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Three bins, one confusing set of rules, and a free bulky pickup almost nobody uses.
Last updated
San Diego households sort into three bins: blue for recycling (clean paper, cardboard, metal cans, rigid plastics, glass), green for organics (all food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings, required statewide under SB 1383) and black for everything else. City-serviced homes get curbside bulky item pickup by appointment through the Environmental Services Department — schedule it online rather than leaving items at the curb, which is illegal dumping. Mattresses are collected free through the statewide Bye Bye Mattress program, electronics and paint go to household hazardous waste transfer facilities by appointment, and CRV bottles and cans are redeemed for cash at certified recycling centers.
| Item | Bin | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Food scraps, meat, bones, dairy | Green organics | Required under SB 1383 — no bagging in plastic |
| Yard trimmings, branches | Green organics | Cut long branches down to fit with the lid closed |
| Pizza boxes, napkins, paper towels | Green organics | Food-soiled paper is organics, not recycling |
| Cardboard, office paper, mail | Blue recycling | Flatten boxes; keep dry and clean |
| Cans, glass bottles, rigid plastic | Blue recycling | Empty and rinse; leave caps on plastic bottles |
| Plastic bags and film | Neither | Return to grocery store drop-off — they jam sorting lines |
| Styrofoam, ceramics, diapers | Black trash | Not recyclable curbside |
| Batteries, paint, chemicals | Neither | Household hazardous waste facility, by appointment |
| TVs, computers, phones | Neither | E-waste drop-off or retailer take-back |
| Mattresses, furniture, appliances | Bulky pickup | Schedule an appointment — do not curb it early |
California's SB 1383 organic waste law requires food scraps to be diverted from landfills, so the green bin is no longer just yard waste. All food goes in — including meat, bones, dairy and leftovers — along with food-soiled paper. Do not line it with plastic bags; use compostable liners or nothing. Keep it in shade and rinse it periodically or summer gets unpleasant.
Clean, dry and empty is the rule. Cardboard, paper, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and rigid plastic containers. What ruins a load: plastic bags, food-soaked paper, garden hoses, tangled cords and anything wet. When in doubt about a soft plastic, it is trash or store drop-off, not the blue bin.
Styrofoam, diapers, broken ceramics, pet waste, wrappers and mixed-material packaging. If it is hazardous, electronic or bulky, it does not belong here even though it fits.
Multi-family buildings are serviced by private haulers contracted by the property, not by the city, but the same SB 1383 organics requirement applies. If your building lacks an organics bin, that is on the property manager — request it in writing.
City-serviced households can schedule a bulky item collection through the Environmental Services Department for furniture, mattresses, large appliances and similar oversized items. Book the appointment first and place items at the curb the evening before your scheduled date — items left out without an appointment are treated as illegal dumping and can be cited.
California's mattress recycling program (Bye Bye Mattress) funds free drop-off at participating collection sites and free take-back when a retailer delivers a replacement. Look up the nearest participating site rather than paying a junk hauler.
Fridges, freezers and AC units need refrigerant removal by a certified handler. Utility appliance recycling programs sometimes pay a rebate to haul away a working second fridge — check before paying someone.
Move-out week produces most of the couches abandoned on San Diego sidewalks. Schedule bulky pickup two to three weeks ahead of a lease end, or take usable furniture to a thrift donation center that offers free pickup.
Paint, solvents, pesticides, motor oil, pool chemicals, propane cylinders, fluorescent tubes and batteries go to a household hazardous waste transfer facility. City residents use appointment-based drop-off; county residents have separate collection events. Never put batteries in any curbside bin — they start truck and facility fires.
TVs, monitors, computers, printers and phones are banned from the trash. Free e-waste drop-off events run regularly around the county, and big-box retailers take back small electronics and printer cartridges year-round.
California redemption value is 5 or 10 cents per container, and certified recycling centers pay it out by weight or count. Grocery stores over a certain size must redeem in-store or pay a daily fee if no nearby center exists. Putting CRV in the blue bin donates that money to the hauler.
The city landfill complex includes a recycling center and the Greenery, which sells compost and mulch made from the county's yard waste — often free or low-cost to city residents with proof of residency. Bring a truck and a tarp.
All food scraps including meat, bones and dairy, food-soiled paper such as napkins and pizza boxes, and yard trimmings. California's SB 1383 organic waste law requires food waste to be kept out of landfills, so the green bin is no longer yard waste only. Do not use plastic bags as liners.
For city-serviced households, yes — the Environmental Services Department collects oversized items like furniture, mattresses and appliances by appointment at no additional charge. You must schedule it in advance; leaving items at the curb without an appointment is illegal dumping and citable.
Use the statewide Bye Bye Mattress program for free drop-off at participating collection sites, take the free take-back offered when a retailer delivers a replacement, or schedule a city bulky item pickup. Do not leave it on the sidewalk.
No. Plastic bags and film tangle sorting equipment and contaminate loads. Return clean bags and film to a grocery store drop-off bin, or put them in the black trash bin.
Paint, solvents, motor oil, pool chemicals and batteries go to a household hazardous waste transfer facility, usually by appointment. Electronics are banned from the trash and go to e-waste drop-off events or retailer take-back programs.
Yes. SB 1383 applies to multi-family properties as well, and the property is responsible for providing organics collection through its private hauler. If your building has no green bin, request one from the property manager in writing.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .