Sorting Right in Rentals: Waste Rules for Berkeley Multifamily Properties

Correct waste sorting is not just good practice. It is required by California state law (SB 1383) and enforced locally through the City of Berkeley’s Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance.

Whether your property has shared carts or roll-off dumpsters, the rules for compost, recycling, and landfill are the same. The difference lies in how the service is set up for your property type.

Know Your Service Setup

1–9 Unit Properties:

• Four streams:

  1. Green cart – Compost

  2. Gray/tan-lid cart – Paper & cardboard recycling

  3. Blue cart – Bottles, cans, and rigid plastic container recycling

  4. Gray cart – Landfill

• Service is typically provided curbside by the City and the Ecology Center.

10+ Unit Properties:

• Four streams:

  1. Green cart(s) – Compost

  2. Gray/tan-lid cart(s) – Paper & cardboard recycling

  3. Blue cart(s) – Bottles, cans, and rigid plastic container recycling

  4. Gray cart(s) or roll-off dumpster(s) – Landfill

• Larger properties may use roll-off dumpsters for landfill and/or recycling instead of carts.

What Goes Where

Green – Compost

YES:

• All food scraps (meat, bones, shellfish included)

• Coffee grounds

• Uncoated paper napkins and food-soiled paper

• Yard trimmings

• BPI or CMA-certified fiber-based utensils

NO:

• Plastic bags or film

• “Compostable” plastics without certification

• Pet waste, diapers

• Milk cartons, liquids, fats, oils, grease

• Dirt, rock, concrete

Blue – Bottle & Container Recycling

YES:

• Glass bottles & jars

• Metal cans & foil

• Rigid plastic containers

NO:

• Plastic bags or film

• Foam

• Small plastics smaller than a yogurt cup (utensils, lids, medicine bottles)

• Coated paper cups, cartons, juice boxes

• Liquids, food, hazardous waste

Gray/Tan-Lid – Paper & Cardboard Recycling

YES:

• Clean, dry paper

• Flattened cardboard

• Molded fiber packaging

NO:

• Food-soiled paper

• Waxed or coated paper

• Liquids, plastics, metals

Gray – Landfill

YES:

• Plastic bags, wrappers, utensils, foam

• Diapers, pet waste

• Coated cartons, fats, oils, grease

NO:

• Compostables

• Recyclables

• Liquids, electronics, hazardous waste

Enforcement

The City performs visual checks of bins and dumpsters. Contamination can trigger notices and possible compliance actions. Property managers and owners are responsible for ensuring that tenants and contractors sort correctly and for providing annual training at move-in and move-out.

Need Help Sorting? Use the Re:Source Guide and App

The Re:Source online guide and mobile app from StopWaste can help you and your tenants quickly find the right disposal or reuse option for almost anything. You can search by item name and your location to see whether it belongs in compost, recycling, landfill, or a drop-off facility.

Visit resource.stopwaste.org or download the free Re:Source app from your phone’s app store.

Encourage tenants to keep the app on their phones so they can check items before tossing them in the wrong bin.

BPOA Member Resources

Members can download tenant handouts, bin posters, and the Property Manager/Owner Guide for Berkeley’s Zero Waste program from the Rental Housing Forms Library – Zero Waste section. These resources are ready to post in waste areas or include in move-in packets.

BPOA Tips for Compliance

• Post clear signage above every bin or dumpster, in English and other common tenant languages.

• Educate early – provide handouts and explain the system at move-in.

• Check regularly – spot-check bins for contamination and send reminders as needed.