Are you tired of forgetting to pay your Recology waste management bill in Butte County? I’ve been there! Nothing worse than realizing you missed a payment and now face potential late fees. Today I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about paying your Recology Butte County bill with simple steps anyone can follow.
What is Recology Butte Colusa Counties?
Before diving into payment options, let’s talk about who Recology Butte Colusa Counties actually is They’re part of the larger Recology family, an employee-owned company providing waste management services across California, Oregon, and Washington In Butte County specifically, Recology handles garbage collection, recycling, and composting services for residents and businesses.
The service areas include:
- Chico
- Oroville
- Butte County unincorporated areas
They also service nearby Colusa County (City of Colusa, County of Colusa, and Williams), but today we’re focusing on the Butte County options
Online Bill Pay Options for Recology Butte County
The easiest way to pay your Recology bill is online! I’ve been doing this for years and it saves so much time. Recology offers several convenient options:
1. Paying Through Recology’s Online Portal
As of November 2025, Recology is transitioning to a new Customer Account Portal (starting June 28, 2025). This means you’ll need to select the appropriate payment system based on your invoice date:
- For older invoices (dated before July 31, 2025) – Use their original payment system
- For newer invoices (dated after July 31, 2025) – Use their new payment system
To pay online, simply visit billpay.recology.com and follow the prompts.
2. Creating an Online Account vs. One-Time Payments
You have two main options when paying online:
Option 1: Create a User Account (Recommended)
Creating an account lets you:
- Make payments
- Set up automatic payments (no more forgotten bills!)
- View payment history
- Add customer and payment accounts
- Correspond with customer service via email
Option 2: One-Time Payment
If you just wanna pay quick without creating an account, you can make a one-time payment without registering.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Recology Account
I remember being confused my first time setting up online bill pay, so here’s a simple guide:
- Visit billpay.recology.com
- Have ready:
- Your paper bill
- Banking/credit card information
- Email address
- Create a User ID and password (these are CASE SENSITIVE!)
- Follow the prompts to complete enrollment
- Once logged in, you can make payments immediately
Pro Tip: For security, Recology automatically signs you out after 20 minutes of inactivity. If the session times out before you finish enrollment, you’ll have to start over. So have your info ready!
Payment Methods Accepted
Recology accepts several payment methods:
Bank Accounts:
- Checking accounts
- Savings accounts
Credit Cards:
- MasterCard
- Visa
- American Express
And the best part? There are NO FEES for online payments! That’s right – Recology doesn’t charge extra for this convenience.
Setting Up Automatic Payments (My Personal Favorite)
I switched to autopay last year and it’s been a game-changer. No more remembering due dates! Here’s how to set it up:
- Log into your account
- Click “Payments” in the navigation
- Choose “Add/View Recurring Payments”
- Set up your payment preferences
- Confirm and save
Once your recurring payment is set up, payments will automatically be made from your specified account. You can set up one recurring payment for each customer account.
When Will My Payment Be Processed?
Understanding when your payment is processed is important:
For Bank Account Payments:
- Payments initiated before 1pm Eastern Time on business days can be processed same-day
- Payments are credited to your account on the business day following payment date
- Funds may be withdrawn from your bank account on or after your payment date
Here’s a simple schedule:
| If you schedule payment for… | E-BillPay credits your account on… |
|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday |
| Tuesday | Wednesday |
| Wednesday | Thursday |
| Thursday | Friday |
| Friday | Following Monday |
For Credit Card Payments:
- These are “real-time” transactions processed immediately
- Payments before 8pm Eastern Time on business days are credited next business day
- Payments after 8pm or on weekends/holidays are credited within two business days
Pay by Phone Option
Not comfortable with online payments? No problem! You can pay your Recology Butte County bill by phone too.
For statements dated before July 31, 2025, call 530-443-9246. Just have your account number ready when you call.
Checking Payment Status
After making a payment, you might wonder if it went through. Here’s how to check:
- Log into your account
- Click “Payments” in the main navigation bar
- Select “View Payment History”
- Check your payment status (approved, scheduled, pending, or rejected)
Recology displays payment history for up to 6 months, so you can easily track what you’ve paid.
Special Forms for Butte County Residents
Recology provides several forms that might be helpful for Butte County customers:
- Explanation of residential bill charges
- Explanation of apartment bill charges (6+ units)
- Explanation of commercial bill charges
These forms can help clarify any confusing charges on your bill.
Common Questions About Recology Bill Pay
Is Recology online bill pay secure?
Yes! Recology uses several security methods:
- Unique User ID and Password
- SSL (secure socket layers)
- 128-bit encryption
- Automatic sign-out after 20 minutes of inactivity
What if I forget my password?
If you forget your password, go to the login page and click “Forgot password?” Enter your user ID, and your password will be emailed to the address you provided during enrollment.
Can I pay my bill from outside the US?
Absolutely! You can access your account from anywhere with internet connection.
Will I still get paper bills after enrolling in online billing?
Nope! Once you’ve enrolled in Recology online billing, they’ll send you an email notification when a bill is available to be paid through the website.
Can I cancel a scheduled payment?
Yes, but only if its status is still “Scheduled.” Payments with “Pending” or “Approved” status cannot be canceled.
Tips for Hassle-Free Recology Bill Payments
After using Recology’s payment system for several years, I’ve learned a few tricks:
-
Set up autopay – This is hands down the best way to avoid late fees and the stress of remembering due dates.
-
Schedule payments in advance – If you don’t use autopay, schedule your payment at least 2-3 business days before the due date to ensure timely processing.
-
Add multiple accounts – If you manage bills for rental properties or family members, you can add multiple Recology accounts under one login. Simply click “My Profile” after logging in, then “My Accounts.”
-
Update contact info – Make sure your email address is current so you receive bill notifications and payment confirmations.
-
Check payment history regularly – This helps catch any issues early.
What to Do If You Have Issues
Sometimes technology just doesn’t cooperate! If you’re having trouble with online bill pay, you can:
- Contact Recology customer service through the website
- Call the phone payment number (530-443-9246)
- Visit your local Recology office in Butte County
Final Thoughts on Managing Your Recology Butte County Payments
Managing your waste management bill shouldn’t be complicated. With these online options from Recology, paying your Butte County garbage and recycling bill is easier than ever.
I personally switched to automatic payments last year and haven’t looked back. It’s one less bill to worry about each month, and the online system makes it easy to check my account whenever I need to.
Remember, Recology is transitioning to a new Customer Account Portal starting June 28, 2025, so be sure to check your invoice date before paying to use the correct system. This transition might cause some temporary confusion, but the end result should be an even better payment experience.
Whether you’re in Chico, Oroville, or elsewhere in Butte County, these payment options make managing your Recology bill simpler than ever before. No more stamps, no more checks, and no more forgetting to pay!
Have you tried Recology’s online payment system? What’s been your experience? I’d love to hear how it’s working for other Butte County residents!

North Valley Waste Management
- Self-haul recyclables to a recycling facility.
- Subscribe for recycling services from one of the two City permitted waste haulers, North Valley Waste Management or Recology Butte & Colusa Counties.
- Arrange for the pickup of the recyclable materials by a non-profit or another entity, provided that there is no charge for this pickup service.