Food Waste
Don't have a food scrap pail? No problem, call us at 420-5377 or email us at organics@santacruzca.gov and we will deliver one to you.
Feed People, Not Landfills
- Refuse - To waste food
- Rethink - Your habits
- Reduce - What you toss
- Reuse - Donate safely
- Recycle - Create something new
- Rot - Compost close to home
City of Santa Cruz Single Family Residential Curbside Food Scrap Collection Program
Missed Pick Up?
if your Food Scraps Pail was at the Curb by 5:00AM, but it wasn't serviced, contact Customer Service and let them know. 831-420-5220 or scmu@santcruzca.gov
Note: This program covers Solid Waste Collection Customers within the City of Santa Cruz. Customers outside of the City of Santa Cruz Service zone should contact Green Waste Customer Service line at 831-426-2711 for more information about food scrap collection in your area.
SB1383 Mandate for Commercial Entities
- Owners, occupants, or operators of commercial premises in the City of Santa Cruz service area are required to subscribe to waste, recycling, and organics collection service from the City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Division of Public Works, unless granted a waiver.
- A waiver may be granted if a Commercial entity can provide documentation or evidence that they are exempt for the following reasons. Waivers are granted at the discretion of the Public Works Director or Designee
- De Minimis
- If an entity produces more than 2 cubic yards of Solid Waste (Trash, Recycling, Organics, including Food scraps and Yard Waste) per week, but minimal (less than 2 tall kitchen bags) of organic waste
- In an entity produces less than 2 cubic yards of Solid Waste (Trash, Recycling, Organics, including Food scraps and Yard Waste) per week, but minimal (less than 1 tall kitchen bag) or organic waste.
- Physical Space Constraints - The premises lack adequate space to fit all containers (trash, recycling, organics)
- Recent legislation mandates that even more Organic material must be diverted from the landfill.
Commercial Businesses
Are you a commercial business that needs to sign up for Food Scrap Collection service? Contact customer service at 420-5220 or scmu@santacruzca.gov.
Multifamily Properties
Are you the owner or property manager of a multifamily property (5+ units) that needs to sign up for Food Scrap Collection service? Contact customer service at 420-5220 or scmu@santacruzca.gov.
For free education materials for your tenants, contact Waste Reduction staff at jribeiro@santacruzca.gov.
Food Scrap Drop Off Program
Are you ready to start diverting Food Scraps from the landfill, but the multifamily community you live in is still gearing up? No problem! Contact Waste Reduction Staff to gain access to a Drop-Off Container.
Ours is Not a Traditional Food to Soil Compost Program
Food scraps (including vegetables, fruits, meat scraps, dairy products, seafood, and solid fats) are collected from residential and commercial customers and then preprocessed at the City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility.
The finished product—a ground food mash- is transported to an Anaerobic Digestion Facility approximately every 14 days. The food mash undergoes a process that produces biogas. Anaerobic digestion is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. An end product of this process is biogas. It is the City's goal to send our processed food mash to our own or other regional Wastewater Treatment Facilities once infrastructure changes are implemented.
Resources
Waste Reduction Staff is available to assist Multifamily Properties in becoming compliant with SB1383. Email: jribeiro@santacruzca.gov
Learning Opportunities
Food, Too Good To Waste Webinar Series - Recordings Available