Commercial Properties
Businesses play a big role in shaping our city, and they can play a similarly big role in reducing the amount of waste we generate.
Every business in the City of Santa Cruz is required to properly separate out their recyclables, food scraps, yard waste, and trash.
State Mandatory Recycling & Organics Laws
State laws mandating commercial recycling and organics require businesses to recycle and separate food scraps. When properly implemented, City programs and services will help you meet compliance, help your business save money, and keep valuable materials from entering the landfill.
As of July 1, 2012, Assembly Bill 341 requires businesses, schools, and apartments to participate in recycling services. In 2014, Assembly Bill 1826 requires businesses, schools, and apartments meeting certain thresholds of waste to participate in organics programs. Beginning in 2022, Senate Bill 1383 requires residents and businesses to divert all organics (yard waste and food scraps) from the landfill. City staff offers technical assistance to help businesses implement waste diversion programs to comply with SB 1383.
Commercial Edible Food Generators
Required commercial edible food generators must also donate the maximum amount of edible food to Food Recovery Agencies, who distribute food to those in need. Here you will find a list of Food Recovery Agencies in the area. For more information about required food generators or recovery agencies, please contact csoon@santacruzca.gov.
Required commercial entities must also adhere to applicable CDFA rendering guidelines.
Food Service Ware Ordinance
The City of Santa Cruz's Environmentally Acceptable Food Packaging Ordinance (SCMC 6.48) (EAFPO) regulates the use of disposable food service ware to reduce single-use plastics and other foodware waste. This law applies to any vendor, business, organization, entity, group or individual, including food establishments, located in the City that offers food or beverage to the public.
The City's Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance was one of the first in the state and helped to solidify a Statewide ban on thin single-use bags. In effect since April 10, 2013, this ordinance bans the distribution of lightweight plastic carry-out bags and places a bag charge of .25 on paper carry-out bags.
Waste Streams and Fee Schedule
Five Waste Streams
Trash: The City provides commercial and industrial refuse pickup one to six days a week, as needed. Container options include:
- Carts — 20, 32, 64 and 95 gallon
- Containers — 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 yard
- Roll-off boxes — 10, 15, 20 and 30 yard
- Temporary service — 5 and 10 day temporary service is available for containers and roll-off boxes.
Mixed Recycle: The City provides recycling carts or containers and collection service to refuse customers at no additional cost.
Cardboard-Only: If your business produces a significant amount of corrugated cardboard, you may be eligible for a cardboard-only container, at no additional cost.
Food Scraps: The City provides carts or containers for food scrap collection. Check with City staff to determine what service level is best for your business.
Yard Waste: The City offers one free yard waste cart per customer. There is a monthly service fee for each additional yard waste cart when such service is requested by the customer. Businesses may self-haul yard waste to be in compliance with AB1826, but records must be kept and ready for presentation upon request by the City.
Contaminated recycle, cardboard, food scrap, or yard waste materials will be charged as refuse.
On August 8th, 2023, City Council approved a new five-year rate schedule, which went into effect on September 1st, 2023.
Special Services
Contact Customer Service for any of the following services:
- Call-back Service - "Late set outs" requiring a Call Back will be assessed a fee.
- Weekend Collection
- Container Locks
- Enclosure Cleaning
- Special Haul Service
- Bulky Item Pickup and Mattress Collection
- Street Sweeping
- Construction and Demolition
Resource Recovery Facility and Landfill
The Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) includes a class-3 sanitary landfill, materials recovery facility (recycling center), yard waste drop-off, construction & demolition (C&D) drop-off, and Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off. The facility is for the processing and disposal of material generated within the City of Santa Cruz city limits. The RRF is open to City of Santa Cruz residents and businesses. Be prepared to show proper ID or documentation.
The City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility and Recycling Center is located at 605 Dimeo Lane, 3 miles north of the City limits off of Highway 1.
Resources
The Waste Reduction Department offers many resources to help businesses meet compliance. This includes: Staff trainings, on-site walk-throughs, personalized educational materials, large-format signage, collection containers, and more.
Digital educational materials can be accessed here.