Solano County, CA Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Section 23-22 requires all commercial and industrial enterprises to confine their solid waste, recyclables and green waste inside a storage enclosure rather than leaving dumpster bins exposed without containment. The enclosure has to be built with an impervious floor so liquids don't seep into the ground, and where appropriate it must have drains and be supplied with hot and cold water under pressure, letting the enclosure be washed down. The section requires the enclosure be maintained in a sanitary condition at all times, and it must be located, cleaned and maintained so it does not become odorous, attract vectors or pests, or otherwise constitute a public nuisance to neighboring properties.

The dumpster bins themselves fall under the container standard in Section 23-21(a), which exempts bins from the lid requirement that applies to smaller containers and lets the contractor, rather than the code's 250-pound figure, set the weight limit for a bin. Enforcement of the enclosure standard runs through the Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division, the same office that issues the collection permits required under Section 23-32 and inspects disposal practices under the Department's general Chapter 23 authority. A business found operating a leaking, odorous or pest-attracting enclosure is subject to the division's investigation and correction process the same way any Chapter 23 nuisance complaint would be handled.