Containers
City of Modesto residents have a three-container system for garbage, organics and recycling. There are details on what items can go in each container below. Also, see the collection calendar below for information on when each will be serviced. You can receive email or text notifications of your collection by subscribing to the Recycling Collection Calendar here.
About the Black Container
The black container is for household garbage and non-organic materials, for example: plastic packaging, diapers, and animal waste. Recycling is no longer allowed in the black container. The material is sent to a Waste-to-Energy facility and is burned to make electricity.
Acceptable Items
- Animal waste or litter box debris
- Diapers
- Flocked or treated holiday trees
- Household garbage or trash
- Masks, gloves, and wipes
- Bathroom waste and feminine hygiene products
- Plastic bags or packaging
- Polystyrene items
- Wood or lumber (small pieces only)
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete or asphalt
- Furniture or large items
- Organic waste of any kind
- Recycling materials
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc.)
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
About the Green Container
The green container is for organics material. Organics material is food waste, paper waste, cardboard and small yard waste.
Acceptable Items
- Food Waste including meat, bones, dairy
- Brush, tree limbs less than four feet long and six inches in diameter
- Grass, leaves, and trimmings
- Food soiled paper and cardboard
- Paper products
- Cardboard
- Napkins and paper towels
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete, or asphalt
- Materials over four feet long or six inches in diameter
- Plastic, metal, glass, or cloth
- Plastic bags or plastic lined bags
- Treated wood or lumber
- Animal waste, including feces or litter
- Household or bathroom trash, diapers
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc)
- Flocked, painted, or fireproofed Christmas trees
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
About the Blue Container
The recycling container will be for CRV and Non-CRV plastics, glass, and metals. It is important that all items that will be going into the blue container are clean and dry.
The information below will help you identify the acceptable and unacceptable items that you can place in the container.
Acceptable Items
- No liquids or food, clean and dry
- aluminum cans, clean aluminum foil and trays, caps and lids from bottles, jars and steel (tin) cans, empty spray cans, steel (tin) cans, scrap metal
- Plastic bottles, buckets, coffee cup lids, containers and clamshells, cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam),
- Flowerpots and trays, laundry detergent bottles, molded plastic packaging, tubs and lids (i.e.,: yogurt containers and tupperware), all plastics
- Glass bottles and jars, clean cardboard (flattened)
Unacceptable Items
- Dirt, rocks, concrete, or asphalt
- Plastic bags or plastic lined bags
- Garbage, animal waste,
- Organic waste, food waste, green waste
- Treated wood or lumber
- Animal waste, including feces or litter
- Household or bathroom trash, diapers
- Flocked, painted, or fireproofed Christmas trees
- Hazardous, toxic or e-waste (light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, computers, monitors, etc)
Note: Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close
September 2023
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
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- What solid waste services changed on July 31, 2023?
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- The organics (green) container is serviced every week on your regular collection day. This returns organics collection to its schedule prior to January 2023.
- The blue (recycling) container is serviced on your regular collection day every other week based on your address number.
- Odd addresses (ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) are serviced starting the week of July 31 to August 4, and every other week thereafter.
- Even addresses (ending in (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8) are serviced starting the week of August 7 to August 11, and every other week thereafter.
- More information on the collection schedule can be found here.
- Why did the organics (green) container schedule change on July 31, 2023?
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In 2022, Council approved a pilot program for the organics (green) container to be serviced every other week. During the pilot program, the city tracked feedback and found that most complaints stated that they did not have enough service with the organics container serviced bi-weekly. The City also noted an increase in utilization of green waste curbside collection and significant amounts of organic material in other waste containers. In June 2023, City Council reviewed the pilot program concerns and decided to end the organics container bi-weekly collection based on feedback from citizens that listed concerns over space, odors, and pests.
- Why did the recycling (blue) container schedule change on July 31, 2023?
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The City kept the recycling (blue) container on a bi-weekly collection, but changed the schedule for collection. To make for the most efficient collection possible, the City’s solid waste haulers will be collecting recycling bi-weekly based on the resident address.
- Odd addresses (ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) were collected the week of July 31 to August 4, and every other week thereafter.
- Even addresses (ending in (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8) were collected the week of August 7 to August 11, and every other week thereafter.
The City mailed updated calendars with this schedule to all residents. You can find more information on the collection schedule and containers here. If you have questions about your collection day or week, please contact the Solid Waste Division at 209-577-5494 or email us.
- Did my rate increase on July 31, 2023?
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Yes, the cost of changing organics (green) container collection from bi-weekly to weekly is $3.14. Additional increases to support the SB1383 implementation requirements and current programs provided to our customers also increased rates by $1.62 for a total residential rate increase of $4.76 in July 2023. More information on Solid Waste Rates can be found here.
- What is SB 1383?
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Senate Bill 1383 is a state law that became effective in January 2022 that requires local cities and counties to reduce their organic waste going to landfills. Organic waste is yard waste, paper waste, and food waste. As these materials break down in a low-oxygenated landfill they produce the greenhouse gas methane which is 80x more potent than carbon dioxide.
Objectives
SB 1383 requires that the state:
- Reduce organic waste disposal to landfills by 75% by 2025
- Recover at least 20% of surplus edible food for human consumption by 2025
These two objectives can reduce food insecurity and help combat climate change in California.
- Why do we need a new container?
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The City’s previous collection method of a black and green container is no longer permissible under SB 1383. The City conducted a statewide analysis of other jurisdictions, hired an independent consultant to analyze collection and provide compliant recommendations, and solicited feedback from residents, businesses, and waste haulers. The least expensive compliant option for the City was to add an additional container for collecting recyclables.
- When will I get the third container for recycling?
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The blue recycling container will be distributed to customers by the end of 2022. The collection will start on January 1, 2023.
- What happens if I do not separate my waste correctly?
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Improper use of a container can result in Administrative fines. Staff will be conducting random inspections for all three containers to ensure that the correct waste is placed in the correct container.
- How do I know where to put cardboard or paper products?
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The green container is for food-soiled cardboard and paper. This includes pizza boxes or cardboard take-out containers, tea bags, paper towels and napkins, coffee filters, and paper cups or plates.
The blue container is for recyclable, clean cardboard, like shipping or cereal boxes.
- Do I need to have all the containers? Can I just have one or two and pay less?
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State law and Modesto’s Municipal Code require that residential customers receive solid waste collection service with three containers for all occupied residences. The rates for this service are set for the entire program and there is no option to only receive some containers.