City of Glendale - Sanitation

Our Business Is Picking Up

The city of Glendale’s Sanitation Division provides a variety of residential and commercial services. Garbage and recycling is collected weekly and bulk (loose) trash is collected monthly. In addition, the city operates the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where recyclable materials are sorted and prepared for sale, as well as the municipal landfill.

Glendale “Treecycling” Sites

Glendale residents are encouraged to recycle their live Christmas trees by dropping them off at the following sites. The “treecycling” sites will be open from Monday, Dec. 26 to Sunday, Jan. 8.
Click here for a list of sites (pdf).

Medication disposal

For tips on how best to dispose of medications, click here to view a brochure from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Hazardous Waste and Trash Collections Just Don’t Mix

Glendale is asking residents to examine the materials that are placed into their refuse containers.  Sanitation collections are experiencing an increase in hot loads. Bill Sterling, Glendale Sanitation Superintendent stated that Glendale averages 2-5 incidents a year. The incidents may require employees to seek medical attention and damage to the equipment can reach into several thousand dollars.

What is a hot load? A truckload of recyclables or trash that catches fire, smolders, spontaneously combusts, or becomes toxic as a result of incompatible waste mixing inside a collection truck.  Hot loads can potentially jeopardize the health and safety of the driver of the collection truck as well as the public. A hot load can occur in neighborhoods while collecting recycling and trash on public roadways, and can damage personal property, roads and collection vehicles.

Residents are asked NOT to place the following items in their recycling/refuse containers:

• Hot ashes (cigarette paraphernalia, hot coals and/or wood)
• Motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, Kerosene
• Paint, varnish, pesticides or other household chemicals
• Auto batteries, rechargeable NiCad or Lithium batteries
• Cooking oil from fryers –State Statutes prohibit disposal of liquid waste

Glendale offers Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collections 2Xper year.  Look on the warning labels of items you are throwing away. Phrases such as:  Flammable, corrosive, and combustible are warnings the container needs special attention for disposal.  Residents can call and schedule an appointment for a HHW collection by calling 623.930.2660. Click here to learn more about hazardous materials.