As of January 1, 2022, residential refuse customers are required to place food waste into their yard waste container to be recycled. Businesses and multi-family properties should contact their current hauler for guidance on organic recycling options.
Simply collect all your food scraps in a plastic (consider reusing zip-lock bags, bread bags, or produce bags!), tie it tightly, and put it in your Yard Waste container. Please do not place food waste directly into the Yard Waste container in order to prevent contamination and avoid additional processing costs.
If it once breathed or grew before you ate it, it can be recycled. That includes meat, bones, bread, dairy products, coffee grounds, and all fruits and vegetables.
Bagged food waste is removed and processed into biogas, which is further processed to be used in vehicles, such as the City of Pasadena’s refuse vehicles. Yard waste is composted and used to enrich agricultural soils.
California adopted Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) which requires communities to reduce organic waste disposal, such as food waste, by 75% by 2025. Residents are required to do their part by participating in the City's curbside organics recycling program.
Methane emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to global climate change. Organic materials--including waste that can be readily prevented, recycled, or composted-- account for a significant portion of California's overall waste stream.
Food waste alone accounts for approximately 17-18 percent of total landfill disposal. Increasing food waste prevention, encouraging edible food rescue, and expanding the composting and in-vessel digestion of organic waste throughout the state will help reduce methane emissions from organic waste disposed of in California's landfills.
Please visit our SB 1383 Information and Resources page for more information.
Composting at your home or in the community is a great idea! However, not all food waste can be composted using traditional methods. You should still bag and recycle your meat, bones, dairy, and fat wastes according to the guide above.
Find out more about composting options at our Organics Recycling & Composting page or find out how to Order Compost Bins.