Recycling Requirements: Costa Mesa vs Midway City
How do recycling requirements rules compare between Costa Mesa, CA and Midway City, CA?
Costa Mesa has fewer restrictions than Midway City.
Costa Mesa, CA
Orange County
Costa Mesa residents must separate recyclable materials into the blue recycling cart and organic waste into the green organics cart per California SB 1383 requirements. Accepted recyclables include paper, cardboard, glass bottles, metal cans, and rigid plastics numbered 1 through 5 and 7. Plastic bags, Styrofoam, and food-soiled paper are prohibited in recycling carts. Organic waste including food scraps and yard trimmings must be placed in the green cart.
View full Costa Mesa rules →Midway City, CA
Orange County
Under SB 1383, all unincorporated Orange County residents must separate organic waste, recyclables, and landfill-bound trash using a mandatory three-container system with color-coded lids. Opting out is not permitted under state law, and enforcement began January 2024.
View full Midway City rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Costa Mesa | Midway City |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cart | Paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastics 1-5, 7 | - |
| Green Cart | Food scraps, yard waste, food-soiled paper | - |
| SB 1383 | Mandatory organic waste separation since Jan 2022 | - |
| Prohibited | Plastic bags, Styrofoam, ceramics in recycling | - |
| Mandate | - | SB 1383 — mandatory |
| Containers | - | Green, blue, black lids |
| Enforcement Start | - | January 1, 2024 |
| County Ordinance | - | No. 21-011 (2021) |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Costa Mesa FAQ
What goes in the blue recycling cart in Costa Mesa?
Clean, dry, and loose recyclable materials including paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans, and rigid plastics numbered 1 through 5 and 7. Do not include plastic bags, Styrofoam, or food-contaminated items.
Do I have to compost food scraps in Costa Mesa?
Yes. Under California SB 1383, all residents must separate food scraps and food-soiled paper from landfill trash. Place these materials in the green organics cart along with yard waste. This has been mandatory since January 1, 2022.
What happens if I put the wrong items in my recycling cart?
CMSD may tag the cart with a contamination notice and leave it uncollected. You will need to remove the contaminating items before the next collection. Repeated contamination may lead to service suspension until corrected.
Midway City FAQ
Can I opt out of organics recycling in unincorporated Orange County?
No. SB 1383 is mandatory state law. All California residents must separate organic waste from trash and recyclables. Orange County enforces compliance through franchise hauler inspections.
What goes in the green organics bin?
Food scraps (meat, fish, dairy, fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta, grains, plate scrapings), yard trimmings (grass, leaves, twigs, weeds), and food-soiled paper. Check with your hauler about bag restrictions.
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