Trash & Recycling in San Diego, CA (2026)
8 verified trash & recycling rules for San Diego, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
San Diego provides weekly residential solid waste collection per SDMC §66.0127 and the Waste Management Regulations. The City collects trash weekly and recyclables biweekly. The new organic waste program under SB 1383 compliance requires food scraps and yard waste in the green bin. Containers must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day and retrieved by 6:00 PM. The City transitioned all single-family homes to city-provided trash service.
San Diego Trash Pickup Schedules & Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Pub. Resources Code § 42652.5 (SB 1383, Short-Lived Climate Pollutants)
The state board is also required to complete a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, as defined, in the state. This bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to approve and begin implementing that comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbo...
Bin Placement Rules
San Diego property owners and occupants must keep enough covered, leakproof trash and recycling containers on site and keep the area around them free of waste.
San Diego Trash Container Maintenance Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 66.0126
It is unlawful for any responsible person in lawful possession, charge, or control of any boarding house, lodging house, bungalow court, hotel, motel, inn, apartment, residence, or any other dwelling...to fail to provide containers which are adequate to contain the amount of refuse and recyclable material ordinarily accumulated at such place during the intervals between collection...to fail to ...
Recycling Requirements
San Diego requires recyclable materials to be placed in approved blue recycling containers per SDMC Chapter 6, Article 6, Division 7. The City collects recyclables biweekly. SB 1383 compliance requires organic waste separation in green bins. The City has updated collection operations and amended franchise agreements to meet state recycling mandates. Contamination of recycling bins with non-recyclable materials may result in service warnings.
San Diego Mandatory Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsCal. Pub. Resources Code § 42652.5 (SB 1383 — CalRecycle Organic Waste)
Landfilled food and other organic waste rotting in landfills emits methane climate pollution contributing to California’s hotter summers, more frequent droughts, and more wildfires. 3 MILLION CARS worth of climate pollution will be cut by reaching SB 1383’s recycling and food rescue targets SB 1383 Progress Program News...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
San Diego requires weekly separate-container collection of food material and food-soiled paper at residential and commercial facilities served by a franchise hauler, under the city's Recycling Ordinance.
San Diego Mandatory Food Scrap Recycling
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 66.0706(c)(3)
weekly collection in a separate container of food material and food-soiled paper mixed with food material
Illegal Dumping
Spilling, depositing, or abandoning solid waste, hazardous waste, or recyclable material on any highway or public or private property is prohibited, and violators owe the full cost of cleanup on top of any other penalty.
San Diego Illegal Dumping Liability
Heavy RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 66.0201
Any person who spills, deposits or abandons any solid waste, hazardous waste, hazardous substance, medical waste, recyclable material, whether intentionally or unintentionally on any highway or public or private property so as to impede or impair the normal use thereof or so as to create a condition which requires the property to be cleaned or cleared...
Yard Waste Collection
San Diego's Recycling Ordinance requires weekly separate-container collection of yard trimmings and wood waste at residential and commercial facilities served by a franchise hauler, diverting green waste from the landfill.
San Diego Yard Trimmings Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 66.0706(c)(2)
weekly collection in a separate container of yard trimmings and nonhazardous wood waste. If yard trimmings or nonhazardous wood waste will be hauled away by a gardening or landscaping service provider as an incidental part of its services at the property, then the service contract or agreement shall require the gardening or landscaping service provider to take the yard trimmings and nonhazardou...
Dumpster Rules
New development in San Diego must locate exterior trash and recycling storage areas away from the street and behind a solid enclosure, per the municipal code's refuse storage regulations.
San Diego Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 142.0810
(b) Location of Material Storage Areas... Exterior material storage areas shall be located onsite and be accessible to haulers from the public right-of-way... For nonresidential development on premises not served by an alley, material storage areas shall be located at least 25 feet from any street. (c) Screening of Material Storage Areas. Material storage areas located outside any structure sha...
Collection Schedule
City forces must collect residential solid waste from single-family and small multi-family homes at least once a week under San Diego's Solid Waste Management Services ordinance.
San Diego Weekly Trash Pickup Mandate
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 66.0127(d)(1)
Services. At least once each week, City forces shall collect and transport residential solid waste for transfer, transport, and recycling or disposal and the City may charge a cost-recovery fee, as allowed by law, for all solid waste management services. (2) Exclusions. The City shall not collect solid waste from ineligible ...
Looking for San Diego County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Diego city rules.
Trash & Recycling in San Diego County →