San Francisco Curbside Recycling Program Overview
Recycling is more important than ever before to individuals and to cities such as San Francisco. There is a pressing need to preserve our environment, save natural resources, reduce the amount of garbage going to landfills -- and make recycling easier.
San Francisco's 3-Cart Recycling Program makes it far easier and more convenient for residents and businesses to recycle. Making recycling easier results in a dramatic increase in material recovery and allows San Francisco to surpass California's 50 percent recycling law, AB939. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has mandated a goal of 75% waste diversion for all of San Francisco by the year 2010. Click here for a list of San Francisco businesses already meeting that goal by diverting 75% or more of their garbage to recycling. 3-Cart Recycling ProgramThe 3-cart recycling program is designed to make recycling easier, reduce waste, and control litter. It is easier to sort your recyclables by combining all bottles, cans, and paper in the blue cart. The green cart is for all compostable items, such as food scraps and yard trimmings. This program allows San Francisco to recycle more, reduce waste, and achieve the state-mandated 50% recycling goal.
Click on the blue, green, or black cart for information about what to put in each cart.
Still have questions? Please see our curbside recycling FAQ page for answers! Various Cart Sizes AvailableIf you often have extra material, larger carts are available. Larger blue and green carts are FREE and have no additional pick-up charges. Larger black carts will be delivered free, but have an additional monthly charge. For more information or to arrange for a different size cart, call Customer Service:Got big stuff?Schedule a Junk Pick Up. We'll make a personal visit to take away your clutter!We offer two levels of service, Bulky Item Collection and RecycleMyJunk.com. Bulky Item Collection (BIC) is offered to San Francisco residents only at no additional cost. Apartment tenants are entitled to one pickup per year and households are entitled to two pickups per year. Certain restrictions apply. RecycleMyJunk.com is a low-cost hauling service that is offered to residential, multi-family and commercial customers in the City of San Francisco for larger or more frequent pickups that do not qualify for BIC collection. Got Toxic Stuff?Items such as electronics, batteries, fluorescent and HID bulbs and lamps, paints, pesticides and other chemicals are illegal to put in the trash. For easy and free disposal and recycling options visit our Household Hazardous Waste page.Recycling in Schools:Learn more about some of the recycling programs and educational opportunities we offer to schools in San Francisco.Construction and Demolition RequirementsAs of July 1, 2006 the City and County of San Francisco's Construction and Demolition (C&D) Ordinance is in effect. This mandatory ordinance maximizes the recycling of mixed construction and demolition (C&D) debris and applies to all commercial and residential indoor and outdoor construction projects including repairs, improvements, additions, remodels, and demolitions. For more information visit SFEnvironment's C&D information page.Recycling TheftCity and State law prohibit the theft of any recyclable materials. Sunset Scavenger Company and Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Company are the only collection companies authorized by the City of San Francisco to collect recycling from recycling carts or bins. If you see someone other than an employee of either company removing recyclables from a recycling cart or bin, obtain the vehicle license number, car description, time of the theft, description of the person(s), note the direction they were heading and report the theft to the non-emergency Police dispatch office at 553-0123.You can also report the theft by filling out our online Recycle Theft Form. For your safety, do NOT confront the recycling thieves. Thank you for doing your part to help San Francisco meet it's mandated 75% recycling goal. |
