples of HHW include:

  • Cleaning products (e.g., shower/floor cleaners, ammonia, rust remover, etc.)
  • Auto maintenance products (e.g., brake fluid, antifreeze, motor oil, etc.)
  • Home maintenance products (e.g., paints, pesticides, pool chemicals, etc.)
  • Personal care items (e.g., nail polish and remover, hair dye)
  • Personal care items (e.g., televisions, speakers, computers, etc.)
  • Universal waste (e.g., batteries, fluorescent bulbs, non-empty aerosol cans, etc.)

  HHW Door to Door Collection
  For proper disposal of HHW, Lake Forest residents can call CR&R for free HHW pickups up to two (2) times per year. To schedule a pickup, provide a list of items and quantities. The pickup cannot occur without this information, as required by law. Make sure to request your pickup at least five business days in advance.

  Annual HHW Drop-Off Event
  CR&R also holds one (1) free HHW drop-off event once a year for Lake Forest residents at a location and on a date to be announced.

  Sharps Disposal
  Sharps waste, such as needles, syringes, and injector pens, must NOT be placed in CR&R containers. Residents can safely dispose of their sharps waste by requesting a free mail-back container or scheduling an appointment for at-home pickup of filled containers.

  To schedule sharps disposal, please contact our Lake Forest customer service team at (949) 520-6005 or use our Online Scheduling Service.

  County HHW Resources
  Lake Forest residents can also utilize the free permanent drop off centers available year-round for proper disposal of hazardous waste. The County of Orange operates the following four centers throughout the County:

  • Anaheim Collection Center
    1071 N. Blue Gun Street, Anaheim, CA 92806
  • Huntington Beach Collection Center
    17121 Nichols Lane, Gate 6. Huntington Beach, CA 92647
  • Irvine Collection Center
    6411 Oak Canyon, Irvine, CA 92618
  • San Juan Capistrano Collection Center
    32250 Avendia La Pata, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
• Special Services

  
  Reusable Donated Items
  CR&R offers convenient reusable donated item pickups for Lake Forest residents. Residents may schedule one (1) reusable item donation per year free of charge for items including clothing, household goods, etc.

  Valet Services
  Customers with disabilities may request pull out service at no additional charge, proof of disability will be required.

  Holiday Greenery
  Christmas tree recycling will occur annually for a full three weeks following December 25th. We ask that you place your tree at the curb on your regular collection day, remove all ornaments and the tree stand. If the tree is over 6’ tall please cut it in half. CR&amp:R will remove your tree without having to call our office.

  Temporary Services
  Larger waste collection containers (from 3 yards to 40 yards) are available for clean-up projects and other disposal needs. For additional pricing details or to arrange for a delivery of a larger container to your residence, please contact C&R's Lake Forest's Customer Service at (949) 520-6005.
  

• Holiday Schedule

  
  CR&R Observes the Following Holidays

  • New Years Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

  If the holiday falls during the week, service postponed by one day the remainder of the week. Example: If Independence Day is a Monday, and your normal collection day is Thursday, we'll see you on Friday.