Solid Waste and Recycling

Thank you for visiting the Solid Waste and Recycling Division, where we implement the City’s solid waste ordinance and manage programs to reduce waste. The solid waste and recycling programs are funded by user fees and state grants.
In 2016, then Governor Brown signed legislation (Senate Bill 1383) that targets the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants, including methane. The bill sets aggressive targets for reducing the amount of organic waste that can be sent to landfills by directing the state’s Department of Resources Recycling & Recovery (CalRecycle) to adopt regulations and requirements to achieve a state-wide 50% reduction in organic waste disposal by 2020 and a 75% reduction by 2025.

California is experiencing extreme weather events that are partly caused by too much greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are produced when organic materials end up in the landfill and decompose anaerobically (without oxygen).

Working together, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by composting organic material. Once composted, this material pulls greenhouse gases from the atmosphere into the soil where it's applied. Each of us can play a role in combating climate change by composting organics and redistributing edible food to those in need.

For additional details on how to Recycle Food Waste at Home, please click here or on the picture shown below.