This Valentine’s Day, consider celebrating with intention by choosing low-waste gifts and meaningful experiences.

Many traditional Valentine’s items, like novelty trinkets and short-lived décor, are often used once and then sent to the landfill.

Instead, opt for experiences, handmade items, or reusable gifts that create lasting memories without the waste. A thoughtful, low-waste choice can show love for both the people in your life and the planet. 💚

Try gifting your loved one a low-waste, experience gift such as:

• Concert or comedy club tickets
• Art class
• Annual park pass
• Dance class
• Spa day pass
• Cooking class

Applications are open for the Spring 2026 Compost and Recycling Ambassador (CRA) Program! 🌱

Join a network of passionate residents helping Long Beach reduce waste and build a more sustainable future for our amazing city.♻️

This seven-week training program, offered at no cost to Long Beach residents 18 and older, combines lectures, hands-on experiences, and collaboration to teach about waste reduction strategies, recycling history, systems, and practices.

The City, with funding from a grant, is partnering with Puente Latino Association to offer the program in Spanish, expanding access to more residents!

Did you know? All Long Beach residents with City-serviced trash, recycling, and organics service will have their purple recycling carts exchanged for blue recycling carts starting in February 2026.

We are transitioning recycling carts from purple to blue to comply with state law (SB 1383) and create a more consistent recycling system statewide.

What to know:

• There will be no changes to your recycling service, costs, or what goes in the cart.
• Recycling carts will be exchanged over a six to eight-month period.
• Carts will be exchanged on your regular collection day.
• Place your purple recycling cart at your regular service location by 6 a.m., even if it is not full.
• Use this interactive map to help you find your estimated blue recycling cart delivery date

This update helps make recycling clearer, easier, and more aligned across California.

New look, same simple recycling. 💙♻️

Find out the answer at the bottom of this email!

Keep an eye out for us! You may see us in your neighborhood.

The City has teamed up with the Conservation Corps of Long Beach on a door-to-door education campaign to:

• Share tips: Learn what goes in trash, recycling, and organics carts.
• Check carts (6 a.m.- 9 a.m.): See campaign progress and how households are sorting.
• Leave tags: Educational reminders of what to improve or praise for getting it right!

In observance of Presidents' Day, many City of Long Beach facilities will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, and some services will be impacted.

🚛 ♻️ Refuse/Recycling/Organics 

Refuse, recycling, and organics collection will occur on February 16.

📞The Customer Call Center will be closed on February 16.

Recycle unwanted documents and save space!

Saturday, March 7, 2026

8 a.m.- 10 a.m. (or until the mobile shredding truck on site is full)

Veterans Memorial Stadium

4901 E. Conant St. (enter on Conant St.)

The City of Long Beach’s Department of Energy & Environmental Services is hosting shred events at no cost to help residents securely dispose of confidential documents.

Accepted:

• Confidential documents, white or color paper
• Manila file folders, staples and paperclips
• Envelopes and cardboard

Not Accepted:

• CDs, hard drives and cell phones
• Three-ring binders, credit cards
• Hanging file folders, metal objects, plastics, glass, plastic bags, food, batteries, weapons

Palm fronds are too fibrous to go in your green cart and are not accepted at the organics processing facilities.

Please place them in your trash cart or City-serviced residents can request a no-cost special collection if they do not fit in your trash cart.

Help protect the environment and the solid waste management workers who serve our community. Household hazardous waste cannot be disposed of in the trash or any curbside cart because it can harm our soil and waterways and put collection crews at risk.

Long Beach residents have access to household hazardous waste drop-off events at no cost.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes, but is not limited to:

• Lightbulbs
• Electronics
• Paint
• Pool and garden chemicals
• Medications
• Batteries

HHW & E-Waste Collection Events:



Gaffey Street S.A.F.E. Center Drop-Off

1400 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Signal Hill EDCO HHW Drop-Off

2755 California Ave., Signal Hill

2nd & 4th Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.*

*See longbeach.gov/hhw for holiday closures.

E-Waste ONLY:



Conservation Corps Long Beach (CCLB) E-Waste Drop-Off Site*

340 Nieto Ave., Long Beach

Every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Conservation Corps Long Beach (CCLB) E-Waste Pickup*

Contact CCLB to schedule a free e-waste pickup by calling 562-577-2555 or 562-639-1446.

*CCLB accepts e-waste ONLY and does NOT accept used oil, tires, or other household hazardous waste.