Kern County, CA Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty holder
- Property owner, not tenant
- Container material
- Metal, plastic or resin
- Cover requirement
- Tight-fitting, kept closed
- Bin colors/labels
- Set by franchise agreement
- Label phase-in
- New containers labeled since Jan. 1, 2022
- Civil penalty
- $250 per day, per violation
Summary
Unincorporated Kern County requires every property owner to keep enough discarded-material containers on site, sized to the waste actually generated there, and the franchise hauler supplies them. Commercial bins must carry a tight-fitting cover, proper labeling and the colors set in the franchise agreement, and businesses on a three-container system must equip customer and work areas with correctly sorted, color-coded bins.
Discarded material containers shall be constructed to be appropriate for discarded material types and provided with a tight-fitting cover and handles. Each container (including commercial type bins) shall be made of metal, plastic/resin or of such other materials, meet the color specifications outlined in the franchise agreement, include proper labeling and design as may be approved for such use by the public official. The cover shall not be removed except when necessary to place discarded materials therein or to remove discarded materials therefrom. Each container and its cover shall be kept clean and free from accumulating grease and decomposing material.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
030 puts the duty on property owners: discarded-material containers must be available on any premises where waste is generated, built for the material type, with a tight-fitting cover and handles, and made of metal, plastic or resin, colored to the franchise agreement and properly labeled. The cover stays closed except when materials go in or out, and the container has to be kept clean and free of grease and decomposing waste. The county reviews whether the number and size of a generator's containers is adequate and can require a generator to adjust its service level.
062. Commercial generators and multi-family dwellings on a three-container system must supply and give access to enough correctly labeled or colored containers for employees, contractors, tenants and customers, and must periodically check source-separated recycling and organics bins for contamination. A commercial business, other than a multi-family dwelling, on a three-container system must place source-separation containers in every indoor and outdoor customer area, except restrooms, with lids or bodies matching the required colors and labels showing accepted and prohibited materials, a requirement that phases in for new containers starting January 1, 2022, with a compliance deadline of January 1, 2036 for containers bought before that date.
Violations & Fines
Section 8.28.160 sets a civil penalty of $250.00 per day for any violation of Chapter 8.28, including a failure to keep required containers on site, running from the compliance date in an administrative order until the problem is fixed. The Board of Supervisors can raise that per-day amount at a noticed hearing under Section 8.28.165. The Public Works Director, acting as enforcement officer, can inspect the property, issue a notice of violation, and pursue abatement action under Sections 8.28.111 and 8.28.120.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to provide trash containers at a commercial property in Kern County?
What specifications must a commercial dumpster meet?
Do businesses have to provide separate recycling and organics bins?
What's the penalty for not having compliant containers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kern County
California rules heatmap·Compare Kern County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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