Long Beach Recycles

Residential Organics (Green Cart) Collection 

The City of Long Beach's residential organics collection for City-serviced accounts is 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 service information about addresses that do not receive service from the City, see the following pages:

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

When is my service day?		Collection Guidelines and Accepted Materials		Report a Missed Collection or Request a Cart Change
Food Waste Prevention		Resources		Frequently Asked Questions

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Collection Guidelines and Accepted Materials

What Goes in the Green Cart?

What Does NOT Go in the Green Cart?

• Products labeled compostable or biodegradable
• Food packaging
• Palm fronds, cacti, or succulents
• Logs and tree stumps
• Treated wood, such as furniture parts
• Recyclables, including items listed on the Recycling Guidelines
• Trash, including items listed on the Refuse Guidelines
• Oil
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and electronic waste (e-waste). View more information on drop-off locations.
• Bulky or oversized items and tires

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Need Help?

Report an Issue: Collection issues can be reported online.

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. 

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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Educational resources

• Service coming soon postcard 
  • Monday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
  • Tuesday and Wednesday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog) 
  • Thursday and Friday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Information flyer
  • Monday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
  • Tuesday and Wednesday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
  • Thursday and Friday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Food scraps collection best practices flyer (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Cart delivery tag
  • Monday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
  • Tuesday and Wednesday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
  • Thursday and Friday service (English/Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog)
• Residential Organics Collection Map
• Community presentation (English, Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog) 
• Door-to-door education postcard (English/Spanish, English/Khmer, English/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. 

• If I already compost at home, do I still need the service?

  Yes. SB 1383 requires all properties with waste collection to have organics collection service. While home composting is encouraged, the City’s organics program accepts additional materials that are not suitable for at-home or small-scale systems, 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 produce soil amendments, materials added to soil to enhance and improve it.

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

  Multi-family apartments and condos that receive 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 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. 

• Can I use a bag?

  Bags are not recommended. However, if bags are used, paper bags are strongly recommended, as they can be processed along with organic material. Plastic 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?

  A few tips include:

  • Collecting food scraps in a container or paper bag near food prep areas. After emptying containers into the green cart, clean and return them to prep areas.
  • Storing collection containers in the freezer until collection day helps prevent odors.
  • Wrapping food scraps in used paper.
  • Lining the bottom of the green cart with cardboard or used paper to absorb liquids.

• How can I dispose of large logs?

  Please schedule a special collection by visiting longbeach.gov/specialcollection.  

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

  The State of California’s mandatory Short‑Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SB 1383) requires all communities to use carts with specific colors and labels indicating what materials belong in each cart. All recycling carts in the state must be blue. The City will deliver new blue recycling carts over an eight-month period, from February 2026 through October 2026. To learn about estimated delivery times, the delivery process and how to prepare, click this link to read the Recycling Collection FAQs.

Collection Rates

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

  View more information on collection rates

• When will I be charged for organics collection service?

  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 service starts, 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.