Milpitas, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Organic waste handling in Milpitas is driven by California Senate Bill 1383 (the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction law), effective January 1, 2022, which requires every California jurisdiction to provide organic waste collection and requires residents and businesses to keep food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings out of the landfill. Milpitas implements this through its residential collection program: the City notes that single-family residents have a 'Handy Kitchen Pail and a Gray GARBAGE/FOOD SCRAPS split cart' for proper sorting, and Milpitas Sanitation collects yard trimmings and food scraps for composting at regional facilities. SB 1383 sets statewide goals to cut landfilled organic waste 75 percent below 2014 levels by 2025 and to recover at least 20 percent of currently disposed edible food. Residents may also compost at home; backyard composting is an allowed and encouraged way to divert yard and food waste, provided piles are managed so they do not create odor, vector (rodent/insect), or drainage nuisances. Because the gray split cart in Milpitas combines garbage and food scraps in designated sections, residents should follow the City's and Milpitas Sanitation's sorting instructions to stay compliant. Contamination of organics carts with non-compostable material can lead to warnings under the jurisdiction's SB 1383 enforcement program.