Multifamily Compostables
(Yard Waste & Food Scraps)
Marin Sanitary Service offers weekly collection of residential compostable items such as plant materials, food-soiled paper and food scraps.
Removing organic material from the landfill is a top priority for all of California. Composting produces a soil amendment for farmers and helps reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
When organic material like food waste is landfilled, it breaks down and creates Methane – a greenhouse gas 80x more powerful than Carbon Dioxide.
More methane means more global warming, droughts and wildfires. Do your part to stop climate change by placing your food scraps, yard waste and food-soiled paper in your green cart!
The size and number of compostable carts a complex uses varies, but what goes in these compostable receptacles remains the same: only yard and food waste.
MSS provides up to four (4) 64 gallon carts per building in the bundled service rate. Additional carts beyond four may be rented for a nominal monthly fee per cart. Your compostable receptacles should be clearly marked and easy to identify.
Visit our Multifamily Services page to review the size and container options for commercial customers.
Please remember that we do not sort through the materials placed in landfill carts, so it is imperative to always place all of your yard waste and food scraps in the green compostables cart.
WHAT CAN GO IN YOUR GREEN COMPOSTABLES CART
FOOD SCRAPS
If you can eat it, it can go in the green cart!
 | Meat & poultry | ||
| Dairy products | ||
| Cooking grease & oils (in small amounts mixed with dry materials) | ||
| Fats | ||
| Fruit | ||
| Vegetables | ||
| Fish & shellfish | ||
| Egg shells | ||
| Coffee grounds | ||
| Tea bags |
FOOD-SOILED PAPER
| Soiled pizza boxes (greasy) | |
| Paper plates | |
| Napkins & paper towels |
YARD WASTE
| Grass clippings | |
| Leaves | |
| Weeds | |
| Flowers | |
| Straw | |
| Shrub & tree clippings | |
| Branches under 4 feet long & 3 inches in diameter |
WHAT CANNOT GO IN YOUR COMPOSTABLES CART
We CANNOT accept any plastics labeled as compostable or bio-degradable because they take twice as long to breakdown as the natural compostable material (yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper) we collect and send to the WM EarthCare composting facility.
Moreover, the high-quality compost that WM EarthCare produces would lose its organic farming certification if compostable or bio-degradable plastics were mixed in with the yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper we collect.
Please DO NOT put any of the following items in your green cart for compost:
 | – | NO Compostable or Bio-degradable plastics of any kind |
| – | NO Compostable or Bio-degradable bags |
| – | NO Compostable or Bio-degradable cups or containers |
| – | NO Compostable or Bio-degradable utensils |
| NO Plastic bags | |
| NO Coffee cups | |
| NO Paper soft drink cups or paper soup cups | |
| NO Cartons | |
| NO Waxed cardboard | |
| NO Waxed paper | |
| NO Palm fronds | |
| NO Yucca | |
| NO Poison Oak | |
| NO Bamboo | |
| NO Pet or human waste |
We’ve listed some general guidelines about what can and cannot go into your compostables cart, but the list isn’t comprehensive. When in doubt, please use the Where Does It Go, Joe tool above to look up a what cart a specific item should go into.
WHERE DOES IT GO, JOE?
It can be difficult to know what material goes into what container, but it’s very important that we avoid contaminating our recycling or compostable streams.
When in doubt, use our handy “Where Does It Go, Joe?” online tool to find out what material goes where.
JOE ON THE GO.
You’ll always have Joe’s sorting advice at your fingertips with the
Marin Sanitary Service mobile app.
Download it now for free!
JOE ON THE GO.
You’ll always have Joe’s sorting advice at your fingertips with the
Marin Sanitary Service mobile app.
Download it now for free!
OUR TEAM IS HERE TO HELP
We provide compostables opportunity assessments, diversion planning, training and posters to help your complex compost successfully. Learn more by contacting a compostables coordinator at (415) 456-2601.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR COMPOSTABLES
Take a look at how your compostables are turned into organic compost at Redwood Landfill.
MISSED COLLECTION
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.
NO FOOD IN GARBAGE
We found that 38% of what’s in our customer’s garbage should actually go into your compostables cart!
IT’S THE LAW
A multifamily dwelling with 5 or more units that generates 2 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week must subscribe to an organics recycling service.
RECYCLE RIGHT GUIDE
Recycling (and that includes organic material) only works if you do it right.
How One Marin Apartment Complex Succeeds with Composting Compliance
Read a case study about how Sessions Rise, a 73-unit group of condos in San Rafael, came into compliance with AB 1826 with the help of one resident, her HOA, and Marin Sanitary Service.
EXTRA COMPOSTABLES
Please contact customer service at (415) 456-2601 prior to your service day if you find that your total amount of compostables (yard/food waste) exceeds the capacity of your container. Do not overfill your compostables cart, please!
All residential customers may place up to two additional bags or cans (limit of 32 gallons per container) of yard/food waste out at the curb the night before collection at no charge. Note that bags must be unlined paper, or they will be charged the garbage rate.
Additional bags or cans after the first two are subject to a nominal charge unless it is included in the franchise agreement for your city or town. Contact our customer support team to find out what is covered and how much the service will cost.
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