Long Beach Recycles

Residential Organics (Green Cart) Collection 

The City of Long Beach is rolling out residential organics collection for City-serviced accounts as part of the State of California’s mandatory Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SB 1383) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote waste reduction. SB 1383 aims to keep organic material out of landfills by diverting yard trimmings and food scraps into dedicated green carts.

For collection information about addresses that do not receive service from the City, see the following pages:

• Multifamily apartments, condos, & businesses serviced by a private hauler

Organics Collection Rollout Schedule

The City is rolling out the program in phases based on regular collection service days. For addresses with multiple service days, the schedule may be adjusted based on service needs.

Residents will receive a mailer with a start date and a new green cart before service is set to begin. Accounts will be charged for organics collection only once service begins, no sooner than Aug. 1, 2025. 

                                                                        
Collection Guidelines and Accepted Materials

Collection Tips

                       
Need Help?

Report an Issue: For collection issues, please contact the Call Center at 562-570-2876 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or submit an online form here.

Request a Change in the Size or Number of Carts: The City offers green carts in three sizes (35‑gal, 65‑gal and 95‑gal) to match service needs. Whether composting items at home or relying fully on collection, selecting the best-fit cart can help reduce spills, contamination and costs. 

After it’s delivered, please use the cart for at least two weeks before requesting a change. Account holders that would like to switch for a larger or smaller cart or add an extra organics cart should call our team at 562‑570‑2876 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Changes will be scheduled at the earliest available date.

Carts may be exchanged only once every six months. If requesting a smaller cart size, one or two random site visits may be conducted within the first month to ensure no overage issues.

                                                                       
Education resources

• Service coming soon postcard (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Information flyer (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Food scraps collection best practices flyer (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Cart delivery tag (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)

General Organics Collection Questions

• What is Senate Bill (SB) 1383?

  California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) requires residents and businesses to reduce organic material sent to the landfill. When organic material decomposes in landfills, it releases methane, a harmful gas that traps the sun’s heat and contributes to climate change. Recycling organic material will result in compost or clean energy and will help reduce the impact of climate change.

• I do not wish to participate. Can I opt out?

  California Senate Bill 1383 requires the City to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences and businesses that generate organic material. 

• Why is the City phasing in the program?

  Yes. SB 1383 requires all properties with waste collection to have organics service. While home composting is encouraged, the City’s organics program accepts additional materials that cannot be backyard composted, such as meat and bones, food-soiled paper, dairy, branches and clean wood waste. 

• Where are the organics taken after collection?

  Items collected in the green cart will go to a transfer station before making their way to one of three industrial composting facilities: Recology Blossom Valley Organics, Sage Ranch Compost or American Organics Composting Facility. Yard trimmings and food scraps collected are recycled at composting facilities that make soil amendments, materials that are added to soil to change and improve it.

• What if the City doesn’t provide refuse collection services at my residential address?

  Multi-family apartments and condos that receive refuse collection services from a private hauler can find more information here.

• I own a business, where can I find more information?

  The City completed the implementation of commercial organics collection in 2023. New businesses that need to establish service should contact the Utility Services Call Center at (562) 570-5700.

  View more information for businesses or contact us at LBOrganics@longbeach.gov to receive further information and staff training support.

Residential and Multifamily Apartments/Condos – Serviced by the City of Long Beach

• What can I expect when organics collection starts where I live?

  Residents are asked to place food scraps and food-soiled paper along with their yard trimmings in their new green cart instead of the trash. Green carts will be picked up weekly from normal collection locations. Customers are asked to place carts at collection locations by 6 a.m. on their regularly scheduled weekly trash collection day.

• Can products labeled as “compostable” or “biodegradable” go in the green cart?

  No, compostable and biodegradable plastics should not be placed in the green cart. Composting facilities cannot break down these types of products. All compostable or biodegradable products should be placed in the trash cart. 

• How do I dispose of yard trimmings and food scraps in the new green carts?

  Bags are not required. However, if bags are used, paper bags are strongly recommended, as they can be processed along with organic material. Plastics bags are discouraged as they can lead to higher operational costs due to additional equipment needed to separate organic material from the bags. However, if plastic bags are used please ensure they are clear so that contents are visible. Acceptable organic materials will be processed, but the plastic bags themselves will not be recycled or composted.

• How can I keep my green cart clean?

  Keep your green cart fresh by following the information in the Collection Tips section.

• How can I dispose of large logs?

  Please schedule a special collection by calling 562-570-2876 or visiting longbeach.gov/specialcollection.  

• Will my purple recycling cart be exchanged for a blue recycling cart?

  California State Law requires standardized colors for trash, organics, and recycling carts to improve waste sorting. The transition will happen gradually, and the City will notify customers before any large-scale cart exchanges are planned. For now, if your cart is damaged and needs replacement, you will receive a blue recycling cart. Damaged purple recycling carts will be recycled. 

Collection Rates

• Where can I find information for solid waste, recycling, and organics collection rates?

  View more information on collection rates

• Will I be charged for organics service if I don’t have an organics cart yet?

  No. Solid waste and recycling rates increased as of May 1, 2025, but do not include charges for organics service. Residential organics charges will only be applied once residents receive an organics cart, on or after August 1, 2025. 

• Are commercial business rates increasing?

  The rate adjustment is a re-alignment by customer class. To smooth out the impacts of prior increases needed, the rates were not set to their full cost of service. As a result, residential customers have not been meeting their cost of service, while commercial has. Commercial rates are being reduced to their cost of service while residential rates are being raised to meet their cost of service.