State law requires businesses and multi-family residences (with five or more units) that meet certain disposal thresholds, to separate organic material and recyclables from regular waste disposal.  Business types include commercial or public entities such as schools, hospitals, stores, restaurants, industrial businesses, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and others.

Organic waste includes the following material: food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. These organic materials account for nearly one-third of the approximately 30 million tons of waste destined for California’s landfills each year. Multi-family dwellings are only required to recycle their green (yard) waste, and are not required to separate recycling food waste, including food-soiled paper.

To assist businesses with compliance, the City’s contracted waste hauler, Turlock Scavenger and Recycling Company, offers collection services for both recyclables and organic material.  To sign up for service, businesses should call (209) 668-7274.  

For more information on the Mandatory Commercial Recycling and/or Organics Recycling requirements, visit the City of Turlock’s website at CityofTurlock.org or Turlock Scavenger and Recycling Company’s website at TurlockScavengerCompany.com. Brought to you by the City of Turlock Municipal Services Department.

CONSERVATION TIP #124

The blue cart is for recyclables only:  The blue residential recycling cart provided by Turlock Scavenger should be used for recyclable material only.  For more information on what is allowed to be placed in the blue cart, visit the City’s website at http://ci.turlock.ca.us/watersewergarbageservice/garbageservices/recycling.asp