Recycling Requirements: Lakewood vs South Gate
How do recycling requirements rules compare between Lakewood, CA and South Gate, CA?
Lakewood and South Gate have similar restriction levels.
Lakewood, CA
Los Angeles County
Lakewood requires residential recycling of accepted materials. Contamination with non-recyclables may cause entire bins to be rejected at the curb.
View full Lakewood rules →South Gate, CA
Los Angeles County
South Gate participates in the statewide California recycling program under AB 341 (mandatory commercial recycling) and AB 1826 (organics). Residents place mixed recyclables (paper, cardboard, metal, glass, rigid plastics) in the blue cart provided by UWS. Contamination can result in a missed pickup.
View full South Gate rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Lakewood | South Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted | Paper, glass, aluminum, plastics | - |
| Not Accepted | Plastic bags, food waste | - |
| Enforcement | Contaminated bins skipped | - |
| Topic | Recycling Requirements | - |
| State authority | - | AB 341, AB 1826, SB 1383 |
| Blue cart | - | Paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastics #1–#7 |
| NOT accepted | - | Plastic bags, foam, e-waste, batteries |
| CRV redemption | - | PRC §14500 (separate from curbside) |
| Commercial threshold | - | 4 cu yd/wk solid waste = mandatory recycling (AB 341) |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Lakewood FAQ
What can I recycle curbside?
Paper, cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and plastics #1-#5. No plastic bags or food-soiled items.
What if my recycling bin is skipped?
Likely contaminated. Remove non-recyclables and set out on next collection day.
South Gate FAQ
Can I put plastic bags in the blue cart?
No. Plastic film tangles sorting equipment. Return clean bags to grocery-store collection points. California also banned single-use plastic carryout bags statewide under SB 270.
Do businesses have to recycle?
Yes. Under AB 341 (PRC §42649), businesses generating 4+ cubic yards/week of waste and multifamily properties with 5+ units must subscribe to recycling service.
What about CRV bottles?
You can place them in the blue cart, or redeem the deposit at a CRV-certified buy-back center for cash.
Compare other topics
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