Santa Clara County, CA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Service required
- Three-container (gray/blue/green)
- Governing section
- Sec. B11-184 (mandatory subscription)
- Minimum frequency
- At least weekly (Sec. B11-180)
- Franchised haulers
- GreenWaste (South), GreenTeam (West)
- Self-haul
- Only in remote areas / qualifying farms
- Ordinance
- NS-517.94 (Dec. 7, 2021)
Summary
Residential and nonresidential premises in unincorporated Santa Clara County must subscribe to the County's three-container (gray, blue, green) collection service from the permitted franchised hauler. Garbage and putrescible organic waste must be removed at least once a week. Limited exemptions exist for remote areas and qualifying farms.
This bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to approve and begin implementing that comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40%, and anthropogenic black carbon by 50% below 2013 levels by 2030, as specified. The bill also would establish specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills. ... A local jurisdiction may charge and collect fees to recover the local jurisdiction's costs incurred in complying with the regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
Full Breakdown
Mandatory collection is set by County Ordinance Code Division B11, Chapter IX (Ord. 94, Dec. 7, 2021). Section B11-184 requires the refuse producer of each residential or nonresidential premises to subscribe to and pay for the three-container collection service made available by the permitted collector, at no less than the minimum frequency and level of service offered. Residential producers are automatically enrolled in the County's three-container service, and charges must be paid for all periods the premises are occupied regardless of whether refuse is set out on a given date.
Section B11-180 requires garbage and putrescible organic waste from dwellings of four units or less, apartment complexes, and nonresidential premises to be removed at least once each week. Collection in permitted areas may be performed only by the permitted franchised collector. The County franchises haulers by district; per the County's SB 1383 commercial-compliance page, GreenWaste Recovery serves District South and GreenTeam of San Jose serves District West, and residents can find their hauler with the County's hauler lookup map or their trash bill. Exemptions under Section B11-185 cover remote areas where curbside or collection-station service cannot be provided (self-haul to an approved facility), premises where no producer resides or no refuse is produced, and qualifying low-population farms that elect to self-haul.
Violations & Fines
Non-subscribing residential producers are automatically enrolled and billed for required service (Sec. B11-184). Unauthorized refuse disposal, including dumping anywhere other than an approved facility, is unlawful under Sec. B11-188 and may be enforced by any peace officer. Nuisance accumulation of refuse is prohibited under Sec. B11-192.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is trash service mandatory in unincorporated Santa Clara County?
Can I haul my own trash instead of subscribing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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