Choose the Right Los Angeles Recycling Route Before You Drive
Los Angeles does not use one recycling center for every material. Household hazardous waste and electronics go to S.A.F.E. Centers, ordinary clean recyclables usually belong in the blue bin, CRV bottles and cans use certified redemption centers, and bulky items, appliances and tires have separate City programs.
One city, several recycling routes
Match the material first. Then choose the facility or collection service.
Quick Answer: Which Los Angeles Recycling Center Do You Need?
For paint, chemicals, batteries, used motor oil, fluorescent bulbs, TVs, computers, phones and similar hazardous or electronic waste, use a Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Center. Most major S.A.F.E. locations operate Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, while UCLA follows a Friday, Saturday and first-Sunday schedule.
For clean paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans and accepted rigid plastics, use the appropriate blue-bin recycling service. If you want a California Redemption Value refund for eligible beverage containers, use CalRecycle’s certified recycling-center finder instead of assuming a S.A.F.E. Center pays CRV.
Important 2026 update: Los Angeles–Glendale is open again
The previous version of this page described the Los Angeles–Glendale S.A.F.E. Center at 4600 Colorado Boulevard as closed until further notice. LA Sanitation now lists the site as open to the public Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Because the center is inside a water reclamation plant, LA Sanitation says visitors must show a state-issued photo ID at the security gate. It is not a Sunday location.
On this page
- Choose the correct recycling route
- S.A.F.E. Center addresses and hours
- Sunday recycling options
- UCLA 2026 schedule
- Where each material should go
- HHW and e-waste accepted items
- Blue-bin recycling
- CRV bottle and can redemption
- Furniture and appliance pickup
- Tire recycling
- Small-business hazardous waste
- Preparation checklist
- Map and directions
- Frequently asked questions
- Official sources
Los Angeles Recycling Center Options: Start With the Material
A search for a “Los Angeles recycling center” can produce S.A.F.E. Centers, CRV buyback businesses, scrap-metal yards, transfer stations, City collection yards, private recyclers and ordinary waste facilities. Those places do not provide the same service.
The safest approach is to identify what you are getting rid of before choosing an address. This prevents the most common wasted trip: taking the right material to the wrong type of facility.
Normal household recycling
Clean paper, cardboard, metal containers, glass bottles and jars and accepted rigid plastics generally belong in the blue recycling stream.
Hazardous waste and e-waste
Paint, solvents, automotive fluids, batteries, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs and electronics need a S.A.F.E. Center or another approved special-waste route.
CRV beverage containers
Use a CalRecycle-certified recycling center or participating redemption route when you want the California Redemption Value refund.
Furniture and appliances
City residents can use LASAN bulky-item or metal-appliance pickup instead of hauling a sofa, mattress or refrigerator to a S.A.F.E. Center.
Used tires
LASAN has dedicated tire recycling rules and collection yards. Tires should not be placed in blue, black or green bins.
Business hazardous waste
Qualifying very small quantity generators use the appointment-based VSQG program. Household resident drop-off rules do not automatically apply to business waste.
Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Center Addresses and Current Public Hours
S.A.F.E. stands for Solvents, Automotive, Flammables and Electronics. These permanent centers handle household hazardous waste and electronic waste for City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County residents.
LA Sanitation currently lists the following public schedules. Inclement weather, holiday closures or site-specific conditions can still change service, so verify the official facility page before transporting hazardous material.
| S.A.F.E. Center | Address | Public hours | Important local detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Bernson / Balboa | 10241 N. Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91325 | Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Line starts on Devonshire Street. Left turns from Balboa Boulevard into the facility are not permitted. |
| Randall Street | 11025 Randall Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 | Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Line forms southbound on Randall Street; left turns may be prohibited during high-volume periods. |
| Gaffey Street | 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 | Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Enter from Gaffey Street, cross the train tracks and turn left. |
| Hyperion | 7660 W. Imperial Highway, Gate B, Playa del Rey, CA 90293 | Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Enter through Gate B. Security requires a valid driver’s license. |
| Washington Boulevard | 2649 E. Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90021 | Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Line forms westbound on Washington Boulevard. Left turns may be prohibited during high-volume periods. |
| UCLA / West LA | 550 Charles E. Young Drive West, Los Angeles, CA 90095 | Friday, Saturday & first Sunday, 9 AM–3 PM | Special campus schedule. Not open every Sunday. |
| Los Angeles–Glendale | 4600 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039 | Saturday, 9 AM–3 PM | State-issued photo ID is required at the water-reclamation-plant security gate. |
Which Los Angeles Recycling Centers Are Open Sunday?
If your “recycling center Los Angeles Sunday” search is really about household hazardous waste or electronics, five permanent S.A.F.E. Centers are the most straightforward weekend options: Nicole Bernson/Balboa, Randall Street, Gaffey Street, Hyperion and Washington Boulevard.
Those five locations currently list Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. UCLA is open only on the first Sunday of the month in addition to Fridays and Saturdays. Los Angeles–Glendale is Saturday-only.
Regular Sunday
Balboa, Randall, Gaffey, Hyperion and Washington Boulevard are the main 9 AM–3 PM S.A.F.E. Center options.
First Sunday
UCLA adds a West LA option on the first Sunday of each month, subject to campus and holiday closures.
Not Sunday
Los Angeles–Glendale currently operates Saturday only, so do not plan a Sunday trip there.
UCLA S.A.F.E. Center: Remaining 2026 Sunday Dates
The West LA S.A.F.E. Center at UCLA has a different schedule from most other Los Angeles locations. LA Sanitation lists public hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Fridays, Saturdays and the first Sunday of each month.
| Date | Status | Hours | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 4, 2026 | Listed open | 9 AM–3 PM | Verify the UCLA/LA Sanitation facility page before driving. |
| November 1, 2026 | Listed open | 9 AM–3 PM | UCLA also lists a Thanksgiving closure on November 27. |
| December 6, 2026 | Listed open | 9 AM–3 PM | Winter closure begins December 25 and runs through January 3, 2027. |
The UCLA location accepts a maximum of 125 pounds or 15 gallons of HHW per visit. The line begins around Charles E. Young Drive West and Charles E. Young Drive South off Gayley Avenue.
Where to Take Different Materials in Los Angeles
The facility name matters less than the waste stream. Use this table before loading your vehicle.
| Material | Best starting route | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Clean paper and cardboard | Blue recycling bin or approved recycling service | Keep material clean and dry; flatten cardboard. |
| Glass bottles and jars | Blue bin; CRV redemption if eligible | Container eligibility and whether you want CRV payment. |
| Aluminum beverage cans | Blue bin or certified CRV center | CRV eligibility and current center hours. |
| Paint and solvents | S.A.F.E. Center / HHW program | Container condition, quantity and transportation limit. |
| TVs, computers and phones | S.A.F.E. Center / approved e-waste route | Remove personal data before disposal. |
| Household batteries | S.A.F.E. Center or approved battery collection | Tape terminals when possible and separate damaged batteries. |
| Furniture and mattresses | LASAN bulky-item pickup or monthly drop-off | Schedule at least one business day before regular trash day for curbside pickup. |
| Refrigerator or metal appliance | LASAN metal-appliance pickup | List every appliance; remove refrigerator/freezer doors before curb placement. |
| Passenger tires | LASAN collection yard / tire program | City residency, annual limit, rims and weekday hours. |
| Business hazardous waste | VSQG appointment program | Eligibility, EPA ID, appointment, monthly limit and fee. |
What Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Centers Accept
S.A.F.E. Centers are designed for household hazardous waste and electronic waste—not ordinary bags of household trash. Official LA Sanitation guidance includes common household materials such as:
Household hazardous waste
- Paints, stains and solvents
- Aerosol cans
- Household cleaners and chemicals
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Pool chemicals
- Automotive fluids
- Used motor oil and filters
- Propane cylinders
- Fluorescent bulbs and mercury-containing items
- Household batteries
Electronic waste
- Televisions and monitors
- Computers and laptops
- Cell phones and tablets
- Printers and cables
- Microwaves and similar electronics
- Rechargeable devices
- Battery-powered electronics
Battery preparation matters
LA Sanitation advises taping battery terminals whenever possible, storing batteries in a non-metal container or plastic bag, and keeping damaged or swollen batteries separate. Batteries should not go in household trash or recycling carts because they can spark and cause fires.
Blue-Bin Recycling in Los Angeles
You usually do not need a special drop-off center for normal household recyclables collected through Los Angeles recycling service. LA Sanitation lists clean paper, cardboard, metal, glass bottles and jars and selected rigid plastics for the blue recycling stream.
Common blue-bin items
- Clean paper and newspapers
- Flattened cardboard
- Aluminum and tin cans
- Clean foil
- Glass bottles and jars
- Plastic bottles, jugs and tubs identified as accepted types
Keep out
- Food and liquids
- Household chemicals
- Batteries
- Rechargeable electronics
- Medical sharps
- Items contaminated with trash or food
If you have a large cardboard load instead of normal curbside quantities, see our cardboard box recycling center guide before choosing a drop-off facility.
Los Angeles CRV Recycling Centers for Bottles and Cans
A S.A.F.E. Center is not the same thing as a California Redemption Value recycling center. If your goal is to receive CRV money for eligible beverage containers, use CalRecycle’s certified recycling-center search and confirm the private center’s current hours before leaving home.
Certified recycling centers set and post their own operating schedules, so a location found through the state database can still have different weekday, Saturday or Sunday hours. Check the specific center after using the ZIP-code finder.
Furniture, Mattresses and Appliance Recycling or Pickup
Large furniture and appliances should not be treated as standard S.A.F.E. Center loads. LA Sanitation provides City residents with bulky-item collection and separate metal-appliance service.
Bulky curbside pickup
LASAN describes bulky-item pickup as an unlimited curbside service at no additional charge for City residents. Schedule at least one business day before your regular trash day.
Examples include couches, tables, chairs, mattresses, box springs, toilets, sinks, carpet and large wood items.
Metal appliances
Refrigerators, freezers and other metal appliances use a dedicated pickup route. LA Sanitation asks residents to list each item when making the request.
For refrigerators and freezers, remove the doors before curb placement to reduce entrapment risk.
LASAN also publishes monthly bulky-item drop-off events at five City locations. For the remainder of 2026, the official schedule lists October 10, November 21 and December 12, generally from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Los Angeles Tire Recycling: Do Not Use the S.A.F.E. Center Route
Used tires cannot go into the black, blue or green City bins. LA Sanitation provides a dedicated residential tire drop-off program at City collection yards.
City of Los Angeles residents may currently drop off up to four tires per calendar year at no charge. Rims must be removed. LA Sanitation requires a valid state-issued photo ID and a current utility bill to verify City residency.
| Collection yard | Address | Regular tire drop-off hours |
|---|---|---|
| East Valley | 11050 Pendleton Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
| South Los Angeles | 786 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90023 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
| Harbor | 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
| North Central | 452 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
| West Los Angeles | 2027 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
| West Valley | 8840 Vanalden Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–1 PM |
Commercial tire-shop and auto-mechanic waste is not accepted through the residential drop-off program. For broader tire planning, see the tire recycling center guide.
Small-Business Hazardous Waste: VSQG Rules Are Different
A business should not assume it can use the same no-appointment resident HHW route. LA Sanitation operates a Very Small Quantity Generator program for eligible businesses.
Eligibility and monthly limit
The program is limited to qualifying Very Small Quantity Generators. LA Sanitation currently lists a maximum of 220 pounds or 27 gallons per month.
Appointment and fee
An appointment is mandatory. A fee is charged according to the waste type and quantity, and most participating businesses need a California State EPA ID number.
Appointments can be arranged through the official VSQG program at 310-387-1071 or the contact method published by LA Sanitation. Participating S.A.F.E. sites operate on assigned Wednesdays for business appointments rather than the public residential weekend schedule.
How to Prepare for a Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Center Visit
Common Los Angeles Recycling Mistakes That Cause Rejected Trips
Using one address for everything
Los Angeles uses separate systems for HHW, normal recycling, CRV redemption, tires, bulky items and appliances.
Following old Glendale information
The Los Angeles–Glendale S.A.F.E. Center is currently listed open Saturdays from 9 AM–3 PM. Older closure references are outdated.
Assuming UCLA is open every Sunday
UCLA operates only on the first Sunday of the month, plus Fridays and Saturdays.
Taking tires to a S.A.F.E. Center
Residential tires use LA Sanitation’s dedicated collection-yard and tire-amnesty programs.
Expecting CRV cash at an HHW site
Use a certified California beverage-container redemption center if receiving a CRV refund is your goal.
Bringing business waste as household waste
Qualifying businesses must follow the appointment-based VSQG process and may be charged a disposal fee.
Related Recycling Guides
Recycling Center Near Me
Use the material-first finder when you need a recycling route outside Los Angeles or are comparing facility types.
TV Recycling Center Near Me
Useful for television types, size issues, e-waste drop-off preparation and alternatives.
Household Hazardous Waste Recycling
Explains HHW preparation, accepted materials, safety checks and facility verification in more depth.
Cardboard Box Recycling Center
Use this when you have moving boxes, shipping cartons or a large clean-cardboard load.
Los Angeles Recycling Center Map and Directions
Because Los Angeles has several S.A.F.E. Centers and other recycling routes, the map below uses a broad Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Center search rather than presenting one address as the City’s universal recycling center.
Frequently Asked Questions About Los Angeles Recycling Centers
What is the main Los Angeles recycling center?
There is no single City recycling center for every material. Los Angeles uses different routes for ordinary blue-bin recyclables, HHW and e-waste, CRV containers, tires, bulky items and appliances.
Which Los Angeles S.A.F.E. Centers are open Sunday?
Nicole Bernson/Balboa, Randall Street, Gaffey Street, Hyperion and Washington Boulevard currently list Saturday and Sunday public hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Is the Los Angeles–Glendale S.A.F.E. Center open?
Yes. LA Sanitation currently lists the center at 4600 Colorado Boulevard as open Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. A state-issued photo ID is required at the security gate.
Is the UCLA S.A.F.E. Center open every Sunday?
No. UCLA operates Fridays, Saturdays and the first Sunday of each month from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Remaining listed 2026 Sundays are October 4, November 1 and December 6.
Is S.A.F.E. Center drop-off free for residents?
LA Sanitation describes residential household hazardous-waste and e-waste service as free for City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County residents. Business hazardous waste follows different rules.
How much household hazardous waste can I bring?
LA Sanitation currently lists a maximum residential HHW transportation limit of 125 pounds or 15 gallons per visit.
Can I bring cardboard, bottles and cans to a S.A.F.E. Center?
Those are ordinary recyclable materials rather than HHW. Use the appropriate blue-bin recycling route, and use a certified CRV redemption center if you want a refund for eligible beverage containers.
Where can Los Angeles residents recycle tires?
LASAN operates dedicated tire drop-off at City collection yards. Residents may currently bring up to four tires per calendar year at no charge, with rims removed and residency documentation required.
Can Los Angeles Sanitation pick up a mattress or couch?
Yes. LASAN offers bulky-item pickup for City residents. The request should be made at least one business day before the normal collection day, and the items need to be included on the service request.
Can a business use a S.A.F.E. Center?
Eligible Very Small Quantity Generators may use the VSQG program by appointment. Fees apply, participation limits apply, and most businesses need a California State EPA ID number. Do not bring business hazardous waste through the ordinary resident drop-off process.
Official Sources Used for This Los Angeles Recycling Update
The operational details on this page were checked against current public information from the agencies responsible for the programs. Always recheck the relevant official page before transporting hazardous materials or making a special trip.
S.A.F.E. Centers and HHW program
HHW disposal rules and accepted materials
Current facility directory
Permanent and temporary collection centers
County HHW and e-waste collection program
Beverage Container Recycling and CRV finder
California electronics recycling information
Before You Load the Car
Start with the material, not the nearest map pin. Use S.A.F.E. Centers for household hazardous waste and electronics, the blue recycling stream for ordinary clean recyclables, CalRecycle-certified locations for CRV redemption, LASAN pickup for large household items and the dedicated City program for tires.
For HHW and e-waste, verify the facility page on the day of your trip, keep the load within the 125-pound or 15-gallon residential limit, secure containers in the trunk or cargo area and follow staff instructions when you arrive.