A garbage or recyclable material handling system uses material containers each pivotally mounted to respective supports at desired locations for movement between a lower material receiving position and a partially inverted material discharge position. At least one materials collection vehicle is provided to communicate with respective containers when in the discharge position to receive the materials discharged therefrom. This vehicle has an actuator assembly mounted thereto including an arm extendible outwardly of the vehicle and having an actuator secured to a distal end of the arm. The arm is adapted to be positioned to operatively engage between the support and the container (when the vehicle is located to receive the materials from the container) and to exert forces therebetween to cause the container to pivot from the receiving position to the discharge position to effect material discharge into the vehicle and to thereafter cause or permit the container to pivot back to the lower receiving position following which the actuator can be disengaged and the arm retracted inwardly toward the vehicle to allow the vehicle to move away from the container.