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

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

Key Facts

Curbside program established
1991
Governing section
TMC Section 5.20.120
Collection frequency
weekly or biweekly
Participation
mandatory for residential generators
Notice-to-cure period
60 days
Self-haul exemption
TMC Section 5.20.080

Summary

Tracy's curbside recycling program, running since 1991, is mandatory: every single-family and multi-family residential generator must subscribe to the City's recyclable materials collection service under Tracy Municipal Code Section 5.20.120. The contractor picks up recyclables weekly or biweekly. Skipping service isn't optional except through a City-approved self-haul exemption, and violations bring administrative citations under Chapter 1.28.

The curbside recycling program was established in 1991 as a first step to achieve the diversion goals of the Act. The contractor shall collect curbside recyclables once per week or bi-weekly as approved by the City but without amendment of this chapter, or in any case no less frequently than once every other week as arranged between the City and the contractor. Curbside recyclable materials include, but are not limited to: aluminum cans, glass, newspaper, mixed paper, steel/tin cans, cardboard, authorized plastics, and other materials as approved in an operative franchise agreement between the City and its contractor. ... All single-family and multi-family residential generators must participate in the City's residential recycling program and subscribe to recyclable materials collection service provided by the City's contractor. The fee for recyclable materials collection service is included as part of the standard refuse collection rate for customers using the three-container collection system. Residential generators have the right to sell or donate their recyclable material, but only as provided in Section 5.20.080.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69).

Full Breakdown

110, one of the first steps toward the diversion goals of California's Integrated Waste Management Act. The City's contractor must collect curbside recyclables at least once every other week, and current service runs weekly or biweekly as the City approves, without needing to amend the ordinance. Accepted materials include aluminum cans, glass, newspaper, mixed paper, steel and tin cans, cardboard, and authorized plastics, plus anything else added under the operative franchise agreement between the City and its contractor. Participation is not optional for residents. 120, every single-family and multi-family residential generator must subscribe to the contractor's recyclable materials collection service; the fee is folded into the standard refuse rate for customers on the three-container system.

080, which requires the material to be generated on the resident's own property and hauled with the generator's own personnel and vehicles, not a subcontracted hauler. 020 if the City has specifically approved them for its collection program and they are kept separated from refuse and organic materials. 250, though inspectors cannot enter the interior of a private home. 28. 270.

Violations & Fines

A confirmed recycling violation starts with a Notice of Violation under Section 5.20.260, giving the generator 60 days to fix the problem before Tracy issues an administrative citation and fine set by TMC Section 1.28.050. The City can also pursue civil action or prosecute repeat violations as a misdemeanor or infraction. Recipients of a citation may request an appeal hearing under Sections 1.28.070 to 1.28.110 within the deadline stated on the notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is recycling mandatory in Tracy?
Yes. Tracy Municipal Code Section 5.20.120 requires every single-family and multi-family residential generator to subscribe to the City contractor's recyclable materials service. The cost is already built into the standard refuse rate for three-container customers, so there's no way to opt out of the fee, only the self-haul exception under Section 5.20.080 lets a resident handle their own recyclables instead.
What can I put in my Tracy recycling bin?
TMC Section 5.20.110 lists aluminum cans, glass, newspaper, mixed paper, steel and tin cans, cardboard, and authorized plastics as curbside recyclables, plus any other material the City and its contractor add to the operative franchise agreement without needing to amend the ordinance itself.
What happens if I don't comply with Tracy's recycling rules?
The City documents the violation and issues a Notice of Violation giving 60 days to fix it under Section 5.20.260. Missing that deadline brings an administrative citation and a fine set by TMC Section 1.28.050, and the City can pursue civil or criminal remedies for repeat or large-scale noncompliance.

Sources & Official References

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