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Folsom, CA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

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

Key Facts

Container
Standard green cart
Branch limit
4 inches diameter max
Placement
Loose, below lid line
Cart cap
96 gallons / 200 lbs
First penalty
$50-$100

Summary

Folsom collects yard waste through its green organic waste cart, not as a separate brush pickup. Branches must be under four inches thick and stay below the lid, and food scraps go in the same cart in compostable bags under Municipal Code Section 8.32.080.

B. Organic waste shall be placed in standard plastic green containers provided by the city or its authorized agent (black containers in service as of January 1, 2022, may continue to be used for organic waste until January 1, 2036). 1. Green waste shall not exceed four inches in diameter and shall not protrude above the lid of the container. Green waste shall be loosely placed in the container. 2. Food waste shall be contained in compostable bags.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1369, passed April 28, 2026).

Full Breakdown

080(B) requires organic waste, including green waste, to go in the standard plastic green container the city or its authorized agent provides (older black containers in service as of January 1, 2022 may stay in use through January 1, 2036). 005(T) as grass clippings, shrubbery, leaves, tree trimmings, branches, flowers, plant stalks, untreated wood and Christmas trees, cannot exceed four inches in diameter and cannot protrude above the container lid; it must be loosely placed rather than bagged or packed. Food waste sharing the same cart must be bagged in compostable bags.

250. 080(F). 045. Larger branches, tree stumps and oversized limbs that won't fit or close in the cart fall outside routine green-cart service and must go through the bulky waste program or a private hauler.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 8.32 violations are administrative under Section 8.32.285: a base penalty of $50 to $100 for a first offense, $100 to $200 for a second violation within a year, and $250 to $500 for a third, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately. The public works director enforces the chapter under Section 8.32.280 and may pursue the administrative hearing procedures of Chapter 1.09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put tree branches in my green cart in Folsom?
Yes, but only branches under four inches in diameter that fit loosely without sticking above the lid, per Municipal Code Section 8.32.080(B)(1). Thicker limbs or larger loads need the city's bulky waste appointment program under Section 8.32.250 instead.
Do I have to bag grass clippings for Folsom's green cart?
No. Section 8.32.080(B)(1) requires green waste to be loosely placed in the container rather than bagged; only food waste sharing the cart under subsection (B)(2) must go in compostable bags.
What happens if my yard waste cart won't close?
Section 8.32.080(D) and (E) say material must fall freely when the cart tips and the lid must close completely; overfilled carts that don't meet this will not be collected on the regular route and need the bulky waste program instead.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Folsom

All Folsom rules

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