A Quick Resource Guide

1. Recycle smart. Know what materials are accepted in recycling – cardboard, paper, small household metals and cans, plastic containers #1-7, and glass containers. 

2. Empty, Clean and Dry – remove food and liquid, lightly wipe/rinse, and shake dry. 

3. Don’t bag it – never use a bag or container; place recyclables loose into blue cart.

4. RE:Source Guide (countywide online search tool) – visit www.RecycleSmart.org and use “RE:Source Guide” on the home page to search for reuse, recycling, and disposal information. 

You can find more blue cart information on RecycleSmart's website.

A Quick Resource Guide

1. Include the food – compost all food scraps in the green cart including meat, dairy, grains, fruit and pits, bones and shells, cooked food, leftovers and to-go food – don’t forget the food when you’re cleaning out the fridge or pantry! 

2. Uncoated food-soiled paper – compost paper towels, napkins, uncoated paper plates and to-go boxes (uncoated/textured), and pizza boxes. 

3. How to contain food scraps – use newspaper, paper bags or BPI-Certified compostable bags to contain food scraps. 

4. NO plastic accepted in the green cart – no plastic bags, and remove all plastic from food packaging and place in landfill, including plastic coated paper (ice cream cartons, milk cartons, to-go drink cups and shelf stable carts). "Biodegradable" and "compostable" plastics are also not accepted (BPI-Certified compostable bags are allowed as described above).

5. Free 3-gallon kitchen food scrap pail – residents can call Republic Services at (925) 685-4711 to request a free pail once every two years (multifamily residents should ask the property manager). 

You can find more green cart information on RecycleSmart's website

SB 1383 (Mandatory Organics Recycling)

Organic material like food scraps makes up half of what Californians discard into landfills each year. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by the decomposition of organic material in landfills are a significant contribution to climate change. As of January 1, 2022, California State Law SB 1383 and RecycleSmart Ordinance No. 21-1 require all residents, businesses, and schools to properly sort organic material into their green carts.

Contamination Monitoring

SB 1383 requires local jurisdictions to monitor contamination and proper sorting by performing annual route audits. RecycleSmart or its contractor may be in your neighborhood throughout the year assessing your carts (both residential and commercial). RecycleSmart is only looking for proper sorting of materials and may leave outreach on your carts with helpful tips and suggestions. 

Sustainable Food Management and Home Gardening

Interested in learning more about how to sustainably manage your household's food? Looking for tips on home gardening? Visit our ECO food management and home gardening page to access information and resources on these topics!

Residents can use the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility for free. Small businesses and other commercial entities can apply for an account. Hazardous waste includes cooking oil, fluorescent lamps, propane cylinders, car batteries, fertilizers, cleaners, personal care products and more. 

The facility is located at 4797 Imhoff Place, Martinez, CA 94553. The phone number for the facility is (800) 646-1431. For acceptable materials, directions, and hours of operation, visit www.centralsan.org/hhw. 

Single-family home residents can place household batteries, CFLs, cell phones and motor oil at the curb for weekly collection. Visit https://www.recyclesmart.org/HHW for more information. 

Disposing of needles and unused medications down the toilet, drain or in the landfill cart is illegal and harmful to the environment. 

Between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, residents can come to Walnut Creek City Hall, located at 1666 North Main Street, to dispose of their unused or expired medications and medical sharps for free. 

For more information, contact Walnut Creek City Hall staff at (925) 943-5899. 

A Quick Resource Guide

Drop-off rules include the following:

• Medications include prescription and non-prescription, pills, liquids, vitamins, pet medications and inhalers. 
• All pills must be emptied from their original containers and placed in a resealable plastic bag. Empty plastic bottles #1-7 are recyclable (remove personal information before recycling). 
•  All liquids are to be kept in their original container and placed inside a resealable plastic bag. 
• Syringes, lancets and pen needles (needles of any kind) should be disposed of in a red sharps container or puncture-proof container.