Recycling Requirements: Palo Alto vs San Jose
How do recycling requirements rules compare between Palo Alto, CA and San Jose, CA?
Palo Alto and San Jose have similar restriction levels.
Palo Alto, CA
Santa Clara County
Palo Alto requires residents and businesses to separate recyclables and organics from trash under SB 1383, AB 341, and Chapter 5.20. GreenWaste collects mixed recyclables weekly in blue carts.
View full Palo Alto rules →San Jose, CA
Santa Clara County
San Jose mandates recycling and organics diversion under SJMC Chapter 9.10 and California's SB 1383 (organics recycling) and AB 341 (commercial recycling). All residents and businesses must separate recyclables and organic waste from garbage. The City's three-cart system makes source separation mandatory. Commercial generators producing 2+ cubic yards of waste per week must have recycling service. Multi-family properties with 5+ units must provide recycling and organics collection per SB 1383.
View full San Jose rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Palo Alto | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Mandate | SB 1383 + AB 341 + AB 1826 | - |
| Recycling cart | Blue, weekly pickup | - |
| Organics cart | Green, weekly pickup | - |
| Plastics accepted | Rigid #1-#5 and #7 | - |
| Contamination | Fees for wrong items | - |
| Code Section | - | SJMC Chapter 9.10; CA SB 1383, AB 341 |
| Residential | - | Mandatory 3-cart separation |
| Commercial | - | Recycling required for 2+ cubic yards/week |
| Multi-Family | - | Recycling and organics required for 5+ units |
| Plastics | - | #1-7 accepted in blue cart |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Palo Alto FAQ
What goes in the blue recycling cart?
Paper, flattened cardboard, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, and rigid plastic containers marked #1 through #5 or #7. No bags, film, or food-soiled items.
Is food waste separation required?
Yes. California SB 1383 requires all Palo Alto residents and businesses to place food scraps and food-soiled paper in the green organics cart.
What if I put trash in the recycling cart?
Contamination can trigger warning notices or contamination fees, and repeatedly contaminated loads may be charged as garbage.
San Jose FAQ
What happens if I put the wrong items in my recycling cart?
Contaminated carts may be tagged and not collected. Repeated contamination can result in surcharges. Check the City's website for accepted materials lists.
Are apartment buildings required to provide recycling?
Yes. Under SB 1383 and city ordinance, multi-family properties with 5 or more units must provide recycling and organics collection services.
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