SACCOUNTY NEWS

​The SacGreenTeam at the Sacramento County Department of Waste Management & Recycling wants you to know that starting July 4, 2022, your Green Waste cart will be your Organics cart (it’s the same cart, just calling it a different name) for weekly collection of food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings.

California law, Senate Bill 1383, requires we implement organic collection in a statewide goal to divert organic materials from the landfill. Residents must separate organics from garbage and put food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings in the Organics cart (formerly Green Waste cart) for weekly collection. It's that easy! Learn about the benefits on the State’s CalRecycle website.

Sacramento County DWMR Curbside Organics Service​

What to put in your Organics Cart (formerly called Green Waste cart)

• Food Scraps: uneaten/spoiled food, fruit and vegetable peelings, meat scraps (raw/cooked), bones (raw/cooked), cheese, eggshells 
• “Food-Soiled” Paper: napkins, paper towels, paper plates (non-coated), coffee filters, tea bags, and (greasy) pizza boxes
• Yard Trimmings: leaves, grass clippings, prunings (4” diameter or less), and clean wood scraps

What not to put in your Organics Cart

• No recyclables: glass/metal/plastics (such as food containers).
  No coated paper/cartons (such as to-go containers).
  No liquids (in any cart).
  No grease (scrape cooled, solid fat into a container or bag and put in the Garbage cart).
  No pet waste (or used litter).
  No wood that is treated/painted/stained/oiled.

How to collect food scraps in your kitchen 

• Remove stickers, twist ties, rubber bands, and plastic wrap from food scraps 
• Use any repurposed kitchen container or pail to collect food scraps and food-soiled paper
• Line kitchen container with a paper bag/towel, newspaper or compostable bag (BPI certified/meets ASTM D6400 standards)
• Store container in a convenient location (under sink, on the countertop, or in the refrigerator or freezer)
• To avoid odor and pests, empty kitchen container daily into the Organics cart 

Use any repurposed kitchen container or 2-gallon kitchen pail 

Although food scraps and food-soiled paper can be collected in a repurposed kitchen container, such as an empty yogurt or ice cream tub to empty out the container of collected food scraps into the Organics cart, DWMR customers can also pick up a free 2-gallon kitchen pail (one per household, while supplies last), at certain locations. For pail availability and a list of locations, go to SacGreenTeam.com.  

Tips for reducing odors/pests in the Organics Cart

• Drain liquid from food scraps
• Freeze/refrigerate scraps 
• Put food scraps into a paper bag 
  
• Sprinkle with baking soda
• Layer food-soiled paper and yard trimmings with food scraps
• If needed, give the cart a quick rinse into landscaped areas only (not into storm drain system)
  

Weekly Organics Collection Recap – It’s easy! Beginning Monday, July 4, 2022:

1. Your Green Waste cart is now your Organics cart.
2. Put food scraps and food-soiled paper in a kitchen pail or similar repurposed container.
3. Empty out your kitchen container into your Organics cart with your yard trimmings.
4. Return your empty kitchen container to your countertop, or wherever you collect food scraps/food-soiled paper inside your home.
5. Set out your curbside Organics cart containing food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard trimmings on your regular curbside collection day​, every week next to your Garbage cart. 

Get more organics collection tips and tricks at the SacGreenTeam’s Recycle Reboot website and meet Olivia Organics!

Along with Sacramento County, the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento, are launching the collection of food scraps and food-soiled paper July 2022. The cities of Galt and Isleton are slated to begin in 2023.

For a summary of SacGreenTeam information, check out the 2022-2023 DWMR Residential Curbside Collection Services Guide to learn more about cart placement, garbage, organics and recycling collection, weekly used oil collection, household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off locations, and drop-off disposal locations of Kiefer Landfill and North Area Recovery Station.