While you are sorting your compost and recycling, we are finding new ways to reuse your materials. Whether you are a Pacifica business owner, property manager, or resident, we work with you to tailor recycling, composting, and landfill programs based on your needs.
Wondering what goes where? You can also print our sorting guides and posters.
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 COMPOST
Food scraps, soiled paper, and plants go in the green compost cart. Residential compost collection is weekly.
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 RECYCLE
Paper, bottles, cans, and most plastics (no plastic bags!) Residential recycling collection is weekly.
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 LANDFILL
What is trash? Not much! Thin plastics (bags and saran wrap), cat litter, ceramics, and broken glass to name a few.
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Place containers at the curb by 5 AM on your regular service day and remove them
from the curb no later than 12 hours after service.
Set up or change service
Americans with Disabilities Act
Disabled residents (pursuant to Americans with Disabilities Act) who are unable to place their containers at the curb
have the option of placing their containers beside their home, visible from curbside. Please let us know.
DROP OFF
Recology of the Coast Recycling Yard
RATES & CONTAINERS
The size of your garbage cart determines your monthly collection rate – the less garbage you generate, the smaller your garbage cart and your bill. We offer 20, 32, 48, 64, 96-gallon carts. Please contact us for detailed rate information.
Place containers at the curb by 5 AM on your regular service day, and remove them from the curb no later than 6 PM.
Lifeline Rates
In Pacifica, low-income households may be eligible for a discount for services. Qualification depends on household size and total annual income. If you use a 20-gallon garbage cart and satisfy the requirements for the PG&E CARE Program, you may qualify for the Life Line Low-Income discount. Please refer to the chart below.
# Persons in
Household Annual Income
1-2 $32,040 or less
3 $40,320 or less
4 $48,600 or less
5 $56,880 or less
6 $65,160 or less
7 $73,460 or less
8 $81,780 or less
If you meet the requirements above, please bring in or mail a copy of your PG&E bill to our office.
Beyond Waste Collection Services
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Recology provides recycling, composting, and landfill collection services for residential and commercial customers in Pacifica. |
We accept all food scraps, soiled paper, and plants in the green composting cart.
Acceptable Composting Materials
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Unacceptable Materials
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Food Scraps:
- Bread, grains, and pasta
- Coffee grounds with paper filter
- Dairy
- Eggshells and eggs
- Fruit (pits & peels)
- Leftovers and spoiled food
- Meat (including bones)
- Seafood (including shellfish)
- Tea and tea bags
- Vegetables
Food Soiled Paper:
- Coffee filters
- Greasy pizza boxes
- Paper plates
- Paper bags, napkins, tissues, and towels
- Paper take-out boxes and containers (metal handle OK)
- Tissues
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Plants:
- Branches and brush
- Flowers and floral trimmings
- Grasses and weeds
- Leaves
- Tree trimmings (less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)
Other:
- Cotton balls and cotton swabs
- Hair, fur, and feathers (non-synthetic)
- “Compostable” cups, plates, bowls, utensils
- Vegetable wood crates (metal wire is okay)
- Waxed cardboard
- Wood – small pieces of lumber or sawdust from clean wood only (no plywood, pressboard, painted, stained, or treated wood)
- Wooden chopsticks
- Corks – natural (drop in barrels at Whole Foods)
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- Aluminum foil or trays
- “Biodegradable” plastic (not labeled “Compostable”)
- Cat litter or animal feces
- Ceramic dishware or glassware
- Clothing, linens, and rags
- Cooking oil
- Corks – plastic
- Diapers
- Dirt, rocks, or stone
- Flower pots or trays
- Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper
- Glass, metal, or plastic not labeled “Compostable”
- Soup cartons and juice boxes
- Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons
- Liquids or ice
- Plastic bags, wrappers, or film
- Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper
- Styrofoam
- Wood – plywood, pressboard, painted or stained wood
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Recycling must be loose, free of a plastic bag liner. Recycling must be clean and dry. Give food and beverage containers a light rinse.
| Acceptable Recycling Materials |
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Unacceptable Recycling Materials |
Metal (no liquids or food):
- Aluminum cans
- Aluminum foil and trays (ball foil up to softball size)
- Batteries (MUST be sealed in a clear plastic bag and placed on top of your blue cart)
- Caps and lids from bottles, jars, and steel (tin) cans
- Paint cans (must be empty or dry)
- Spray cans (must be empty)
- Steel (tin) cans
Plastics:
- Bottles (leave caps on)
- Buckets (metal handle ok)
- CDs, DVDs, CDROM & Cases (remove paper insert)
- Coffee cup lids
- Containers and clamshells
- Corks – plastic
- Cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam)
- Flower pots and trays – plastic
- Laundry detergent bottles
- Molded plastic packaging
- Toys (no electronics, metal, or batteries)
- Tubs and lids (i.e.: yogurt containers and Tupperware)
- Utensils – plastic
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Paper (clean, dry, and unsoiled):
- Empty, clean coffee cups
- Empty, clean ice cream containers
- Soup cartons and juice boxes
- Paper milk, juice, and other beverage cartons
- Bags (paper only)
- Cardboard (non-waxed)
- Cereal boxes and Paperboard (remove plastic liner)
- Computer and office paper
- Egg cartons (paper)
- Envelopes (windows okay)
- Junk mail and magazines
- Newspapers
- Packing or Kraft paper
- Phonebooks
- Sticky notes
- Shredded paper (place in sealed paper bag and label “Shredded Paper”)
- Wrapping paper
(non-metallic)
Glass (no liquids or food):
- Glass bottles and jars only
(metal caps and lids too)
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- Ceramic dishware or glassware
- Coat hangers
- Clothing/Fabric ( we suggest donating to a shelter or thrift store)
- Electronics
- Food scraps
- Glass mirrors and windows
- Incandescent light bulbs,
Fluorescent light bulbs and HIDs
- Plastic items mixed fabric or rubber
- Plastic labeled “Compostable” or “Biodegradable”
- Scrap metal
- Soiled paper (paper plates, napkins, tissues, towels, take-out boxes, and greasy pizza boxes)
- Styrofoam
- Waxed cardboard
- Wood
- Yard trimmings
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Few things, once they are used, are actually trash. Among such things are non-recyclable plastics and other complex materials that were not designed to be recycled. Only place materials that cannot be reused or recycled in your trash.
| Acceptable Landfill Items |
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Unacceptable Trash Materials
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- Cat litter and animal feces (bagged)
- Ceramic dishware or glassware
- Cigarette Butts (extinguished – run under water prior to disposal)
- Dental floss
- Diapers
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Glass mirrors and windows inside a double brown paper bag and smashed in small pieces
- Incandescent light bulbs
(no fluorescents or HIDs)
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- Mylar (shiny metal) bags (potato chips, candy bars, balloons, etc)
- Pens and pencils
- Plastic items mixed with metal or rubber
- Plastic labeled “Biodegradable” only
- Rubber bands
- Six-pack ring holder – please cut up
- Sponges
- Styrofoam
- Twist ties
- Wood – small pieces of plywood, pressboard, and painted or stained wood
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- Appliances
- Asbestos
- Batteries
- Coat hangers
- Construction debris
- Cooking oil and grease
- Dirt, rocks, or stone
- Electronics
- Fluorescent or HID light bulbs
- Food scraps, soiled paper, or yard trimmings
- Household hazardous waste or chemicals
- Large items (furniture, metal, plastic, wood)
- Liquids or ice
- Motor oil
- Needles or syringes
- Paint
- Plastic labeled “Compostable”
- Recyclable cardboard, glass, metal, paper, or plastic
- Toys with electronics or batteries
- Waxed cardboard and paper
- Waxy paper milk or juice cartons
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