Westminster, CA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Scavenging
- Banned once recyclables are placed for collection
- Permit required
- Annual recyclable material collection permit from director
- Reporting
- Quarterly report on volume collected and destination
- Audit power
- Director may audit permit holder's records anytime
- Penalty
- Report failure grounds for permit revocation
Summary
Westminster bans anyone but the Midway City Sanitary District franchisee from scavenging recyclables left out for collection, and requires any other recycler operating in the city to hold a business license plus an annual recyclable material collection permit from the public works director, with quarterly reporting on what was collected and where it went.
No person other than the MCSD franchisee shall handle, salvage, scavenge or otherwise sort or remove refuse or recyclable waste material that has been lawfully placed for collection. ... Persons collecting recyclable material within the city shall, in addition to obtaining a business license, obtain a recyclable material collection permit from the director prior to commencing such collection and annually thereafter. Persons operating under such a permit shall, on a quarterly basis or at such times as determined by the director, submit a report to the director specifying the amount of recyclable material collected within the city, the location(s) from which the recyclable material was collected, and the location(s) to which the recyclable material was delivered for processing. Failure to submit timely reports shall be a basis for revocation of the recyclable material collection and disposal permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
300 makes it unlawful for anyone other than the MCSD franchisee to handle, salvage, scavenge or otherwise sort or remove refuse or recyclable waste material once it has been lawfully placed at the curb for collection. The same section bars any unpermitted party from offering, soliciting or transporting refuse or recyclable collection service for compensation, and bars interference with a container or its contents by anyone except the owner, the owner's agent, a city employee or the franchisee. 370 lets private recyclers operate in Westminster, but only under a director-issued recyclable material collection permit obtained in addition to a standard business license, renewed annually.
Permit holders must file a report, on a quarterly basis or as the director directs, stating the amount of recyclable material collected, where it was collected, and where it was delivered for processing. The director may audit those records at any time, and a permit holder who fails to file a timely report faces revocation of the permit. Together the two sections protect the franchisee's exclusive curbside stream from scavengers while still allowing licensed recyclers, such as scrap or e-waste haulers, to operate under city oversight.
Violations & Fines
Scavenging a recycling bin or operating without the required permit is enforced the same way as other refuse violations: a misdemeanor under § 1.12.010 carrying up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or, if charged as an infraction, escalating fines of $100, $200 and $500 for repeat violations within a year. A collector who lets a required quarterly report lapse risks having the director revoke the recyclable material collection permit outright, ending the ability to operate lawfully in the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to take recyclables out of someone else's bin in Westminster?
Can a private company collect recyclables in Westminster?
What happens if a permitted recycler misses a report deadline?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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Recycling Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle recycling rules.