Your multifamily property should:
- Have a level of organics, recycling, and garbage collection service (container size, number of containers, and frequency of collection) that adequately meets the property's needs.
- Place organics and recycling containers in location(s) that are at least as convenient to tenants as the garbage containers.
- Place at least one organics, recycling, and garbage container at all waste enclosures (where space permits).
- Have the waste containers regularly available for tenant use.
- Remove bulky waste (furniture, mattresses, etc.) on an on-call or more frequent basis to avoid overflow and unsafe accumulation outside of the waste containers.
- Educate tenants within 14 days of move-in and annually on how to properly separate organics, recycling, and garbage.
- Label each organics, recycling, and garbage container.
If you observe missing, inaccessible, mislabeled, overflowing, or to another issue with an organics/food waste, recycling, and/or garbage collection program at a property, submit the Commercial Waste Collection Issues Form or contact CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov.
For more compliance details, visit our Property Management page.
Kitchen pails are a convenient way to collect organic material (food-scraps and food-soiled paper) in the kitchen before dumping them in the organics container(s) located at the waste enclosure(s). While supplies last, free 2-gallon kitchen pails are available at:
Reminder! You can also use other types of containers to collect food scraps in your kitchen, such as an empty coffee can/tub, plastic bucket, or even a bowl. Similar pails can also be purchased online.
Property managers must schedule an appointment at CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov to pickup kitchen pails on behalf of tenants.
How to Collect Food Scraps & Food Soiled Paper in the Kitchen
1. Store the pail in a convenient location (under the sink, on the countertop, or in the refrigerator or freezer).
2. Line the pail with a paper, clear plastic, or compostable bag.
3. Prepare the food scraps by:
- Draining excess liquid
- Removing stickers, twist ties, rubber bands, and plastic wraps
- Layering food-soiled napkins with food scraps
- Sprinking baking soda on food scraps
4. Frequently empty the pail into your property's Organics container to avoid odor and pests.
Acceptable Organics Materials: Food scraps; Cheese and eggshells; Fruits and vegetables; Meat scraps and bones; Food-soiled paper and napkins; Coffee grounds, paper filters, tea bags; Wooden coffee stir sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks; Compostable and clear plastic bags.
Unacceptable Organics Materials: No glass; No metal; No coated paper or cartons; No plastics; No liquids; No pet waste; No treated, painted, stained, oiled wood.
Bags in the Organics Container: 
Compostable and clear, plastic bags are accepted in the organics container.
Please check with your property manager for program specifics or contact CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov.
Recycling Guidelines: All items must be:
- Empty and dry (limit liquids and food residue). Lids and labels are ok.
- Put loose in the recycling container (bagged items are treated like garbage and go to the landfill).
Acceptable Recyclable Materials: Plastic bottles and containers; Glass bottles and jars; Clean paper, flattened cardboard and paperboard; Metal cans.
Unacceptable Recyclable Materials: No plastic bags or plastic wrap, Styrofoam (TM); No propane tanks, paint, batteries, needles; No cords, chains, clothes hangers or other tanglers; No coated paper or cartons; No clothing, shoes, blankets; No organics; No liquids.
Check with your property manager for program specifics or contact CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov.
Don't Bag Recyclables:
- Use a bag to sort and carry recyclables to the Recycling container.
- Place the recyclables loose in the Recycling container.
- Place empty plastic bags in the Garbage containers or reuse them.
Acceptable Garbage: Household garbage; Plastic bags, utensils, film plastic; Styrofoam (TM), compostable plastic; Chip bags and candy wrappers; Pet waste, diapers; Coated paper and cartons; cords, chains, clothes hangers or other tanglers; Clothes, shoes, blankets (consider donating to charity).
Unacceptable Garbage: No organics; No recyclables (including no cardboard); No liquids; No e-waste; No furniture or bulky items; No hot ashes, coals, fireworks; No hazardous waste.
Check with your property manager for program specifics or contact CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW): Used cooking oil/motor oil; Used oil filters; Paint (oil-based or latex) and paint thinners; Home-generated needles and syringes; Household cleaners; Household batteries; Propane tanks (barbeque style, limit two, maximum 7 gallons).
HHW does not belong in any container. Please visit the HHW Drop-Off Centers page for more information on free disposal options for tenants.
You should contact management to learn about your property's bulky waste disposal program.
Free Disposal Options for Tenants
Some items (mattresses, appliances) are accepted for free at Kiefer Landfill and the North Area Recovery Station. Go to the Free Item Drop-Off page for more information. Please note that the load must only contain free items.
Contact the Commercial Solid Waste Team:
Please provide your service address, business name, and phone number.
Report Multifamily Waste Collection Issues:
If you observe missing, inaccessible, mislabeled, or overflowing waste containers, or another issue with the organics/food waste, recycling, and/or garbage collection programs at a property, submit the Commercial Waste Collection Issues Form or contact CommercialWaste@SacCounty.gov.
Additional Information:
