South Pasadena is refreshing the way we recycle, compost, and sort our waste. The City and Athens are here to make sure residents have all the tools to make the transition easier!
Beginning the week of November 10, Athens Services will start delivering brand-new barrels to single-family and multifamily homes with manual barrel service. Deliveries will continue citywide through the end of November.
Once your new set arrives, you can start using them right away:
Black Barrel | Trash
Blue Barrel | Recycling
Green Barrel | Organics
Need help figuring out what goes where? Athens’ interactive tool makes sorting easy! Visit athensservices.com/recycling-guide to search for any item and see exactly which bin it belongs in.
What to Do with Your Old Barrels
Out with the old, in with the new! The week after your new barrels are delivered, you can recycle your old ones by simply placing them upside down in your trash enclosure on your regular service day. Athens will collect and recycle them through December 12, 2025.
Want to keep your old barrels for gardening or storage? Go for it! Just remember, they can no longer be used for regular waste collection.
Missed the Deadline? No Problem!
If you didn’t submit your barrel selections by October 10, you can still contact Athens Customer Service to make your selections. A one-time $40 delivery fee may apply.
Need to adjust your previous order? Athens can help with that too. Just give them a call and have your account information ready so they can assist you quickly.
Athens Customer Service: 888.336.6100
Confused About What Goes Where?
As South Pasadena transitions to a 3-stream waste collection system, it’s totally normal to have questions about where items belong — trash, recycling, or organics.
Here’s a helpful resource:
Visit athensservices.com/recycling-guide for Athens’ interactive “What Goes Where” tool. It walks you through how to reuse, recycle, and compost everyday materials — making waste sorting easy and stress-free.
Let’s sort smarter, South Pas — together we can make a cleaner, greener community!
