Fontana, CA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Sec. 24-61 requires single-family generators, unless they qualify as self-haulers under Sec. 24-67, to subscribe to the city's organic waste collection service and sort materials by container: source-separated organic waste including food scraps goes in the green container, source-separated recyclables go in the blue container, and everything else goes in the black container, with food waste bagged consistent with the hauler's instructions. 9(c). Sec. 24-11(f) backs the sorting requirement up on the collection side: once recyclable materials such as paper, glass, cardboard, plastic, used motor oil, ferrous metal or aluminum are segregated and placed at a designated collection point in the contractor's approved containers, no one but the city's authorized recycling agent may remove them, though a resident keeps the right to donate, sell or otherwise dispose of their own recyclables directly.

The city can review the size and number of a household's containers and require the resident to adjust their service level to match actual capacity needs. Waivers from some or all of these requirements are available under Sec. 24-63 for de minimis generators, properties without physical space for containers, or reduced collection frequency, and any waiver has to be approved by the city manager or a designee.