Costa Mesa residents must separate recyclable materials into the blue recycling cart and organic waste into the green organics cart per California SB 1383 requirements. Accepted recyclables include paper, cardboard, glass bottles, metal cans, and rigid plastics numbered 1 through 5 and 7. Plastic bags, Styrofoam, and food-soiled paper are prohibited in recycling carts. Organic waste including food scraps and yard trimmings must be placed in the green cart.
The Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) administers the city's residential recycling program in compliance with California's mandatory recycling and organics diversion laws including AB 341 and SB 1383. Each residential unit receives a blue recycling cart for accepted materials: newspaper, magazines, office paper, cardboard (flattened), glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans, rigid plastics numbered 1 through 5 and 7, and empty aerosol cans. Materials must be clean, dry, and loose — not bagged. Prohibited items include plastic bags, Styrofoam, food-soiled paper, ceramics, mirrors, window glass, and tanglers such as garden hoses and wire. Under SB 1383, which took effect January 1, 2022, all California residents must separate organic waste from landfill trash. Costa Mesa residents place food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings in the green organics cart. Accepted organics include fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, dairy, bread, coffee grounds, paper towels, and yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, and small branches. CMSD provides educational materials about proper sorting and conducts periodic cart audits to reduce contamination. Multi-family complexes with five or more units are served by commercial haulers and must comply with the same state recycling mandates. Businesses generating specified amounts of waste must also arrange organic waste collection through their hauler.
Contaminated recycling carts may be tagged with a notice and left uncollected. Repeated contamination may result in service suspension until the issue is corrected. Under SB 1383, jurisdictions that fail to meet organic waste diversion targets face state penalties, which Costa Mesa addresses through education and enforcement. Residents who consistently refuse to separate organics may receive notices of non-compliance from CMSD.
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa Municipal Code Title 13 establishes noise standards that vary by zoning district. Industrial and commercial noise crossing into residential zones ...
Costa Mesa, CA
Outdoor music at residences, parks, and events in Costa Mesa must comply with CMMC Title 13 noise standards. Amplified outdoor music requires compliance with...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa regulates amplified music under CMMC Chapter XIII noise control. Music and sound-producing devices must comply with exterior noise standards at th...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa defines abandoned vehicles as those left on public streets for more than 72 hours without being moved or those that are inoperable. The city proac...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa prohibits commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVW from parking on restricted streets between 2 AM and 6 AM, or for more than 3 hours on any pub...
Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa requires vehicles to park on improved surfaces under its development and property maintenance standards. Driveway design must meet zoning requirem...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how other cities in Orange County handle recycling requirements.
See how Costa Mesa's recycling requirements rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.