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Marin Sanitary Service provides garbage, recycling, and compostables (food scrap and yard waste) collection services to multifamily customers (defined as household dwellings of four or more units) in San Rafael, San Anselmo, Ross, Kentfield, Kent Woodlands, Fairfax, Greenbrae, Larkspur and other unincorporated areas of Marin County. We currently service more than 750 multifamily dwelling accounts and 15,000 multifamily tenants.
We’re dedicated to a better Marin, and work to promote recycling and diverting waste from our landfills in order to conserve natural resources and to reach our goal of zero waste. We’re not only a local business, we live here too.
As of January 2022, every home, apartment complex, and business in California is required by law to collect their food waste, yard waste, and paper separately from all other waste. The law (SB 1383) aims to reduce harmful methane emissions from landfills that contribute to climate change and global warming. Learn more about SB 1383 and other recycling laws here.
Marin Sanitary Service offers all of our customers green containers with weekly curbside collection to compost your food scraps, yard trimmings, napkins, and pizza boxes. See below for more information about what can and cannot go in your green compostables cart.
If you don’t have a green compostables cart, please call our office at (415) 456-2601 and we’ll get you set up!
Download our Multifamily Getting Started Guide and learn about our services, California laws and resources available to you.
In most cases, the property manager is the account holder and is responsible for all aspects of waste collection service — from setting up service to paying the bill. Occasionally, with smaller units, tenants may be individual account holders and are therefore responsible for their own services and billing.
If you are a tenant in a multifamily dwelling, please contact your property manager prior to contacting Marin Sanitary Service with questions about your service. Only account holders may start, change, stop or make additional service requests.
Multifamily customers enjoy a basic bundled service package that includes garbage, recycling, and up to four (4) carts for compostables (food scrap and yard waste) collection services for one low rate. When the property management office (or tenant) sets up service, a customer support representative will review cart/bin sizes and collection frequency options to determine what services are appropriate for the needs of your complex.
Our customer support representatives are available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (415) 456-2601.
Per California law, compostables (food scraps, plant debris & food-soiled paper) and recycling must be removed from every apartment complex’s garbage containers.
We provide compost and recycling opportunity assessments, diversion planning, training and posters to help your complex recycle successfully. Learn more by contacting a recycling coordinator at (415) 456-2601.
Multifamily customers are billed monthly for collection services. Rates are determined by the size, number of landfill carts/bins used by your complex and frequency of your collection service.
In most cases, your complex’s property management office is the account holder and therefore responsible for your collection service bill. Occasionally, with smaller units, the tenant is responsible for their own bill. Please contact your property manager prior to contacting Marin Sanitary Service with questions about your service.
If you have questions about your bill, please contact customer support at (415) 456-2601.
Tenants, to find out what day (or days) your collection services fall on, contact your property manager or call our office at (415) 456-2601 to speak with a customer support representative. Please have your garbage, recycling, and compostables out in your designated carts/bins the night before your collection day.
Missed collections must be reported within 48 hours of the service day. MSS will make every effort to return that same day if the miss is reported by noon on the service day or the following day if the miss is reported after noon on the day of service. Any misses reported after 48 hours will be subject to a fee for collection.
Contact us to report a missed collection. You may also call our office at (415) 456-2601.
Marin Sanitary Service is pleased to offer multifamily units the following cart/bin sizes for each commodity type. When the property manager sets up service, a customer support representative will review options to determine which is appropriate for your needs. If you wish to change a cart size, please contact customer support at (415) 456-2601.
Not all sizes are available at all locations and availability depends on a variety of factors including safety, accessibility, and efficiency. Requests will be assessed and approved by the route manager.
Recycling and Compostable carts are provided at no additional charge. The minimum service level is 32 gallons per unit or equivalent volume.
Please note that dimensions are approximate and based on the manufacturer may vary slightly from those listed.
View or download this guide that includes cart options, dimensions, and enclosure design guidelines for commercial and multifamily units.
Consistently contaminated or overloaded containers may result in fees.
Cart and bin lids must close completely. Environmental regulations dictate that cart lids must be closed at all times to prevent spillage. Containers that are consistently overloaded and not closed may indicate the need to upgrade to the next larger container size.
Remove any weights, bungee cords or ropes that were used to secure the lids of carts on your pick-up day. These can cause problems with the equipment and undue delays for the driver. MSS will not be responsible for loss of bungee cords, ropes, etc.
MSS will not be responsible for items left in, on, or around garbage, recycling, and compostable containers.
Fees apply for any extra bags of garbage next to, on top of, or overflowing from designated containers. Extra bags must be less than 60 pounds and 32 gallons in volume.
Extra recycling carts and cardboard bins are available and no extra charge. See our Compostables page for more information.
If you have a large household item, such as a dryer, couch, or other similar items that require special pick-up, please contact your property manager so they can arrange a pick-up time with us. Fees apply and we require 24-hour notice prior to your regularly scheduled pick up day.
Only account holders may schedule special pick-up service with Marin Sanitary. To get a quote, call our office at (415) 456-2601. Estimates given over the phone are subject to change after a driver has assessed the load.
Once you have scheduled your pick up, please put out your special item/s out at your regular service location the night before or by 6 a.m. the day of the collection. These items may also be disposed of at the Marin Resource Recovery Center.
What your multifamily complex needs to know about California’s mandatory commercial composting and recycling laws.
Need a debris box (dumpster) for a construction or remodeling project? We’ve got them!
We offer resources to help you and your tenants be successful recyclers and composters.
