Recycling is an integral part of protecting the environment, reducing waste, and improving our lives. Throughout the state of California, many laws and ordinances have been passed to help reduce waste and improve recycling services. In San Diego, especially, there is much that is being done.
Residential Recycling
Since 2012, California state law requires single-family homes as well as any apartment or condo complex that has five or more units to collect recyclable materials on site. In addition, any residence that generates an average of four or more cubic yards of trash per week is also required to sort and recycle.
The City of San Diego has had a commingled, automated curbside recycling program that has been running for the last few years. Currently, this recycling program serves 276,000 residents with every-other-week collection service for many common recycling items such as:
- Paper, mail, magazines, paper bags
- Plastic bottles of all sizes
- Aluminum and metal cans
- Tin and aluminum foil
- Styrofoam containers and cups
- Glass containers
- Cardboard boxes and sheets
- Food boxes and containers
Commercial Recycling
Businesses and City government buildings now have specific recycling guidelines that they must adhere to. Property managers, as well as business owners, are responsible for ensuring that the following are all provided on their premises:
- Providing collection containers in easy to access areas for employees and residents
- Collection of recyclables as often as is needed to keep up with the accumulation
- Minimal requirement to collect plastic and glass bottles, paper, foil and cardboard
- Appropriately sized and designed recycling containers and proper signage
- Arrangements to get recycling to a recycling center and not to the landfill
Special Events
Beginning February 18, 2008, the City of San Diego Recycling Ordinance requires the organizer or head of any event to provide recycling containers and that the responsible individual oversees the collection and removal of recycling after the event. The ordinance applies to all permitted special events held on public property that require a permit from the City of San Diego. Parades, festivals, community events, city events, city fundraisers and other such organizations and gatherings fall under this ordinance.
The recycling ordinance requires that:
- There must be as many recycling contains provided as there are trash cans provided.
- Recycling and trash containers must be placed together all around the event space.
- Each recyclable container is required to be clearly marked as such.
- Each recycling container or receptacle needs to list what items are accepted.
- Organizers can collect any reclining materials that they want based on their event.
- All events must at least collect cans, glass and plastic bottles and jars.
- The main coordinator must ensure that all recyclable materials don’t end up at the dump.
What Can Be Recycled May Change Over Time
It is essential to pay close attention to the updated ordinances and regulations because new items are always being added to the accepted recycling lists. The most recent addition includes Styrofoam containers and cups, and new items are hopefully in line to be added in the very near future. To do your part to help recycling efforts in the San Diego area, knowing what can and cannot be recycled is the easiest way to make a difference!
Contact Us To Learn More
To learn more about recycling in general and how Debris Box can help you with your recycling and trash hauling needs, give us a call. We have been proudly serving the local area for years, and we would love to help you with your residential, commercial, or special event recycling needs. Call now to get started!
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