Recycling Ordinance Update

• 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:

• Recycle plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, newspaper, metal containers, cardboard, rigid plastics including clean food waste containers, jugs, tubs, trays, pots, buckets and toys.
• Organic waste recycle yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste.

Contact City approved franchise haulers or certified recycle material collectors to request recycling and organics waste recycling containers and service needs.

• Recycling hauler list for multi-family

Businesses and institutional facilities must:

• Recycle plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, newspaper, metal containers, cardboard, rigid plastics including clean food waste containers, jugs, tubs, trays, pots, buckets and toys, organics waste recycle food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste.

Contact City approved franchise haulers or certified recycle material collectors to request recycling and organics waste recycling containers and service needs.

• Recycling and food waste recycling hauler list for businesses

Special events requiring a City permit must:

• Recycle plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, newspaper, metal containers, cardboard, rigid plastics including clean food waste containers, jugs, tubs, trays, pots, buckets and toys.
• Provide recycling containers throughout the venue.
• Ensure that all recyclable materials are delivered to a recycling facility, and not to a landfill.

Contact City approved special event collectors to request recycling containers and service needs.

• Recycling hauler list for special events

Exemptions may be granted upon (but are not limited to) consideration of the following factors:

• The facility does not generate the threshold amount for waste and recycling.
  • Commercial and multi-family properties that generate 0.001 cubic yards or less per week* of trash and recyclables.
  • Multi-family properties that generate less than 0.5 cubic yard per week** of yard trimmings and non-hazardous wood waste.
  • Commercial facilities that generate less than 0.5 cubic yard per week** of yard trimmings, non-hazardous wood waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper.

*0.001 cubic yard is about one 24-ounce cup

**0.5 cubic yard is about one 96-gallon container

• The facility does not generate recyclables.
• There is inadequate space to accommodate a recycling container.
• The facility has an approved shared service agreement with another facility who has certified waste hauling service.
• The facility self-hauls or back-hauls their recyclable materials generated by their property. In which case, the recyclables must be delivered to a recycling facility

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.

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:

• Issue a written warning (Notice of Violation) regarding non-compliance and determine a follow-up date in accordance to the violation and the amount of time needed to reach compliance.
• Coordinate technical assistance with a City Recycling Specialist to ensure compliance assistance is provided.

If the Notice of Violation deadline is not met, the Code Compliance Officer may:

• Issue an Administrative Citation not below $250 for the first offense.
• Issue a new follow-up date in accordance with the Administrative Citation.
• Continue to coordinate technical assistance with a City Recycling Specialist.
• Continue to issue Administrative Citations not to exceed $1,000 for each subsequent offense should compliance not be met on the Code Officer’s follow-up date(s).

• The Environmental Services Department can provide free help to set up or improve your recycling program, meet with you on-site to assess any space concerns, provide container recommendations and conduct recycling training presentations for your tenants, employees, or janitorial and custodial provider. Request assistance by contacting sdrecyclingworks@sandiego.gov or 858-694-7000.
• Visit the residential, business and special events webpages for resources to support your recycling and organic waste recycling programs such as flyers, signs, education materials, notification letters and other tips to reduce waste.
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn more about the City of San Diego's Recycling Ordinance and Recycling Container & Signage Guidelines.
• Learn more about the State AB 341 recycling requirements and State AB 1826 composting requirements.