MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY COMMERCIAL WASTE
MIXED RECYCLING AND ORGANICS RECYCLING REQUIREMENTS
Multi-family properties - those with five or more units on one parcel - must meet state mandates for diverting mixed recyclables and organics (food waste, food-soiled paper, and green waste) from landfill disposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently this means all multi-family properties must separate their waste into: recyclables, organics (food waste, food-soiled paper, and green waste), and garbage.
What Are The Requirements for the New Law SB1383?
All multi-family properties must divert their organic waste (food scraps, food-soiled paper, and green waste) from out of their garbage bin. This means property managers must provide a separate organics container to tenants in addition to trash and mixed recycling containers. This three-bin system will allow everyone to properly dispose of organic materials separately from garbage and mixed recyclables. State law SB1383 applies to all commercial property types, even if they don't serve or sell food.
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What are Organic Materials?
Food Waste
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Uncoated (not shiny) Food-
Soiled Paper
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Green Waste / Landscaping
Trimmings
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Cooked and raw food waste, such as uneaten vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy, bones, baked goods, etc.
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Grass clippings, small branches, leaves, cut flowers, garden trimmings, wood chips, and clean wood (no paint, no stain, etc.)
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Used napkins, paper cups, coffee filters, greasy pizza boxes, used paper plates, etc.
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Who Needs To Comply?

Organics recycling services are mandatory for all businesses and multi-family properties with five units or more in the State of California. Before proceeding with the compliance instructions below, please verify your multi-family property is within the City of Sacramento with our address lookup tool.
How Do I Comply?
Organics recycling services are mandatory. If you have not complied, your waste hauler will provide advance notice before delivering an organic recycling bin and starting the state mandated collection services. Your property will also be subject to fines and fees for non-compliance issue by the City of Sacramento. There are three ways which you can be considered in compliance with the law.
Multi-family property managers must select one or more of the following options:
1) Sign-Up for Organic Service with your waste hauler - Call your waste hauler today to sign up for organics pickup services for your multi-family property. You may also choose a different Franchised Hauler from the one you use for trash and/or recycling to collect organic material.
- Organic Material Recycling Minimum Service Guideline (Multi-Family Properties): 64-gallon cart for every 25 units (or the equivalent of 64-gallons of service per 25 units)
2) Alternative Organic Service - If your multi-family property uses one or more alternative organic material recycling services, complete and submit the Alternative Service Verification section of the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. You will need to provide proof of alternative services such as copies of contracts and weight tickets from disposal sites. Your business will be subject to a city inspection to verify the information you provide. Options for Alternative Services include:
1. Third-Party Recycler: You contract with a licensed recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and properly recycles all organic material. Required: All valid contracts between the property and each alternative service recycler must be submitted with your organic material recycling compliance form and retained on-site for verification during inspection.
2. Self-Haul: You self-haul all organic materials to a local organics recycling facility. Required: Copies of weigh ticket or receipts from a licensed organics recycling facility must be submitted with your organic material recycling compliance form and retained on-site for verification during inspection. Note: If you are only self-hauling green waste, all other organic materials must also be collected and properly recycled through a franchised hauler, or another option listed on this page.
3. Shared Container: You have an agreement for tenants to place all organic material in an immediately adjacent commercial property's organic material recycling container to be recycled. Shared service must meet the combined minimum requirements for both commercial properties. Required: Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the recycling collection services contract must be submitted with your organic material recycling compliance form and retained on-site for verification during inspection.
3) Physical Space Waiver (rare) - If your multi-family property does not have adequate space for the minimum sized 64-gallon organics collection cart (approximately 25” wide x 32” deep x 42” high), please apply for a Physical Space Waiver. Supporting documents, such as photographs of the property, are required as evidence that your property does not have space for the smallest cart available. The City will also conduct an inspection for verification purposes.
For more information visit the FAQs or contact wastecompliance@cityofsacramento.org.
What is the law? Multi-family properties, with five or more units on one parcel, are required to arrange for recycling services.
Which materials should be Recycled? Paper, cardboard, hard plastics (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7), aluminum/metal containers, and all colors of glass bottles and jars. Contact your hauler to learn more about what is acceptable/unacceptable, and how acceptable items must be prepared.
Who Needs To Comply?
Mixed recycling services ("blue bin") are mandatory for all businesses and multi-family properties with five units or more in the state of California. Before proceeding with the compliance instructions below, please ensure your multi-family property is within the City of Sacramento with our address lookup tool.
How Do I Comply?
Multi-family properties must select one or more of the following options:
1) Sign-Up for Recycling Service with Waste Hauler - Call your waste hauler today to sign up for recycling service. You may also choose a different Franchised Hauler to collect and haul your recyclables.
2) Alternative Recycling Service - Complete and submit the Alternative Service Verification portion in the Recycling Compliance Form if your property uses one or more of these alternative recycling services:
1. Third-Party Recycler: You contract with a licensed recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and recycles all generated recyclable material. Required: All valid contracts between the property and each alternative service recycler must be submitted with your alternative recycling service form and retained on-site for verification during inspection.
2. Self-Haul: You haul recyclable materials collected to a local recycling facility. Required: Copies of weigh ticket or receipts from a licensed recycling facility must be submitted with your alternative recycling service form and retained on-site for verification during inspection. Note: If you are only self-hauling CRV items (ie: aluminum cans, glass bottles, etc), all other recyclable materials must also be collected and recycled through a franchised hauler, or another option listed on this page.
3. Shared Container: You have an agreement for tenants to place all organic material in an immediately adjacent commercial property's organic material recycling container to be recycled. Shared service must meet the combined minimum requirements for both commercial properties. Required: Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the recycling collection services contract must be submitted with your alternative recycling service form and retained on-site for verification during inspection.
3) Physical Space Waiver (rare) - If your property does not have adequate space for a recycling material container, complete the Physical Space Waiver portion on the Recycling Compliance Form. Supporting documents are required as evidence that your property does not have space for a 64-gallon cart, one of the smallest carts available. 64-gallon carts are approximately 25" wide x 32" deep x 42" high.
For more information contact wastecompliance@cityofsacramento.org.
The City of Sacramento Commercial Waste Compliance team regulates commercial solid waste collection services and recycling requirements mandated by the State of California. The City of Sacramento does not provide commercial waste collection services. Instead, The City of Sacramento has issued franchise agreements to waste haulers who provide commercial waste, recycling, and organics collections in the City of Sacramento.
Franchised Haulers - Please visit our franchised hauler page for a full list of current City of Sacramento commercial franchised haulers and their contact information.
City of Sacramento Commercial Waste Compliance Email: wastecompliance@cityofsacramento.org.
Phone: (916) 808-4846. Note: Callers must leave a voicemail with their business name, caller name, and phone number. Callers will receive a response within three (3) business days.