Palo Alto vs Santa Clara
How do recycling requirements rules compare between Palo Alto, CA and Santa Clara, CA?
Santa Clara has fewer restrictions than Palo Alto.
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 →Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara mandates recycling and organics separation under California SB 1383. Residents must sort recyclables, organics (food scraps and yard waste), and landfill trash into color-coded carts.
View full Santa Clara rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Palo Alto | Santa Clara |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | - |
| Authority | - | California SB 1383 |
| Recyclables | - | Paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastics 1/2/5 |
| Organics | - | Food scraps + yard waste |
| Business mandate | - | 4+ unit buildings |
| Extra recycling | - | Free in clear bags |
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.
Santa Clara FAQ
Do I have to separate food scraps?
Yes. Food scraps go in the green organics cart under SB 1383, which is mandatory statewide.
Can I recycle plastic bags?
No. Plastic bags must be returned to grocery store collection bins, not placed in the curbside recycling cart.
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