Organic Waste Recycling Frequently Asked Questions

California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) requires all residents and businesses to reduce organic waste (food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings) sent to the landfill. When organic waste decomposes in a landfill, it releases methane, a harmful gas that traps the sun’s heat and contributes to climate change. Recycling organic waste will result in compost or clean energy and will help reduce the impacts of climate change.

Designated businesses that generate large amounts of surplus edible food will be required to have an edible food donation program. The City sent a notification mailer to businesses that were identified as Tier One Commercial Edible Food Generators under SB 1383 criteria and need to have an edible food recovery program.

A helpful reminder is: if it grows, it goes in the green organic waste recycling bin! If the waste item grew out of the ground or off a tree then it is capable of decaying and should be added to your organic waste recycling bin. Acceptable items include fruit and vegetable peels; coffee grounds and filters; plate scrapings including rice, beans, cooked food; food-soiled paper napkins, plant clippings, other yard trimmings; and untreated wood waste.

Residents and businesses can place food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings in their organic waste recycling bin.

Yes, dairy products may go in the green bin.

To keep your green bin clean try:

• Wrapping your food scraps in paper napkins, paper towels, newspaper or a paper bag.
• Placing food in the freezer or refrigerator and taking it to the organic waste bin before scheduled pickup. Frozen food scraps slow down the decomposition process and can help prevent odors and pests.
• Keeping your green bin lids closed and out of direct sunlight, if possible.

Collection services for households serviced by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department began in January 2023 with the rollout of new green bins and is now complete.

Households serviced by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department will receive the new green bin and kitchen pail at no charge.

The City is complying with a state mandate that includes financial penalties for non-compliance following an extensive educational outreach phase. Organic waste recycling keeps food and yard waste out of the landfill, which helps reduce the amount of methane released into the atmosphere. Reducing what we throw in the trash helps San Diego get closer to the City’s Climate Action and Zero Waste Plan goals of zero waste by the year 2040. Zero waste means diverting as much material and resources from the landfill through reducing, reusing, recycling and composting.

With a green bin and kitchen pail, each household can make a big difference for the environment by collecting food scraps and food-soiled paper in their kitchen pail and discarding the contents into the green bin, along with yard trimmings and clean wood, and setting the green bin out for collection weekly at their normal trash collection location.

The contents in the organic waste bins will be processed at a facility where it is turned into a nutrient-rich soil additive for farmers and gardeners to grow food and plants. As a result of so much organic material being processed into compost, our soils will benefit greatly!

To minimize odors, you can slow down the decomposition process and keep your bin clean with the following tips:

• Collect your food scraps in a small container and place it in your freezer before emptying it into your outdoor green bin.
• Drain as much liquid as possible from wet food scraps before adding to the green bin.

• Wrap food scraps in a paper towel or paper napkins, old newspaper, or paper bag before tossing them in the green bin.

• Layer yard trimmings then food scraps inside the bin with a layer of yard trimmings at the top to act as a cover.

• Sprinkle baking soda in your green bin.

• Keep your green bin in a shaded area with the lid closed at all times.

• Rinse your green bin with mild soap and water when necessary. Make sure to pour dirty water onto your lawn and not in the storm drain.

At the Miramar Greenery, yard waste and food scraps are processed into compost in a Covered Aerated Static Pile system. The organic waste material is ground up and placed in 100-foot-long piles on top of perforated pipes. The pipes attach to a fan that blows air into the piles. A special fabric cover is placed on each pile and causes condensation that provides moisture. The air and moisture allow for microorganisms to convert the material into compost. During this process, the piles reach temperatures as high as 160℉ that eliminate harmful microorganisms known as pathogens but maintain beneficial soil nutrients.

One of the other processes used to recycle organic waste can even create natural gas, which is trapped and cleaned to power vehicle fleets and generate energy.

Plastic bags are not accepted in green bins because plastic does not decompose and is considered to be trash, which does not belong in the finished compost product. At the Miramar Greenery facility, compostable and biodegradable bags also do not consistently break down, are difficult to sift out, and result in contamination that decreases the quality of compost. The finished compost should be free of contamination and of good quality for use on soils.

We discourage the use of plastic liners to avoid additional waste. If you use plastic liners, please make sure to empty the contents into the green bin and throw the plastic liner in the trash bin.

No, products labeled “compostable” or “biodegradable” including items such as bags, takeout containers, coffee pods, food packaging, cups, plates and service ware are not accepted in the green bin. Items displaying a green or brown symbol and bioplastics, which are plastics made from organic material rather than fossil fuels (Polylactic PLA and #7 labeled plastics with a chasing arrow are examples of bioplastics) are not accepted in the green bin. As a reminder, please do not recycle PLA or other types of compostable or biodegradable plastics in your recycling bin. All compostable or biodegradable products should be placed in the trash bin.

San Diego’s Miramar Greenery composting facility cannot break down these types of compostable products. If these items are placed in the green composting bin, they will cause contamination and diminish the quality of the finished compost.

California state law mandates that all residents and businesses reduce organic waste (food scraps and yard trimmings) sent to landfills. It is one of the easiest things we can do to curb climate change.

Collection services for households serviced by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department began in January 2023 with the rollout of new green bins and is now complete.

Residences can search their collection schedule on Get It Done. The word “Organics” with the next collection date on the address search result will be displayed to notify a household actively has new organic waste recycling collection service. Black and green bins collected weekly on the same day. The collection day and schedule for the blue bin will remain the same.

No. If you previously had a green curbside bin for yard waste recycling at home, please do not put this out for weekly. Use your new green bin to collect food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings.

Residents are being asked to place food scraps and food-soiled paper along with their yard waste in their green bin and not in the trash. Your green bin will be picked up weekly. Please place your green bin at your normal collection location by 6 a.m. on the same day as your regularly scheduled, weekly trash collection. The City had also provided residents with a new, free kitchen pail to make it easier for them to collect fruit and vegetable peels, plate scrapings, spoiled food and food-soiled paper, and then empty the contents into their outdoor green bin, along with yard trimmings.

New organic waste recycling green bins have been delivered to all residents with current service, including Accessory Dwelling Units. By default, ADUs receive a 35-gallon organic greens container. Residents can swap out any unused organic greens container for a different size as long as they request it within 14 calendar days of initial delivery.

If you have never been issued a City-provided green bin, one will be delivered to your residence free of charge. Depending on your property, you will receive a 95-gallon, 65-gallon, or 35-gallon green bin. Households are only eligible to exchange container sizes and request additional containers after they have started their new organic waste recycling collection service.

For additional organic waste/ green bin requests, customers must either be on an automated Greens route or on a new Organics route. Customers who currently do not have an automated greens yard waste recycling service and/or who have not been switched to an Organic Waste Recycling route will not be eligible for an additional organic waste/ green container until organics pick-up has started for your address.

The Request for Additional Containers is a three-step process. Below is a general overview of each step. 

1. Address Search: Search for your site by entering your address in the Additional Container Form. 
2. Choose Containers: Place your order for greens/ organics containers and choose the delivery method to identify if you’d like containers delivered for an additional fee ($25 per container) or self-pickup from Collection Service at 8353 Miramar Place, San Diego. 

 Once these first two steps are complete, your request will go through an eligibility process to determine if your property supports an additional container. You will be contacted by email regarding eligibility status and next steps. 

3. Purchase: If eligibility is approved, you will receive an email with purchase instructions. 

 For any questions or issues, please call 858-694-7000 or email trash@sandiego.gov

The distribution of new green bins for organic waste recycling will be rolled out by route. If you received a new green bin, customers will have the option to exchange the container for a smaller or larger container size. Available green bin options are a 35-gallon, 65-gallon and 95-gallon.

All bin requests can be made on the Get It Done app at sandiego.gov/get-it-done or by calling 858-694-7000. 

Requests for an exchange/ swap-out must be submitted within 14 calendar days, and the container must be in new and un-used condition. The Environmental Services Department (ESD) will remove and replace the container on Saturdays for delivery requests.  There will be no additional fees for exchanges requested during the 14-day exchange window. 

Please wait 24 hours to request a green bin exchange online after your new green bin is initially delivered.  In the case of a Friday green bin delivery, please wait until the next business day to request an exchange. 

For exchanges after 14 days, customers must conduct exchanges in-person at the Environmental Services Department’s Collections facility at 8353 Miramar Place, San Diego weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The organic waste green container must be new and un-used condition.  If you are not able to conduct an exchange in person, please contact ESD at the contact information below. 

For any questions or issues, please call 858-694-7000 or email trash@sandiego.gov.

The Environmental Services Department will not be selling additional or replacement kitchen pails. Customers are encouraged to use other containers of their choice such as a reusable container, paper bag, newspaper wrap or another pail as alternatives to the provided kitchen pail.

No. Please wait for the containers to be delivered to your home.

Green bins will be placed on the street, next to the curb, in front of your residence.

We are delivering thousands of containers every day and in many areas in San Diego, which will result in bins next to parked cars. We hope everyone can understand this one-time inconvenience and help ensure their neighbor gets the right bin. We will not block any ADA or handicapped parking.

Your green bin will be picked up once a week on your regularly scheduled collection day at your normal collection location. Find your schedule on Get It Done.

Apartment and condo property owners that receive trash and recycling collection service from a private waste hauler will be required to order and pay for new organic waste recycling collection service from a private waste hauler. This will include providing a separate organic waste bin for residents in the building to dispose of all food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste in addition to the trash and recycling containers. The organic waste bin must be picked up weekly from the property.

Property owners should contact a franchise private hauler for assistance with ordering new organic waste recycling service. You can also email sdrecyclingworks@sandiego.gov to request technical assistance. A Recycling Specialist is available to visit your property to help determine the appropriate bin size and location for your new organic waste recycling bin and provide education resources for your tenants.

Please email sdrecyclingworks@sandiego.gov and a Recycling Specialist will contact your property owner or manager to notify them about the organic waste recycling collection requirement and guide them on how to order a new bin.

Residents will be asked to place food scraps and food-soiled paper along with any yard waste in the green organic waste recycling bin and not in the trash.

Business or property owners that have trash and recycling collection service from a private waste hauler will be required to order and pay for new organic waste recycling collection service from a private waste hauler. This will include providing a separate organic waste bin for your business to dispose of all food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste in addition to the trash and recycling containers. The organic waste recycling bin must be picked up weekly from the property.

Please email sdrecyclingworks@sandiego.gov to request technical assistance to get started or contact a private waste hauler to order new organic waste recycling services. A Recycling Specialist is available to visit your business and help determine the appropriate bin size and location for your new organic waste bin and provide educational resources.

Cleaning services for bins used inside your business are subject to the terms of your collection service contract with your waste hauler or a contract with an independent bin-cleaning service. If your business has an organic waste dumpster, waste haulers are responsible for maintaining these outdoor dumpsters.