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

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Service mandate: All occupied premises must have city service
Recycling bags: Customer buys and supplies blue bags
Late penalty: 10% after 30 days delinquent
Lien trigger: 60 days delinquent on charges
Chapter 3 penalty: Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine
Rates: Set by City Council resolution

Summary

Every occupied property in Madera must carry city refuse and recycling collection under Municipal Code Section 5-3.02, with rates set by City Council resolution. Section 5-3.16 puts the cost of recycling bags on the customer and requires separation of recyclables before pickup, backed by Chapter 3's misdemeanor penalty clause.

All occupied premises within the city shall have refuse and recycling collection services for the collection, removal, and disposal of refuse and recycling of recyclable materials produced upon the premises for which services a charge shall be collected. ... All blue bags to be used in connection with recycling services described herein are to be acquired and paid for by the recycling customer. The customers shall separate and place recyclables in the gray solid waste container in the manner specified by resolution.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).

Full Breakdown

02(A) makes refuse and recycling collection mandatory for all occupied premises in the city, with charges based on volume and set by Council resolution rather than a flat citywide rate. 02(B); the city may also pull a customer's containers after 90 days of nonpayment. 16 governs the mechanics of the recycling service itself: customers buy and supply their own blue collection bags, and materials must be separated as specified by Council resolution before the authorized hauler collects them. 09 apply to noncompliance with the recycling program the same as any other Chapter 3 violation. 15.

Violations & Fines

Violating Chapter 3's recycling and refuse provisions is a misdemeanor under Section 5-3.09: fines run up to $500 for a first offense, $750 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later offense in the same case. Separately, unpaid recycling and refuse charges draw a 10% late penalty after 30 days, an added 0.05% monthly penalty after 90 days, a property lien after 60 days, and possible container removal after 90 days of nonpayment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is recycling service mandatory in Madera?

Yes. Municipal Code Section 5-3.02(A) requires every occupied premises in the city to carry refuse and recycling collection service, and charges for that service are set by City Council resolution and billed to the property.

Who pays for the recycling bags in Madera?

The customer does. Section 5-3.16 states that blue bags used for recycling service are acquired and paid for by the recycling customer, and materials must be separated in the manner specified by Council resolution.

What happens if I do not pay my Madera trash and recycling bill?

Section 5-3.02(B) adds a 10% base penalty once a charge is 30 days delinquent, an extra 0.05% monthly penalty after 90 days, and turns the unpaid balance into a lien on the property after 60 days; the city can also remove containers after 90 days of nonpayment.

Sources & Official References

[1]Madera Municipal Code

Other rules in Madera

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All Madera rules

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