How to Recycle Food Scraps at Home

Recycling food scraps is easy whether you live in a single-family home or an apartment complex. Take a moment to review this video on how to recycle food scraps from your kitchen at home.

 

How to Recycle at Work

Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling has partnered with our friends at Salinas Valley Recycles to create this video about “How to Recycle at Work.” This short video includes instructions on participating in the mixed recycling and food scraps recycling programs. The same rules and techniques for recycling at work apply at home. Remember, recycling only works if the materials are free of contamination. Click on the video link at the right to learn more about recycling in the Salinas Valley.

 

“Help!”

“I need to know where my business can purchase approved compostable can liners.” Click here to find a list of vendors our friends at Salinas Valley Recycles have found that sell the only type of bag that can be used in the food scraps recycling program.

 
 

¡Al Bote Verde, Todo lo que Crece!

Clientes Residenciales: Haga clic aquí para aprender como colectar tus sobras de comida.

If it Grows, it Goes!

Residential Customers: Click here to learn how to collect your food scraps.

 

School Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling

Click here to learn more about how we and our partners can help your school comply with state laws requiring food waste recycling in your district.

 

Why?

The State of California has passed several laws in recent years to address the need to remove organic waste from landfills. When landfilled, organic materials such as food waste and yard waste generate methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas that is harmful to the environment. Methane gas is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to global warming and climate change. US Department of Agriculture researchers estimate that 30-40 percent of the food supply is food waste, with 31 percent of that loss occurring at the retail (business) and consumer (home) levels.

It is important that businesses and consumers work to reduce food waste and that communities work to put programs in place to keep organic materials such as food waste and yard waste out of landfills. That’s where organics recycling services come in. Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling residential and business customers can utilize our mixed organics (green cart) collection service to keep landscaping waste out of the landfill. In 2020, Salinas Valley Recycles expanded its composting operations at the Johnson Canyon Landfill to take food waste from residents and businesses such as food processors, restaurants, schools, residential care facilities, and grocery stores. In 2021, Tri-Cities introduced a food waste collection program to service all customers. Residential and multi-family apartment complex customers can combine unbagged food scraps and landscaping waste in their existing green organics cart. Food scraps recycling service is mandatory for qualified businesses. Read below to learn whether your business must subscribe to the food scraps recycling service. If you have any questions or want to begin this service at your business, call us (toll-free) at 1-888-678-6798.

What?

 
 

SB 1383: Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP): Organic Waste Methane Emissions Reductions
This law expands the requirements outlined in AB 1826 for businesses and multi-family complexes. Businesses that serve food must arrange for organics recycling service and provide interior collection containers. Recycling containers must be placed adjacent to trash containers, easily accessible, and be clearly marked. In addition to yard waste diversion, multi-family complexes (5 units or more and generating two (2) or more cubic yards of total solid waste per week) will be required to support a food waste collection program for their tenants. In most cases, this will be done by subscribing to the waste hauler’s mixed organics or food scraps collection cart service.

Visit the CalRecycle website here to read more about this law.

AB 1826: Mandatory Organics Recycling for Businesses and Public Entities
This law requires businesses, public entities (like schools), and multi-family complexes (5 units or more and generating two (2) or more cubic yards of total solid waste per week) to divert organic waste or subscribe to an organics recycling program. Total solid waste includes garbage, mixed recycling, cardboard recycling, and organic waste.

This law requires the following:

  • All qualified businesses, public facilities (including schools), and multi-family complexes must divert landscaping (yard waste) from the landfill

  • All qualified businesses that prepare, process, serve, or sell food must divert food waste from the landfill

Visit the CalRecycle website here to read more about this law.

How?

Businesses can subscribe to commercial organics or food scrap recycling services by calling their city business office. Single-family residential customers can now place approved food scraps in their existing green mixed organics cart. Organics service for multi-family residential customers is now operational. Complexes with a green mixed cart can begin using it for yard waste and food scraps. Click here for more information on what can be placed in the cart and what should not be placed in the cart.

For Single-family Residents

Residents wishing to add or change trash service levels can call their city’s business office.

Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling residential customers receive the standard three-cart service and these additional services as part of their trash service:

Would you like a FREE food scraps collection pail? Pick one up at your city hall business office (available first-come-first-served)

To learn more about all of our residential services, click here for the Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling Residential Service Guide

For Multi-family Complexes (Apartments)

Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling multi-family now offering the following:

Click here for the Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling Commercial & Multi-family Services Guide

  • Blue mixed recycling cart service (included with your trash service)

  • Blue cardboard recycling dumpster service (at no additional charge and where appropriate)

  • Green mixed organics cart service (combined food scraps & yard waste) (additional fee)

    • Apartment complex owners and managers can contact city hall to set up service

    • Contact us at 888-678-6798 to receive all materials necessary to educate tenants

  • Bulky item collection service by appointment (apartment managers call 1-888-678-6798 or click here for more information)

For Businesses

Click here for the Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling Organics Recycling Quick Start Guide

Food processors can click here for more information on composting packaged food products

Click here for the Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling Commercial & Multi-family Services Guide

Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling is now offering:

  • Blue mixed recycling cart service (included with your trash service)

  • Blue cardboard recycling dumpster service (at no additional charge and where appropriate)

  • Green mixed organics (food scraps and yard waste) cart service (additional fee)

  • Brown food scraps recycling cart service (additional fee)

  • Compactor hauling services

  • Institutional size (roll-off) dumpster service for all services listed above

For Schools

Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling is now offering: