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

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

Key Facts

Organic waste includes
green material, landscape/pruning waste
Mandatory service
all residential/commercial/industrial units
SB 1383 program
WMA Ord. 2021-02, eff. Jan 1, 2022
Third-party removal
barred, §9.20.045
On-site exception
feeding to chickens allowed, §9.20.080.B

Summary

Yard trimmings count as 'organic waste' under Pleasanton's solid waste code, and every residential, commercial and industrial unit must carry organic waste collection service through the city's contracted hauler alongside garbage and recycling; self-hauling green waste to the curb without that service isn't an option.

"Organic waste" means solid waste containing material originated from living organisms and their metabolic waste products, including, but not limited to, food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate, and sludges or as otherwise defined in 14 California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 18982(a)(46), as amended. ... Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each and every "residential unit," "commercial unit" and "industrial unit," as defined in Section 9.20.010 of this chapter, shall have solid waste, recyclables and organic waste service by the collector with a collection contract entered into pursuant to Section 9.20.100 of this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4955754; v17 updated 2026-06-02).

Full Breakdown

100. 23 adopts the Alameda County Waste Management Authority's countywide organics reduction and recycling ordinance (WMA Ord. B allows a property owner to feed organic waste to chickens and other animals kept on the same premises instead of setting it out for collection, as long as the animals and premises stay sanitary.

Violations & Fines

§ 9.20.030.A makes noncompliance with the collection-service requirement a misdemeanor or grounds for an administrative citation under Chapter 1.24, enforced by the city manager or community development director after an inspection. § 9.20.045 separately treats unauthorized removal of organic or yard waste by anyone other than the contracted collector as a chapter violation, and § 9.20.020.E bars burning solid waste, recyclables or organic waste within city limits unless a separate city burning ordinance allows it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to sign up for a separate yard waste program in Pleasanton?
No separate signup; § 9.20.010 folds green material, landscape and pruning waste into organic waste, and § 9.20.020 already requires every residential, commercial and industrial unit to carry organic waste service through the city's contracted hauler.
Can I give my yard trimmings to a neighbor or landscaper instead of the city hauler?
Generally no; § 9.20.045 reserves organic waste removal to the contracted collector, though it exempts fee-free donations, food recovery, and a contractor hauling waste it generated on a job site using its own crew.
Can I feed yard clippings to backyard chickens instead of setting them out?
Yes, § 9.20.080.B allows organic waste to be fed to chickens and other animals kept on the same premises, provided the premises stay sanitary and the animal-keeping itself follows the city's separate animal ordinances.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pleasanton

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