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

Recycling in the incorporated City of Merced is provided through the City's own Refuse Division, which supplies a blue commingled recycling container to residential customers as one of the three standard carts (grey garbage, blue recycling, green green-waste). Per the City recycling page, the blue commingled recycling container accepts CA CRV bottles and cans, as well as plastic bottles, jars and jugs. Residents are instructed to place recyclable materials in the blue recycle container loosely and not to bag them. Plastic bags should not go in the blue cart; instead they go into the grey trash container or can be recycled at most major stores. The City provides an informational recycling brochure on its recycling page for a more complete list of accepted materials. Underlying the program, California's recycling and organics laws - including AB 1826 and SB 1383 (the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, effective January 1, 2022) - require residents and businesses statewide to separate recyclables and organics from trash. Because the City of Merced has a population over 70,000 (about 86,000), it is not eligible for SB 1383's rural/low-population exemption, so source separation applies citywide. This recycling service applies inside city limits; unincorporated areas use Merced County / regional programs instead.