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

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

Key Facts

Cross-contamination
Unlawful, garbage/recycling into clean green
Subscription
City Manager can mandate it
Contents allowed
Plant material only
Contamination remedy
Increased service level ordered
Governing section
SCCC § 8.25.290

Summary

Santa Clara bans mixing green waste into garbage or recycling containers under City Code Section 8.25.290, lets the City Manager require single-family and multifamily homes to subscribe to clean green collection, and prohibits putting anything but plant material in a container designated for clean green.

(a) It shall be unlawful to dispose green waste in a container designated for garbage or recycling. (b) The City Manager or designee may require a single-family or multifamily residence to subscribe to clean green collection services. (c) It shall be unlawful to dispose of any material other than plant material accepted by a collector in a container designated for clean green. The City Manager or designee may mandate an increase of service under SCCC § 8.25.090(b) for repeated contamination violations.

View official code

Full Breakdown

290, titled "Clean green," governs Santa Clara's yard-waste stream separately from garbage and recycling. Subsection (a) makes it unlawful to dispose of green waste in a container designated for garbage or recycling, so grass clippings, branches and leaves have to go in their own bin. Subsection (b) gives the City Manager or designee authority to require a single-family or multifamily residence to subscribe to clean green collection service, meaning the subscription isn't automatically optional if the City Manager determines a property needs it. 090(b) for a property with repeated contamination violations.

275(e) must be designed with adequate storage for all three. Clean green material collected under this section becomes part of the organic waste diversion Santa Clara reports toward its mandatory commercial organics program and the citywide green waste stream.

Violations & Fines

Mixing garbage or non-plant material into a clean green container, or ignoring a City Manager order to subscribe, is enforced under Section 8.25.310 by code enforcement, building inspectors or peace officers. Violations of Chapter 8.25 fall under the general Section 1.05.070 penalty: up to $1,000 and six months in jail for a misdemeanor, or a graduated infraction fine of $100, $200 and $500 for repeat violations within a year, plus a possible increase in required service level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to subscribe to yard waste pickup in Santa Clara?
Section 8.25.290(b) gives the City Manager or designee authority to require any single-family or multifamily residence to subscribe to clean green collection service. Where the City Manager issues that requirement, subscribing is mandatory, not optional, for that property.
What can I put in my Santa Clara green waste bin?
Only plant material. Section 8.25.290(c) makes it unlawful to dispose of anything other than plant material accepted by the collector in a container designated for clean green, and repeated contamination lets the City Manager order a higher level of service under Section 8.25.090(b).
Can I put grass clippings in my regular trash can instead?
No. Section 8.25.290(a) makes it unlawful to dispose of green waste in a container designated for garbage or recycling. Grass clippings, branches and leaves have to go in the clean green container instead of the regular trash or recycling bin.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Santa Clara

Collection ScheduleSome RestrictionsBulk Item DisposalSome RestrictionsRecycling RulesSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsRecycling RequirementsSome RestrictionsMandatory Organics RecyclingSignificant RestrictionsPickup Rules & SchedulesSome RestrictionsIllegal DumpingHeavy RestrictionsBin Placement RulesSome RestrictionsDumpster RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome RestrictionsBusiness Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential PropertyHeavy RestrictionsHome Business: Customer Traffic RestrictionsSome Restrictions

All Santa Clara rules

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