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

Lakewood adopted its Part 5 "Organic Waste Disposal Reduction" chapter by Ordinance 2021-5 to implement state Senate Bill 1383. Section 5351(A) makes every single-family generator automatically subscribe to the city's Organic Waste collection services and requires participation in "the City's three-container collection service(s) by placing Source Separated Green Container Organic Waste, including Food Waste, in the Green Container; Source Separated Recyclable Materials in the Blue Container; and Gray Container Waste in the Gray Container," expressly barring cross-placement between the three streams. Households may still reduce their generation, backyard-compost, or use a community composting site under 14 CCR Section 18984.9(c) instead of full cart service.

Section 5332(A)(2), in the older Regulations Governing Refuse Accumulation and Collection part, backs this with the physical cart rule: recyclables "must be placed in the wheeled cart provided by the City or the City's contractor," no substitute container may be set out next to a cart, and every occupant must keep the cart's exterior "clean from accumulated grease or decomposing materials." Residents who consistently overflow their cart must obtain an additional standard wheeled cart from the hauler at the approved rate rather than bagging excess material curbside.

Because Lakewood is the original 1954 "Lakewood Plan" contract city, recycling collection and its enforcement run through the Public Works Director and the city's own franchised waste hauler agreement, not the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department that patrols under contract for police service.