Solid Waste Collection Services
Sacramento County's Department of Waste Management & Recycling (DWMR) regulates commercial solid waste collection services and recycling requirements for businesses and commercial properties located in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County. DWMR does not provide commercial waste and recycling collection services. Contact DWMR's local franchised waste haulers to sign up for commercial waste, recycling, and organics collection services.
Non-Local Entities
While they are subject to mandatory recycling and organic recycling requirements, DWMR does not regulate Non-Local Entities. Non-Local Entities are instead regulated by CalRecycle and include: special districts, federal facilities, prisons, state park facilities, public universities and community colleges, county fairgrounds, and state agencies. For more information on the requirements of Non-Local Entities, please visit CalRecycle's Resources for Non-Local Entities page. For information on waiver eligibility and submission, visit CalRecycle's Department-Issued Waivers page. Questions concerning the waiver process can be emailed to slcp.organics@calrecycle.ca.gov.
Recycling Laws
Businesses must meet state mandates for diverting recyclables and organic material (food waste and green waste) from landfill disposal in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses are required to separate the waste they generate into recyclables, organics, and trash. Below lists more details about these laws and how to comply.
Organics
Law: All businesses that subscribe to two or more cubic yards of garbage and recycling service combined per week are required to arrange for organic material recycling services. Check your bill to see what size containers are on site, and service frequency each week.
Organic Materials: Food waste, food-soiled paper, green waste/landscaping trimmings and “clean wood" (no paint, no stain, etc.). Download the Organic Material Recycling Flyer for a quick and easy reference document on commercial organic recycling requirements.
How to Comply: Businesses must select one or more of the following options:
Sign-Up for Organic Service with Waste Hauler- Enter into a service agreement with a commercial solid waste Franchised Hauler to collect organics material; or,
Alternative Organic Service- Complete and submit the Alternative Service Verification section in the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form if your business utilizes one or more alternative organic material recycling services:
Landscaper: The business contracts with a landscaper, who collects and recycles green waste/landscape trimmings off-site to a facility that recycles the green waste properly. (Note: Landscaper only verifies the green/landscape trimmings waste portion of organics and does not constitute full compliance for organics recycling as a stand-alone alternate service).
Third-Party Recycler: The business contracts with a recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and recycles all generated organic material. All contracts between the business and each alternative service recycler must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Self-Haul: The business hauls its organic materials collected to a local organic recycling facility. Receipts must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Backhaul: The business hauls its organic materials back to a central or corporate location to be collected for recycling. Contracts or other proof of evidence must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Shared Container: The business places its organic materials in another adjacent business' organic material recycling container to be recycled. Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the organic recycling collection service contract must be retained on-site for verification during inspection; or,
- Waivers:
20 Gallons or Less Waiver: If your business generates less than 20 gallons of organic material per week; apply for a 20-Gallon or Less Waiver in the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. Businesses who sell or produce food are ineligible to receive a 20-Gallon or Less Waiver. These include, but are not limited to, restaurants, theaters, hotels, schools, event centers, gas stations, and coffee shops. Here is a complete list of all ineligible business types. IMPORTANT: To submit waiver, separate your organic material from your garbage into a bucket for at least a week and measure how much material is collected. Your findings will need to be submitted in the waiver request.
Physical Space Waiver (not commonly used): If the business does not have adequate space for an organic material container, complete the Physical Space Waiver portion on the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. Note: Supporting documents are required as evidence that the business does not have space for a 64-gallon cart, one of the smallest carts available. 64-gallon carts are approximately 25" wide x 32" deep x 42" high.
Still have questions? Visit the FAQs or contact commercialwaste@saccounty.net.
Recycling
Law: Businesses with four or more cubic yards of garbage per week are required to arrange for recycling services. Check your bill to see what size containers are on site, and service frequency each week.
Recyclable Materials: Paper, cardboard, hard plastics (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7), aluminum/metal containers, and all colors of glass bottles and jars. Contact your recycling collection hauler to learn more about acceptable/unacceptable items.
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Newspaper/Cardboard
| Glass Bottles/Jars
| Metal Cans/Containers | Hard Plastic Containers
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How to Comply: Businesses must select one or more of the following options:
- Sign-Up for Recycling Service with Waste Hauler- Enter into a recycling collection service agreement with a Franchised Hauler to collect and haul your recyclables; or,
- Alternative Recycling Service- Complete and submit the Alternative Service Verification section in the Recycling Compliance Form because your business utilizes one or more alternative recycling services:
- Third-Party Recycler: The business contracts with a recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and recycles all generated recyclable material. All contracts between the business and each alternative service recycler must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
- Self-Haul: The business hauls the recyclable materials collected to a local recycling facility. Receipts must be retained on-site for verification during inspection. Note: If the business is only recycling aluminum cans, all other recyclable materials must also be collected and recycled through self-haul or another option listed here.
- Backhaul: The business hauls its recyclable materials back to a central or corporate location to be collected for recycling. Contracts or other proof of evidence must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
- Shared Container: The business places their recyclable material in another adjacent business' recycling container to be recycled. Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the recycling collection service contract must be retained on-site for verification during inspection; or,
- Physical Space Waiver (not commonly used)- If the business does not have adequate space for a recycling material container, complete the Physical Space Waiver section on the Recycling Compliance Form. Note: Supporting documents are required as evidence that the multifamily does not have space for a 64-gallon cart, one of the smallest carts available. 64-gallon carts are approximately 25" wide x 32" deep x 42" high.
Still have questions? Visit the FAQs or contact commercialwaste@saccounty.net.
Bin Labels
Contacts
County Commercial Solid Waste Correspondence: commercialwaste@saccounty.net or call DWMR Commercial Phone Line (916) 874-4200. Please provide your service address, business name, and phone number.
Commercial Hazardous Waste
Businesses that produce less than 220 pounds (approximately 27 gallons) of hazardous waste or 2.2 pounds of extremely hazardous waste per month are classified as Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQGs). CESQGs must call (916) 876-9458 to make an appointment for material disposal and must pay CESQG fees, depending upon the material type. Cash, check, or credit cards are all accepted. For more information on CESQG requirements, review our Solid Waste Acceptance Policy or contact NARS HHW center at 916-876-9458.
CESQGs are required to obtain a permit from the Environmental Management Department (EMD) for waste generation and apply for an EPA ID number from the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to dispose of the waste. Contact EMD at 916-875-8550 or cupapermit@saccounty.net for more information and permitting.
For more information about how to obtain an EPA ID Number, visit DTSC website.
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