Sonoma County, CA Trash & Recycling: Mandatory Organics Recycling (2026)
Key Facts
- Mandatory service
- weekly organics collection, all premises
- Sorting rule
- food/yard waste in green container
- 1st violation
- written warning only
- 3rd+ violation
- $500 fine per violation
- Applies to
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Unincorporated Sonoma County requires every single-family, multi-family, and commercial property to subscribe to weekly organic waste collection and sort food scraps and yard waste into the green container.
Generators shall place source separated organic waste, excluding non-compostable paper and textiles, in the green container;(2)Generators shall place source separated recyclable materials in the blue container; and(3)Generators shall place solid waste in the gray container. Generators shall not place materials designated for the gray container into the green container or blue container.
(d) Composting and Recycling Facility Processing Limits. Notwithstanding designation of certain materials as organic waste or recyclable materials under this chapter, generators shall not place materials in the green container or the blue container that cannot be processed by available compost and recycling facilities, as may be determined by agreement between the county and the county's frachisee(s) from time to time. Generators shall be provided with advanced written notice of the same determination.
As of the effective date of this chapter, compostable plastics, manure, biosolids, digestate, sludges, textiles, carpets (whether or not organic), and lumber are not accepted in the green container. Only yard trimmings, food waste, paper products and printing and writing paper may be deposited into the green container as of the effective date of this ordinance. As of the effective date of this chapter, paper products and printing and writing paper may also be placed in the blue container, in addition to other source separated recyclable materials.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 22-3(a) requires owners or occupants of all single-family, multi-family, and commercial premises to subscribe to weekly solid waste, recyclable materials, and organic waste collection from an authorized county franchisee, absent a granted waiver. Section 22-4(c) then requires generators to source-separate organic waste (excluding non-compostable paper and textiles) into the green container, recyclables into the blue container, and everything else into the gray container, and bars putting gray-container material into the green or blue bins. This implements state SB 1383 locally and applies only in the unincorporated county, not inside Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, or the county's other five cities, each of which runs its own franchise ordinance.
Violations & Fines
First violation draws a written warning; a second violation carries a $100 fine, a third a $200 fine, and each subsequent violation $500, issued as an administrative citation under County Code § 22-24 with a 60-day cure period before penalties are pursued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to subscribe to organics collection in unincorporated Sonoma County?
What happens on the first organics-sorting violation?
Does this rule apply inside the City of Santa Rosa or the City of Sonoma?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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