Residents of single-family homes are provided a blue no-sort
recycling cart, free of charge, for can, glass, plastic, and mixed paper recycling. Green carts are distributed for yard waste.

Waste Reduction Programs & Tips
Curbside Collection Instructions

No-Sort Recycling Collection:

Cans & Foil

• Aluminum beverage cans and aluminum food cans (e.g. cat food cans)
• Steel/tin food and beverage cans
• Clean aluminum foil and foil food trays

Glass

• All glass bottles and jars (mayonnaise, apple juice bottles, wine bottles, etc.)
• CA redemption bottles (beer, juice, wine coolers, etc.)

Plastics

• Water/Juice/Soda bottles
• Food Containers
• Milk and water jugs
• Detergent/cleaning product bottles
• Personal care bottles
• Plastic Shopping Bags

Paper

• Newspaper (including inserts)
• Office paper (white and colored)
• Computer paper
• Corrugated cardboard
• Cardboard boxes and paper bags
• Phone books
• Magazines and catalogs
• Food/detergent boxes
• Office mix (file folders, fax paper, envelopes, advertisements, flyers, etc.)
• Junk mail, bulk mail, and scrap paper
• Paper bound with non-water soluble glue (paperback books, hardback books, overnight mail packages, etc.)
• Milk cartons (clean and rinsed)
• Aseptic Packages (juice boxes)

Organics Collection
Single Family

The City of Santa Monica's yard waste collection program is designed to divert organic materials from the landfill for composting. The yard waste materials collected are composted for agricultural purposes. The green, 95-gallon yard waste container is supplied to all single-family residents at no extra charge.

Only the following materials may be placed in the green yard waste container: grass, leaves, yard trimmings, weeds, tree trimmings and small branches not more than 3 feet long. Do not put plastic bags, animal waste, food waste, wood, lumber, rocks, trash, palm fronds or hazardous materials in the yard waste container.

The container should be placed on the street or in the alley on your scheduled refuse collection day with the lid opening facing the street and the container handles pointing toward your home. Containers should be at least two feet from other collection containers and objects such as vehicles, poles, walls, fences, trees, street signs.