Tustin, CA Trash & Recycling: Mandatory Organics Recycling (2026)

Section 4360, in Part 6 of Article 4, Chapter 3, requires single-family generators in the City of Tustin to source-separate their waste into three containers: organic materials (food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings, and wood waste), recyclable materials, and municipal solid waste. Placing organics or recyclables in the wrong cart is expressly prohibited, and households must carry hauler subscriptions covering all three material streams, adjusting their service level if the City asks. Residents can still avoid subscribing to the organics container if they qualify as self-haulers under Section 4366, or if they reduce or manage their organic waste on-site, including through backyard composting or a community compost site under 14 CCR Section 18984.9(c).

Commercial businesses, including multifamily buildings, face a parallel duty under Section 4361, and either generator class can seek a City waiver for physical space limits or low-volume, de minimis generation under Section 4362. The requirement traces to SB 1383, the 2016 state law that directed CalRecycle to cut methane from organic waste in landfills, and Tustin's contracted hauler must provide the sorted collection service and labeled containers to make compliance possible. The City enforces Part 6 through Section 4368: a compliance review or route inspection can trigger an official notice, then a formal Notice of Violation giving the generator fifteen days to correct the problem before the City issues an administrative citation and fine under Section 1162, appealable within the process set out in Section 1166.