Walnut Creek, CA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

California's Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law (AB 341) requires businesses and multifamily properties (5+ units) generating 4+ cubic yards of waste weekly to subscribe to recycling. AB 1826 extended the mandate to organic waste, and SB 1383 (effective January 2022) requires ALL residents and businesses to separate organics from garbage with a 75% statewide organics diversion goal by 2025. Walnut Creek implements these mandates through Republic Services curbside programs. Blue recycling cart accepts: paper, flattened cardboard, aluminum/steel cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastics #1-#7 (bottles, tubs, jugs).

Prohibited from blue cart: plastic bags, film, Styrofoam, ceramics, broken glass, coated paper cups, and contaminated materials. Green organics cart accepts: food scraps (including meat, dairy, bones), food-soiled paper, yard trimmings, and untreated wood. Residents generating over 2 gallons of food waste weekly are expected to use kitchen pails provided by Republic Services. Non-compliance with SB 1383 may trigger CalRecycle enforcement beginning in 2024, with penalties up to $500 per violation for jurisdictions, passed through via city enforcement.