Athens Services provides two green 32 gallon containers (specifically labeled for greenwaste) that are collected once per week on your regularly scheduled collection day. You may recycle an unlimited amount of yard waste as long as the materials are in similar containers that are clearly marked “yard waste.” Acceptable greenwaste includes: grass, leaves, pruning, weeds, vegetation, twigs and small branches. Bundles, no longer than 36” and wider than 18”, or more than 30 pounds are also accepted. Please place bundles next to your greenwaste containers.

In regards to recyclable materials, residents place all materials other than greenwaste into one container, which is often called comingling. Athens will transport the comingled waste to their Material Recovery Facility, and remove the recyclable materials for reuse. This will increase the amount of materials that can be recycled and reused, and decrease what goes to a landfill. Residents can place the comingled waste in the existing “blue” containers from the previous contract or in their private containers for pickup.

Additional green containers may be requested at no charge by contacting Athens Services directly. For more information regarding the City’s recycling program, or to request additional containers, please contact Athens Services Customer Service Department at (888) 336-6100.

No. The Palos Verdes Estates Municipal Code prohibits the placement of refuse containers adjacent to the street or on City Parkland, even on collection day. The ordinance requires that the containers are to be kept in a concealed trash area on the property where the City’s approved refuse hauler retrieves them and returns them after emptying. Please contact the City Code Enforcement Officer at (310) 378-0383 ext. 2209, if you have any questions or concerns.

Effective July 1, 2012, the City contracts with Athens Services for its refuse and recycling. Any problems or concerns may be reported to Customer Service at (888) 336-6100. We recommend getting the dispatcher’s name when you call in case future assistance is required. If that does not resolve the problem, please contact City Hall.

E-waste is a general category of electronic products including broken or obsolete televisions, computer monitors, central processing units (CPU), cordless and cell phones, cash registers, videocassette recorders, cell phones, copiers and printers, stereos and speakers, microwaves, x-ray machines, and some scientific equipment. These products may contain toxic materials such as lead, barium, mercury, and cadmium that require proper management as well as valuable resources that should be recovered.

Athens Services conducts four e-waste collection events per year.  Additionally, e-waste can be taken to the Gaffey Street S.A.F.E. Collection Center, which is open to all Los Angeles County residents.  For more information please visit the City's E-waste webpage.

The location of private sewer laterals and sewer connections to the City main sewer line varies depending on the address. Some are located in a backyard easement, some are in alleys or parkland, and some are out in the street in front of the home. The homeowner or plumbing contractor can come to City Hall during morning counter hours to request a sewer location. We will photocopy any information we have on the sewer lateral and sewer connection locations for the person requesting it.

The City’s waste hauler will provide green 32-gallon green waste containers and blue 32-gallon recycling containers to residents whose containers need to be replaced. Residents are responsible for purchasing and replacing their own 32-gallon regular trash containers. Residents are allowed two of each kind of container.

The City only repairs and replaces existing curb. Homeowners without existing curb can choose to submit a curb and gutter construction plan to the City and once it’s approved, can hire a licensed contractor to obtain a permit and construct the curb or curb and gutter.

The City does have a program to upgrade existing curbs that are in disrepair under the condition that there is no non-standard hardscape in the right-of-way next to that curb. Non-standard hardscape next to curb would include parallel walkways or stepping stones, planters, or perpendicular walkways that flare into a T-shape at the curb. Residents can contact the Public Works Department to request curb repair. The Public Works Department will inspect the curb conditions and respond to the homeowner via mail whether any nonstandard items must be addressed, or provide a confirmation for the homeowner to sign. Curbs that can be replaced will be placed on a waiting list for construction until enough locations have been compiled to bid a project.

Residents can send their requests for new traffic signs or striping to the Traffic Safety Committee for possible review at their next available meeting. They meet on the second Wednesday of every month and letters must arrive the third Friday prior to the Wednesday meeting in order to place an item on the agenda.

The Traffic Safety Committee reviews all requests before making recommendations to the City Council for any installations. City Council will then review the Committee’s recommendations and decide whether to implement them.

The Traffic Safety Committee is an advisory body to City Council. Applications to Traffic Safety are presented to and heard by the Committee; their recommendations are subsequently forwarded to City Council for confirmation. If you disagree with a Traffic Safety Committee recommendation, you may write a letter to City Council to request further discussion before the suggested action is voted upon--usually at the next Regular Council Meeting on the calendar. If time is of the essence, you may wish to attend the City Council meeting when the item is to be considered and request in person, by filling out a speaker card, that the item be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion.

The Parklands Committee is an advisory body to City Council. Applications to Parklands are presented to and heard by the Committee; their recommendations are subsequently forwarded to City Council for confirmation. If you disagree with a Parklands Committee recommendation, you may write a letter to City Council to request further discussion before the suggested action is voted upon--usually at the next Regular Council Meeting on the calendar. If time is of the essence, you may wish to attend the City Council meeting when the item is to be considered and request in person, by filling out a speaker card, that the item be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion.