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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.

California’s New Composting Law Affects Everyone

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!

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!

WHAT CAN GO IN YOUR GREEN COMPOSTABLES CART

FOOD SCRAPS

If you can eat it, it can go in the green cart!

FOOD-SOILED PAPER

YARD WASTE

WHAT CANNOT GO IN YOUR COMPOSTABLES CART

Please DO NOT put any of the following items in your green cart for compost:

No Compostable or Bio-Degradable Plastics

We CANNOT accept any plastics labeled as compostable or bio-degradable. If we did, the quality compost WM EarthCare™ produces would lose its organic farming certification. Their compost is certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). OMRI doesn’t allow compostable or bio-degradable plastics as many are actually petroleum based and just break down into micro plastics. Others don’t break down rapidly enough and it is hard to differentiate between compostable and non-compostable plastics.

Please put your compostable plastics or bio-degradable items in your garbage cart.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP!

We provide compost and recycling opportunity assessments, diversion planning, training and posters to help your complex compost successfully. Learn more by contacting a compostables coordinator at (415) 456-2601.

IT’S THE LAW

Per California law, compostables (food scraps, plant debris & food-soiled paper) and recycling must be removed from garbage containers.

CURBSIDE AUDITS

Occasionally, trained staff will be flipping lids & checking inside your containers. If we find material that doesn’t belong, we’ll let you know. Don’t be alarmed, we’re just doing our job!

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.

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.

NO FOOD IN GARBAGE

We found that 38% of what’s in our customer’s garbage should actually go into your compostables cart!

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.