San Jose mandates recycling and organics diversion under SJMC Chapter 9.10 and California's SB 1383 (organics recycling) and AB 341 (commercial recycling). All residents and businesses must separate recyclables and organic waste from garbage. The City's three-cart system makes source separation mandatory. Commercial generators producing 2+ cubic yards of waste per week must have recycling service. Multi-family properties with 5+ units must provide recycling and organics collection per SB 1383.
San Jose's recycling program accepts paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastics #1-7. The organics program accepts food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste. Contamination of recycling carts with non-recyclable materials may result in cart rejection. The City conducts outreach and education programs and provides multilingual resources. Under SB 1383, edible food generators must arrange donation of surplus food.
Failure to comply with recycling requirements can result in contamination surcharges on utility bills. Businesses failing to provide required recycling services face fines under SB 1383 starting at $50-$500 per day after a compliance period.
San Jose, CA
San Jose Municipal Code Title 7 (Animal Care and Control) requires dogs in public places, city parks, and trails to be on a leash no longer than six feet, re...
San Jose, CA
San Jose imposes no general restriction on year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private residential property. The sign code (SJMC Ch...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Size, height, and motor noise are not restricted by the munic...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no ordinance limiting the duration, brightness, or hours of residential holiday lighting. The general nuisance provisions in SJMC Title 6 and th...
San Jose, CA
A built-in outdoor kitchen in San Jose typically requires multiple permits: a building permit for any structural roof or counter exceeding the patio cover ex...
San Jose, CA
San Jose does not have a dedicated ordinance for backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens. Use is governed by the multifamily balcony restriction...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how other cities in Santa Clara County handle recycling requirements.
See how San Jose's recycling requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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