Santa Clara County mandates recycling and organics separation under AB 341, AB 1826, and SB 1383 with potential fines for non-compliant residents and businesses.
Santa Clara County enforces California's comprehensive recycling mandates. AB 341 requires businesses generating 4 or more cubic yards of weekly solid waste and multi-family complexes with 5+ units to subscribe to recycling service. AB 1826 requires the same for organics. SB 1383, effective 2022, extends organic waste collection requirements to every resident and business statewide and sets a 75 percent organics diversion goal by 2025. Residents must place food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste in the green organics cart. Recyclables including paper, cardboard, rigid plastics #1-2 and #5, aluminum, glass bottles, and metal cans go in the blue cart, rinsed clean. Plastic bags, styrofoam, and soft plastics are contaminants and must not be placed in the blue cart. Businesses that fail to subscribe may face county enforcement letters, and after 2024 the county may issue fines up to 100 dollars per violation. Edible food generators (grocery stores, restaurants) must donate surplus food to feeding organizations under SB 1383 Tier 1 and Tier 2 rules.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Santa Clara County's recycling requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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