Curbside Organics Recycling

Resident Recycling

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.

Please visit our SB 1383 Information and Resources page for up-to-date waste stream diversion levels.

Infographic titled Residential Organics Recycling program with cartoon images showing the steps of how the City of Pasadena’s residential refuse service processes its organic waste. Step 1: Commingled yard waste and bagged food waste is placed in organics recycling trash container (Black lid). Organic Material Transported to Facility by truck. Yard waste is separated from the bagged food waste. The yard waste is composted, while the food waste is taken to the Puente Hills Material Recovery Facility. Food waste bags are fed into a Doda (manufacturer name) bioseparator machine, which grinds it into a bioslurry (liquified waste). Bioslurry is transported into a tanker truck and taken to the Water Resource Recovery Facility in Carson, CA where it is fed to an anaerobic digester to create biogas. The biogas (methane) is then turned into renewable natural gas (which can fuel vehicles) and electricity.

How does it work?

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.

What type of material can be recycled?

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.

Organics Recycling Guide. All food waste must be bagged prioer to placing it in the yard waste container. YES: Fruits and vegatables. Frutas y verduras. Images of an apple core, banana peel, broccoli, and potato peels. Dairy products and bread. Productos lácteos y panes. Images of cheese, egg shells, rice, and pizza crusts. Meat and seafood including bones and shells. Carne y mariscos huesos y conchas incluidos. Images of a bone, a chicken drumstick, a steak, a fish, and oyster shells. Yard waste. Desechos de jardín. Imagines of grass clippings, a tree branch, and a pile of brown leaves. NO: images various items with crossed out with a red line and circle indicating they are not allowed: pizza box, rubber bands, to-go coffee cup, broken bottle, single-serving coffee pods, and twist ties. Examples: glass, produce stickers, rubber bands, twist ties, and food-soiled paper products. Ejemplos: vidrio, etigetas adjesvas, gomas, lazos retorcidos, y productos de papel sucios. Zero Waste Pasadena 2040 logo. For more information, please contact the City Service Center at 626-744-7311.

Click here to learn how to recycle your Christmas tree

What happens to the food waste?

Food waste is bagged so that it cane be separated from the loose yard waste. The yard waste is composted and used to enrich agricultural soils, while the food waste is taken to the Puente Hills Material Recovery Facility. Food waste bags are fed into a Doda (manufacturer name) bioseparator machine, which grinds it into a bioslurry (liquified waste). Bioslurry is transported into a tanker truck and taken to the Water Resource Recovery Facility in Carson, CA where it is fed to an anaerobic digester to create biogas. The biogas (methane) is then turned into renewable natural gas (which can fuel vehicles) and electricity. Any remaining solids after this process are then sent to a composting facility owned by the LA County Sanitation Districts.

Why should we recycle organics?

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.

Do I need to participate if I compost?

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.