Recycling Requirements: San Jose vs Sunnyvale
How do recycling requirements rules compare between San Jose, CA and Sunnyvale, CA?
Sunnyvale has fewer restrictions than San Jose.
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 →Sunnyvale, CA
Santa Clara County
Sunnyvale residents and businesses must source-separate recyclables and organics from trash to comply with state laws AB 341, AB 1826, and SB 1383.
View full Sunnyvale rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | San Jose | Sunnyvale |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Numbers 1, 2, 5 only |
| State laws | - | AB 341, AB 1826, SB 1383 |
| Mandatory | - | All residents and businesses |
| Organics cart | - | Food + yard waste |
| Not accepted | - | Plastic bags, foam |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
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.
Sunnyvale FAQ
What goes in the organics cart?
Food scraps (including meat and dairy), food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings all go in the green organics cart.
Are plastic bags recyclable curbside?
No. Plastic bags jam sorting equipment and must be taken to grocery store drop-off programs.
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