Single Family Residential – Food/Green Waste

Effective January 1, 2022, a new California law (SB 1383) requires that compostable materials, be kept out of landfills including food scraps, food-soiled paper products, paper towels, and plant debris to prevent the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In Alameda County, the law is implemented under the Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance.
 
Residents are required to subscribe to curbside composting and recycling collection service and sort materials into the correct containers.

 
Service is provided on a weekly basis, Monday through Friday, except for Holidays (see Holiday information).

To ensure your pickup, please place your cart at the curb the night before your scheduled pickup. Please place carts with at least three feet between each cart.

Pleasanton Residential Organics Cart

Pleasanton Residential Organics Cart

Each single family residential household is provided with a food/green waste cart and a food scrap pail (only if requested).

The food scrap pail is provided as a convenience and is not necessary to participate in the program. Residents may simply place their food scraps in a brown paper bag, paper towel, or loosely in their pail and then discard those contents directly into your food/green waste cart. Please do not set your food scrap pail at the curb

For some extra tips on how to reduce food waste in your home check out this page from StopWaste to Reduce Wasted Food At Home.

Food/Green Waste Cart

Follow these guidelines to ensure proper residential Food/Green collection in the green lid cart:

  • All food products including meat & bones including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, bones, bread, rice, beans, pasta and cheese
  • Coffee grounds & tea bags
  • Food-soiled paper such as pizza boxes, paper towels, paper plates, paper napkins & uncoated paper containers
  • Branches & twigs no larger than 6” in diameter
  • Plants, leaves, flowers & weeds
  • Unpainted and untreated wood

Follow these guidelines to ensure proper residential Food/Green collection in the green lid cart

Pleasanton Residential Organics Pail

Pleasanton Residential Organics Pail

Please NO

  • Plastic or plastic bags
  • Plastic-coated paper products
  • Glass
  • Metal
  • Polystyrene or liquids in your organics cart
  • Do not set your food scrap pail at the curb

 

Warning!

It is illegal to dispose of hazardous materials in garbage or recycling containers (see below for prohibited items). Improperly disposing of hazardous and toxic waste can result in serious harm to the health of people, pets, wildlife, and our environment. Containers found to have these materials will not be collected until such materials are removed.

Alameda County offers free drop off locations for hazardous and/or universal waste. For more information, please visit the StopWaste.org Household Hazardous Waste for Residents website, or call 1-800-606-6606.

You can also check the City of Pleasanton Household Hazardous Waste Programs for local disposal options.

 
It is illegal to dispose of hazardous materials in garbage or recycling containers
 

Additional Resources

PGS has partnered with many local agencies to make it easy for Pleasanton residential customers to properly dispose of waste, with an emphasis on recycling to help keep Pleasanton green!