Residential Recyclable Materials
Residences (Single family and multifamily complexes with four or more units) must recycle aluminum, glass bottles and jars, mixed paper, rigid plastics, cardboard, plastic bottles, jugs and jars, tin and bi-metal cans, white goods (appliances) and green waste. Haulers are also now accepting Cartons. Some examples of cartons include milk (including soy, almond, coconut, rice) cartons, orange or other juice cartons, soup and broth cartons, and wine cartons.
Printable version of recyclable materials sign.
Recycling at Home
Residential Recyclable Materials
Recyclable Materials Include:
Food & Beverage Containers — Milk, soda, water, salad dressings, cooking oil, yogurt containers, cottage cheese containers, etc.
Metals — Aluminum cans, aluminum foil (clean), pots and pans (all metal), empty aerosol cans, aluminum cooking trays and pans (clean).
Cartons — Milk (including soy, almond, rice, coconut), orange or other juice, soup and broth cartons, and wine cartons.
Jars & Canisters — Peanut butter jars, mayonnaise jars, and aspirin bottles.
Cleaning Products & Detergents — Bleach, detergent, soap, shampoo, drain cleaners, etc. (Containers must be empty.)
Automotive & Yard Care Products — EMPTY motor oil, antifreeze, plant food and herbicide containers.
Miscellaneous Rigid Plastics — Including, but not limited to, plastic buckets with metal handles, plastic drums, totes & empty garbage cans, plastic milk crates, kitty litter buckets, laundry baskets, lawn furniture, and pet carriers, plastic toys, plastic agricultural trays/pots, plastic pallets, and other mixed plastic containers.
Curbside Collection Services
Private recycling and franchised waste companies provide curbside recycling and trash collection services throughout the unincorporated area. For a list of service providers for your area, click here for franchised waste haulers, and click here for recycling haulers.
By now, you are likely familiar with the 3 R’s of waste reduction: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But do you know about the 4th R in waste reduction? Repair. Choosing to repair slightly broken or damaged items is just one other way to decrease the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills. Repairing items is becoming more popular with DIY shows. The County has also compiled many reuse and repair ideas on Pinterest and YouTube that give easy-to-follow instructions on how to repair many household items. It is easy to see why more people are choosing to repair their items once they know the benefits.
Find a local business to repair your old or broken items! To find out where to repair your slightly broken or damaged items and more, click below for a comprehensive search tool to locate a repair shop close to you.
www.RepairSD.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) to speak with our bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline representatives.
Refrigerators, Freezers and Air Conditioners
If you're in the market for a new fridge or freezer, or simply want to get rid of that extra one in the garage, consider recycling. Please visit SDG&E if interested, click here. For questions on current rebate programs, call 1-800-599-5792
Drop-off recycling centers
Many private and public recycling centers are available throughout the county. Click here for a location near you or call the County’s Recycling Hotline at 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784).
Apartments and Condos
Don’t have recycling at your complex? Want to do something about it? Consider becoming a block leader and help bring recycling to your complex. The County’s Recycling Section can provide you with bins for your apartment and brochures for fellow tenants. Click here for a guide to recycling at Apartments & Condos.
Reduce your Junk Mail!
Click here for ideas on how to reduce your junk mail footprint!
No-Cost Chipping Service for Fuel (Vegetation) Reduction
This program offers a No-Cost Chipping Service for fuel (vegetation) reduction to qualified residents in certain areas of the unincorporated County. Click here for more details.