Reducing waste and recycling can potentially save money for multi-family property owners, managers, and management companies by reducing the amount of trash that is disposed, thereby decreasing disposal costs.
Starting January 2022, multi-family properties must subscribe to compost collection service for tenants in addition to garbage and recycling through Recology. Alternatively, self-haul is allowed as long as organics and recyclables are not landfilled, and records of receipts and weight tickets are kept. Some properties may be eligible for an Organics Collection Waiver.
Proper Sorting
A recent California state law, Senate Bill (SB) 1383, requires every city, town and county to conduct annual reviews of residential carts to monitor contamination and proper sorting in the green Compost Cart/Bin. A lot of the material currently going to local landfills is compost material (food scraps, yard trimmings, and food/beverage soiled paper) that could have been beneficially collected in the Compost Cart/Bin.
RethinkWaste or its contractor may be in your neighborhood throughout the year assessing your carts. RethinkWaste is only looking for proper sorting and may leave outreach on your carts with helpful tips and information on how to properly sort. Contact us with questions.
Tenant Outreach Requirements
Property managers and owners must now annually provide educational information to tenants about the requirements to separate compost and recycling from the garbage. In addition, education must be provided on how to properly sort into correct three waste streams. Please note, for new tenants, this information must be provided before or within 14 days of move-in.
RethinkWaste and Recology can provide educational tools for multi-family dwelling residents and property managers, including:
Kitchen Pails for compost services
If your complex subscribes to compost services, each tenant will be provided with a 2-gallon kitchen pail for in-home use. Residents can collect food scraps and other items that go into the compost in these kitchen pails and when the pail is filled, the contents can then be emptied into the green compost cart or bin on the property.
Buddy bags are available to tenants of multi-family dwellings (apartments and condominium complexes with five or more units) free of charge. These bags can be placed in convenient locations to hold all recyclables until residents are ready to empty them into the main recycling cart or bin on the property.
Battery and Cell Phone Buckets
Help residents properly dispose of batteries and cell phones by establishing a centrally located collection at your property such as a lobby, multi-use room, mail room or clubhouse. When you’re ready to schedule a collection, contact Recology San Mateo County, who will collect the bucket from a mutually agreed upon location.
For interest in kitchen pails, buddy bags, and/or battery and cell phone buckets please speak with your property manager or contact Recology San Mateo County.
Multi-Family Dwelling Toolkit
This toolkit provides printable resources for apartment owners and property managers and residents to assist in creating and maintaining good diversion programs at the property.
Property Management Guide: English |  Spanish | Chinese
Move In Guide: English | Spanish | Chinese
Move Out Guide: English | Spanish | Chinese
Technical Assistance
Recology’s Waste Zero team helps businesses, including multi-family owners and managers apply best management practices in collection recycling, composting and garbage. Contact Recology for assistance in improving your existing program and make sure you have the resources you need.