Trash & Recycling in San Francisco, CA (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for San Francisco, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (Environment Code Chapter 19) requires all residents and businesses to separate waste into three streams: recyclables, compostables, and trash. Recology provides exclusive collection service citywide.
San Francisco Trash Pickup Schedules & Rules
Some RestrictionsSB 1383 — California Health and Safety Code Sec. 39730.6 & Public Resources Code Sec. 42652.5 (Statewide Organic Waste Diversion Targets)
39730.6. (a) Consistent with Section 39730.5, methane emissions reduction goals shall include the following targets to reduce the landfill disposal of organics: (1) A 50-percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020. (2) A 75-percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2025... 42652.5. (...
Bin Placement Rules
Under San Francisco Public Works Code § 170, trash, recycling, and compost bins may be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before scheduled collection, and residents must return them to private property within 24 hours. Bins left out at other times are an infraction.
San Francisco Trash Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Francisco Public Works Code § 170(a)
[N]o person, firm or corporation occupying or having charge or control of any premises shall place or cause to be placed, or suffer to remain, upon the sidewalk, street or any other dedicated public right-of-way, any can, container or receptacle used for the collection of garbage, refuse… recycling, or green waste, except on the day the contents of said receptacle are to be collected by the lic...
Recycling Requirements
San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (Environment Code Chapter 19, enacted 2009) was the first in the U.S. to require all residents and businesses to recycle and compost. Compliance is mandatory for every person and business in the city.
San Francisco Mandatory Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsCalRecycle — SB 1383 Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction (Mandatory Organic Waste Recycling)
California's Organic Waste Reduction — SB 1383 Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. Landfilled food and other organic waste rotting in landfills emits methane climate pollution. To reduce methane pollution and other short-lived climate pollutants, California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016). The law set targets for 2025: 75% less organic waste sent to landfills; 20% of unsold, still-edi...
Illegal Dumping
San Francisco can fine illegal dumpers up to $1,000 per day for each violation by administrative citation, on top of separate civil penalties of at least twice the City's cleanup costs.
SF Illegal Dumping Penalties
Significant RestrictionsSan Francisco Police Code § 1606 (Article 26, Illegal Dumping)
In addition to the civil penalties authorized by this Article 26, Department employees designated in Section 38 of the Police Code may issue administrative citations imposing penalties or fines for each violation of this Article 26. The administrative penalty or fines shall not exceed $1,000 per day for each violation. Administrative penalties shall be assessed, enforced, and collected in accor...
Dumpster Rules
San Francisco debris boxes in the public right-of-way must sit parallel to the curb, no more than 8 feet out, and off the sidewalk without DPW permission.
SF Debris Box Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Francisco Public Works Code Sec. 725.5(a)
If placed in the public right of way, a debris box shall be placed in the roadway area of the street parallel to the curb with its outer edge no more than eight feet from the face of the curb. Its placement shall be further subjected to all laws relating to the prohibition of parking unless specifically exempted from compliance therewith by written approval of the Director of Public Works. Furt...
Collection Schedule
San Francisco property owners must subscribe to and pay for adequate refuse collection service; failure to do so is enforceable with fines.
SF Mandatory Refuse Collection Service
Some RestrictionsSan Francisco, CA, Health Code § 291.1 (Owner Responsible for Refuse Collection Service)
The owner of any dwelling or commercial property shall subscribe to and pay for adequate refuse collection service rendered to such dwelling or commercial property by a collector and shall provide at a location accessible to the collector for an adequate container or containers for deposit of refuse of such capacity as the Director of Public Works may prescribe. The necessity for and type of re...