Environmental Services
Did you know everyone in the City of San Diego is required to recycle? But what and how we recycle has recently changed. City-serviced multi-family residences, privately serviced businesses, commercial/institutional facilities, apartments, condominiums and permitted special events all have a new list of items that must be recycled. See how the new rules impact you.
Effective January 1, 2022, California law Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) requires all generators statewide to reduce organic waste that is disposed of in landfills. All residents and commercial businesses are now required to separate their organic waste for organic waste recycling. Organic waste recycling is the recycling of organic material - food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste. This form of recycling includes composting, a process that breaks down organic material into beneficial soil nutrients or anaerobic digestion, a process that breaks down organic material into a gas used to make electricity. Learn more about SB 1383 in San Diego and details of California requirements.
Please see below free upcoming workshops or webinars to learn more about edible food recovery, food waste prevention and organic waste recycling. Click on the link to register and see more details.
Single-family Homes Serviced by the City
Contact Environmental Services Department for recycling collection containers and service requests at trash@sandiego.gov or 858-694-7000.
Single-family Homes Serviced by a Private Hauler
Contact City approved franchise haulers or certified recycle material collectors to request recycling containers and service needs.
Apartments and condominiums with two or more units serviced by private hauler must:
Hauler |
Self-Haul, Back Haul or Shares Service |
|
Recycling Options |
Subscribe to recycling collection service in a separate container for pick up at least twice per month for all mixed recyclable materials generated. |
The property owner/manager needs to complete and submit annually a |
Organic Waste Recycling Options |
Subscribe to organic waste recycling collection service in a separate container for pick up at least twice per month for yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste. |
Contract with gardening or landscaping service provider to self-haul yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste to a
The property owner/manager needs to complete and submit annually a |
Contact City approved franchise haulers or certified recycle material collectors to request recycling and organics waste recycling containers and service needs.
Businesses and institutional facilities must:
Hauler |
Self-Haul, Back Haul or Shares Service |
|
---|---|---|
Recycling Options |
Subscribe to recycling collection in a separate container with service of sufficient quantity, size and pick up frequency for all mixed recyclable materials generated. |
The property owner/manager needs to complete and submit annually a |
Organic Waste Recycling Options |
Subscribe to organic waste recycling collection service in a separate container for pick up at least twice per month for yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste. AND Subscribe to organics waste recycling collection service in a separate container for pick up at least one time per week for food scraps and food-soiled paper. |
Contract with gardening or landscaping service provider to self-haul yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste to a The property owner/manager needs to complete and submit annually a |
Contact City approved franchise haulers or certified recycle material collectors to request recycling and organics waste recycling containers and service needs.
Special events requiring a City permit must:
Contact City approved special event collectors to request recycling containers and service needs.
Exemptions may be granted upon (but are not limited to) consideration of the following factors:
*0.001 cubic yard is about one 24-ounce cup
**0.5 cubic yard is about one 96-gallon container
The facility owner must submit an annual Recycling Reporting Form to the Environmental Services Department if they share recycling service, self-haul or back-haul their recyclable materials.
The City will not be considering requests for exemptions for California Senate Bill 1383 until after the City of San Diego's municipal code is amended, which will take effect in the spring of 2022.
Please note that exemptions may be granted but may warrant additional site check(s) to ensure exemptions are granted fairly across the board. If you have an assigned Code Enforcement Officer, she/he can further discuss the exemption application process with you.
The City of San Diego has Code Compliance Officers that will routinely visit properties to ensure all City and State regulations are being met. Under the City Recycling Ordinance, Code Compliance Officers may:
If the Notice of Violation deadline is not met, the Code Compliance Officer may: