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

Under Sec. 14-01.12, every generator in Salinas, single-family and multi-family residences, and commercial and industrial businesses, must source-separate recyclables and organic waste from garbage and enter into a contract with the city's exclusive franchisee unless a specific exemption applies. Sec. 14-01.13 requires generators to subscribe to three-container collection service (garbage, compost and recyclable materials), maintain adequate container capacity, and keep source-separated organic waste out of the garbage container. Multi-family and commercial properties must additionally provide user disposal containers for tenants, employees and customers with either color-coded lids and bodies (gray or black for garbage, blue for recyclables, green for organic waste) or labels showing accepted and prohibited materials, a requirement that began January 1, 2022, with a phase-in for existing containers through January 1, 2036.

Sec. 14-01.12(a) allows commercial and industrial generators to skip franchise collection if they self-haul recyclables in a vehicle owned by the generator or an employee, or if they sell or donate source-separated recyclables, subject to city manager approval. Sec. 14-01.15 offers two waivers: a de minimis waiver for businesses generating under twenty gallons of organics per applicable container weekly (or ten gallons for businesses under two cubic yards total waste service), and a physical space waiver when a licensed contractor, architect or engineer certifies the premises cannot fit the required containers. Waivers require reapplication every five years and are automatically revoked on a change of property ownership.

Enforcement runs through Sec. 14-01.32: the city issues a notice of violation giving sixty days to comply, and unresolved violations escalate to administrative citations.