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

010 states the ordinance exists because San Diego County requires recyclables to be separated from the waste stream before disposal at county landfills, and because keeping recyclables out of the landfill extends its life and supplies material for manufacturing. 020 defines 'designated recyclable materials' not as a fixed list in the code itself but as whatever materials the City Council designates by resolution, covering residential, commercial, and industrial generators alike. 030 puts the separation duty on the customer: recyclables must be pulled out of the waste stream before placement for collection, on the schedule the Council adopts, and the city or its authorized agent must run a collection system for all three generator classes.

120: the contractor supplies one recycling cart per dwelling (35 or 65 gallons) for glass, aluminum and steel cans, plastic containers coded 1 through 7, cardboard, cartons, newspaper, mixed paper and block Styrofoam, and residents may request two more recycling carts at no extra charge, but may not mix rubbish, garbage, or green waste into that cart. 040 makes it city property, and anyone not authorized by the city who collects or picks it up commits a violation, with each separate pickup from each location charged as its own offense. 050 to donate or sell recyclables privately instead of using curbside pickup.