Livermore, CA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Livermore Municipal Code Section 8.08.040(B) requires occupants of residential and commercial premises to separate recyclable materials from solid waste and compostable materials and place them in the container the franchisee provides. Where the occupant is not the property owner, the code puts the burden on the owner to instruct the occupant in proper separation and placement. Commercial customers whose recycling volume warrants it can also request a larger bin instead of a standard container, at the franchisee's discretion under the same subsection.

Section 8.08.030(D) backs that separation duty with a collection guarantee: all recyclable materials and compostable materials that a residential occupant source-separates for collection must be picked up from the premises at least once each week. The same subsection protects residents who choose to sell or donate their own source-separated recyclables outside the franchise system, so long as the material is fully separated from solid waste and compostable materials, though the City can require an affidavit confirming no fee changed hands for that alternative arrangement. Section 8.08.120 lists narrower exemptions from the franchise-hauling requirement itself, covering items like recyclables donated to charities, beverage containers recycled under the state's bottle bill, and materials residents personally haul to a disposal site.