Separating organic materials – such as paper towels, vegetable trimmings,  overly ripe fruit, and leftover prepared foods – from other trash is a simple way to help the environment. Collecting these materials for recycling into compost reduces greenhouse gases and conserves landfill space. Under a three-phase program in Cupertino, doing so has become second nature at a growing number of businesses and large properties that generate large volumes of organic waste.

Cupertino is well ahead of schedule for organic waste collection mandated by the State of California. The City accelerated the compliance timeline due to the success of a similar program already underway. Cupertino’s final phase of compliance will be effective July 1, 2018 – a year and a half before the state’s January 2020 deadline.

Cupertino Mandatory Organics Collection Timeline

Compliance Assistance

To aid the transition, staff from the City of Cupertino and Recology Cupertino visit and train businesses and properties prior to the effective date for each phase. The training includes information on what qualifies for organics collection, as well as the requirements for: clear bagging of any type of waste; trash enclosures; and outdoor waste trio receptacles for public use.   

More Information

• California Assembly Bill 1826, Solid Waste: Organic Waste, signed in October 2014.
• California Assembly Bill 1826 Synopsis. 
• Cupertino Commercial Organics Ordinance No. 15-2130 Amending Chapter 6.24 of Title 6 and Chapter 9.16, approved in May 2015
• Cupertino Commercial Organics & Recycling Basics 2016
• Cupertino's New Commercial Organics Collection - Requirements

From trash to environmental treasure: Recology provides a range of sizes and types of commercial bins for organics.

Recology Cupertino, 408.725.4020

City of Cupertino, environmental@cupertino.org