Compost, Recycle, & Landfill - Recology San Francisco

While you’re sorting your compost and recycling, Recology is finding new ways to reuse your materials. Whether you’re a business owner, property manager, or resident, we will work with you to tailor programs based on your needs. Wondering what goes where?

COMPOST
Food scraps, soiled paper, & yard trimmings go in the compost cart – this includes anything from coffee grounds and napkins, to spoiled foods and peels.

RECYCLE
Paper, cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum/tin cans, and hard plastics go into the recyclables cart.

LANDFILL
What is trash? Not much! Cat litter, ceramics, & broken glass to name a few. Less of these items placed in the landfill cart the better.

Drop Off

Drop off materials and learn more about disposal rates at the Recology San Francisco Transfer Station.

Cardboard

Residential customers with extra cardboard or boxes should flatten them to 2’ x 2’ x 2′ max and bundle with string or place them in boxes and Recology will collect the extra cardboard. You may place the bundle in or next to your Recology blue cart at the curb. If you place the cardboard in your Recology blue cart, the lid on your cart must be fully closed at pickup. Additional collection charges may apply when cardboard is placed next to your recycling cart. Please email customer service at customerservice@recologysf.com at least one business day in advance to ensure pickup.

Rates

The Recology zero waste rate structure incentivizes residents to recycle and compost more, instead of tossing recoverable materials in the landfill cart. For example, customers who opt for a larger recycling cart and a smaller landfill cart are able to lower their monthly bill. Learn more about rates.

Our Commitment to Sustainability and Community

Recology is dedicated to serving our communities and customers. We provide waste collection, composting, recycling, hazardous waste management, debris box services, and more. By focusing on resource recovery and partnering with communities, we reduce landfill waste and minimize our carbon footprint, creating a cleaner, more sustainable environment.

Beyond Waste Collection Services

Recology provides recycling, composting, and landfill collection services for residential and commercial customers in San Francisco.

Compost
Recycle
Landfill

We accept all food scraps, soiled paper, and plants in the green composting cart. Contact us to change the size of any of your carts.

Acceptable Composting Materials		UnacceptableMaterials
Food Scraps: Bread, grains, and pasta Coffee grounds with paper filter Dairy Eggshells and eggs Fruit (pits & peels) Leftovers and spoiled food Meat (including bones) Seafood (including shellfish) Tea and tea bags Vegetables Food Soiled Paper: Coffee filters Greasy pizza boxes Paper plates Paper bags, napkins, tissues, and towels Paper take-out boxes and containers (metal handle OK) Tissues	Plants: Branches and brush Flowers and floral trimmings Grasses and weeds Leaves Tree trimmings (less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long) Other: Cotton balls and cotton swabs Hair, fur, and feathers (non-synthetic) “Compostable” cups, plates, bowls, utensils Vegetable wood crates (metal wire is okay) Waxed cardboard Wood – small pieces of lumber or sawdust from clean wood only (no plywood, pressboard, painted, stained, or treated wood) Wooden chopsticks Corks – natural (drop in barrels at Whole Foods)		Aluminum foil or trays “Biodegradable” plastic (not labeled “Compostable”) Cat litter or animal feces Ceramic dishware or glassware Clothing, linens, and rags Cooking oil Corks – plastic Diapers Dirt, rocks, or stone Flower pots or trays Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper Glass, metal, or plastic not labeled “Compostable” Soup cartons and juice boxes Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons Liquids or ice Plastic bags, wrappers, or film Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper Styrofoam Wood – plywood, pressboard, painted or stained wood

Acceptable Composting Materials

UnacceptableMaterials

Food Scraps:

Bread, grains, and pasta
Coffee grounds with paper filter
Dairy
Eggshells and eggs
Fruit (pits & peels)
Leftovers and spoiled food
Meat (including bones)
Seafood (including shellfish)
Tea and tea bags
Vegetables

Food Soiled Paper:

Coffee filters
Greasy pizza boxes
Paper plates
Paper bags, napkins, tissues, and towels
Paper take-out boxes and containers (metal handle OK)
Tissues

Plants:

Branches and brush
Flowers and floral trimmings
Grasses and weeds
Leaves
Tree trimmings (less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)

Other:

Cotton balls and cotton swabs
Hair, fur, and feathers (non-synthetic)
“Compostable” cups, plates, bowls, utensils
Vegetable wood crates (metal wire is okay)
Waxed cardboard
Wood – small pieces of lumber or sawdust from clean wood only (no plywood, pressboard, painted, stained, or treated wood)
Wooden chopsticks
Corks – natural (drop in barrels at Whole Foods)

Aluminum foil or trays
“Biodegradable” plastic (not labeled “Compostable”)
Cat litter or animal feces
Ceramic dishware or glassware
Clothing, linens, and rags
Cooking oil
Corks – plastic
Diapers
Dirt, rocks, or stone
Flower pots or trays
Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper
Glass, metal, or plastic not labeled “Compostable”
Soup cartons and juice boxes
Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons
Liquids or ice
Plastic bags, wrappers, or film
Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper
Styrofoam
Wood – plywood, pressboard, painted or stained wood

Do You Have Extra Yard Trimmings?

Place your extra yard trimmings next to your green Recology cart in a compostable bag or bundle them together with string into a manageable size (2’x3′). Please do not leave food scraps outside of your cart! The lid on your cart must be fully closed at pickup. Additional collection charges will apply. Contact us to change the size of your Recology cart.

Recycling must be loose, free of a plastic bag liner. Recycling must be clean and dry. Give food and beverage containers a light rinse.

Acceptable Recycling Materials		Unacceptable Recycling Materials
Metal (no liquids or food): Aluminum cans Aluminum foil and trays (ball foil up to softball size) Caps and lids from bottles, jars, and steel (tin) cans Paint cans (must be empty or dry) Spray cans (must be empty) Steel (tin) cans Plastics: Bottles (leave caps on) Buckets (metal handle ok) CDs, DVDs, CDROM & Cases (remove paper insert) Coffee cup lids Containers and clamshells Corks – plastic Cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam) Flower pots and trays – plastic Laundry detergent bottles Molded plastic packaging Toys (no electronics, metal, or batteries) Tubs and lids (i.e.: yogurt containers and Tupperware) Utensils – plastic	Paper (clean, dry, and unsoiled): Empty, clean coffee cups Empty, clean ice cream containers Soup cartons and juice boxes Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons Bags (paper only) Cardboard (non-waxed) Cereal boxes and Paperboard (remove plastic liner) Computer and office paper Egg cartons (paper) Envelopes (windows okay) Junk mail and magazines Newspapers Packing or Kraft paper Phonebooks Sticky notes Shredded paper (place in sealed paper bag and label “Shredded Paper”) Wrapping paper (non-metallic) Glass (no liquids or food): Glass bottles and jars only (metal caps and lids too)		Batteries Ceramic dishware or glassware Coat hangers Clothing/Fabric ( we suggest donating to a shelter or thrift store) Electronics Food scraps Glass mirrors and windows Incandescent light bulbs, Fluorescent light bulbs and HIDs Plastic items mixed fabric or rubber Plastic labeled “Compostable” or “Biodegradable” Scrap metal Soiled paper (paper plates, napkins, tissues, towels, take-out boxes, and greasy pizza boxes) Styrofoam Waxed cardboard Wood Yard trimmings

Acceptable Recycling Materials

Unacceptable Recycling Materials

Metal (no liquids or food):

Aluminum cans
Aluminum foil and trays (ball foil up to softball size)
Caps and lids from bottles, jars, and steel (tin) cans
Paint cans (must be empty or dry)
Spray cans (must be empty)
Steel (tin) cans

Plastics:

Bottles (leave caps on)
Buckets (metal handle ok)
CDs, DVDs, CDROM & Cases (remove paper insert)
Coffee cup lids
Containers and clamshells
Corks – plastic
Cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam)
Flower pots and trays – plastic
Laundry detergent bottles
Molded plastic packaging
Toys (no electronics, metal, or batteries)
Tubs and lids (i.e.: yogurt containers and Tupperware)
Utensils – plastic

Paper (clean, dry, and unsoiled):

Empty, clean coffee cups
Empty, clean ice cream containers
Soup cartons and juice boxes
Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons
Bags (paper only)
Cardboard (non-waxed)
Cereal boxes and Paperboard (remove plastic liner)
Computer and office paper
Egg cartons (paper)
Envelopes (windows okay)
Junk mail and magazines
Newspapers
Packing or Kraft paper
Phonebooks
Sticky notes
Shredded paper (place in sealed paper bag and label “Shredded Paper”)
Wrapping paper
(non-metallic)

Glass (no liquids or food):

Glass bottles and jars only
(metal caps and lids too)

Batteries
Ceramic dishware or glassware
Coat hangers
Clothing/Fabric ( we suggest donating to a shelter or thrift store)
Electronics
Food scraps
Glass mirrors and windows
Incandescent light bulbs,
Fluorescent light bulbs and HIDs
Plastic items mixed fabric or rubber
Plastic labeled “Compostable” or “Biodegradable”
Scrap metal
Soiled paper (paper plates, napkins, tissues, towels, take-out boxes, and greasy pizza boxes)
Styrofoam
Waxed cardboard
Wood
Yard trimmings

Do You Have Extra Recycling?

Residential customers with extra recycling may place extra cardboard in a bin, cardboard box, or paper bag next to your blue Recology cart at the curb. The cardboard must be broken down to a manageable size (2’x2’x2′) max. Additional collection charges will apply for material that does not fit into your cart with the lid fully closed. Contact us to change the size of your Recology cart.

Visit SF Environment’s website for options to donate reusable items.

Few things, once they are used, are actually trash. Among such things are non-recyclable plastics and other complex materials that were not designed to be recycled.Only place materials that cannot be reused or recycled in your trash.

Acceptable Landfill Items			Unacceptable Trash Materials
Cat litter and animal feces (bagged) Ceramic dishware or glassware Cigarette Butts (extinguished – run under water prior to disposal) Dental floss Diapers Feminine Hygiene Products Glass mirrors and windows inside a double brown paper bag and smashed in small pieces Incandescent light bulbs (no fluorescents or HIDs)	Mylar (shiny metal) bags (potato chips, candy bars, balloons, etc) Pens and pencils Plastic items mixed with metal or rubber Plastic labeled “Biodegradable” only Rubber bands Six-pack ring holder – please cut up Sponges Styrofoam Twist ties Wood – small pieces of plywood, pressboard, and painted or stained wood		Appliances Asbestos Batteries Coat hangers Construction debris Cooking oil and grease Dirt, rocks, or stone Electronics Fluorescent or HID light bulbs Food scraps, soiled paper, or yard trimmings Household hazardous waste or chemicals Large items (furniture, metal, plastic, wood) Liquids or ice Motor oil Needles or syringes Paint Plastic labeled “Compostable” Recyclable cardboard, glass, metal, paper, or plastic Toys with electronics or batteries Waxed cardboard and paper Waxy paper milk or juice cartons

Do You Have Extra Trash?

If you have extra trash, that does not fit in your cart, set it out in a sealed bag on top of your Recology cart. Your Recology collector will pick it up and charge your account for the extra service. Contact us to change the size of your Recology cart.