A. 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code or the Sacramento County Zoning Code, every waste generator in the unincorporated area of the County shall keep water-tight waste material containers conveniently located near a building and shall cause to be deposited in such containers, and not elsewhere, all waste materials accumulating on the premises. Every waste generator shall subscribe to, or participate in subscription to, solid waste collection service and shall subscribe to, or participate in subscription to, recyclable material and organic material collection service unless otherwise exempted as described in Sections 6.20.445 and 6.20.460. The waste material containers shall have tightly fitted covers and shall not leak or permit the escape of odors. The waste material containers shall be adequately sized and serviced with adequate frequency to provide for the waste generation needs of the business or residents, as determined by the Director.
B. 
Waste generators shall ensure that waste material containers are utilized for depositing the correct waste material for which they were intended.
C. 
Waste generators shall ensure that waste material containers are placed for collection in a manner that collection vehicles can service them safely and unobstructed. Obstructions include, but are not limited to, low hanging branches and other overhead obstructions, basketball hoops, and vehicles. Waste generators shall also ensure that containers are placed for collection no earlier than twenty-four (24) hours prior to scheduled collection and are removed from sidewalks, pedestrian pathways, and street right-of-ways within twenty-four (24) hours of collection.
D. 
No waste material container, bin, or cart within the unincorporated areas of the County shall be placed or located in such a manner that blocks or impedes passage through any roadway, alley or doorway of any building adjoining the alley, notwithstanding that such building may be abandoned or otherwise out of use.
E. 
Compliance with this section shall be the sole responsibility of the waste generator. The Director may require special container equipment, and/or container labeling with customer identifying information, in designated areas. Special equipment may include, but is not limited to, functioning locking mechanisms.
(SCC 517 § 2, 1982; SCC 1044 § 2, 1996; SCC 1654 § 11, 2019; SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023; SCC 1761, 8/5/2025)
A. 
All waste generators shall participate in a recycling material and an organic material collection program.
B. 
Each waste generator shall subscribe to a recyclable material and an organic material collection service, or obtain an exemption or waiver from the Director to franchisee-provided or DWMR-provided recyclable material and/or organic material collection service.
C. 
Specific waste generator recyclable material and organic material program requirements are articulated, by generator type, in Sections 6.20.420 through 6.20.430.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1688 § 3, 2022; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023)
A. 
Except as authorized in Sections 6.20.110 and 6.20.145, each residential generator shall receive DWMR-provided solid waste, recyclable material, and organic material collection services.
B. 
Residential generators that are exempt from DWMR-provided waste material collection services pursuant to Section 6.20.110(C) and are not subscribed to franchisee-provided solid waste collection services shall document the amount of solid waste, recyclable material, and organic material collected and removed and the location of the solid waste, recycling, and organic facility(ies) to which the material was taken. Documentation shall be kept on site and shall be made available to the Director within 10 business days of the date of the request.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1688 § 4, 2022; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023)
A. 
Except as authorized in Sections 6.20.110 and 6.20.200, each business generator may not hire, select or contract for solid waste collection with a person who does not hold a current and valid commercial solid waste collection franchise issued by the County. Business generators must subscribe to a level of solid waste, recyclable material, and organic material collection service, both with respect to container capacity and frequency of collection, that adequately meets the waste generation needs, as determined by the Director.
B. 
Each business generator shall be responsible for ensuring and demonstrating its compliance with the requirements of this chapter, and shall:
1. 
Enter into a customer service agreement, through a broker or with a franchisee, for weekly solid waste collection service, at a minimum; and
2. 
Subscribe to a service for removal of large and bulky items on an on-call basis or at a frequency necessary to avoid overflowing waste material containers and any accumulation of waste outside of containers, as determined by the Director in consideration or the size and nature of the business; and
3. 
Source separate recyclable material and subscribe to recyclable material collection; and
4. 
Source separate organic material and subscribe to weekly organic material service, at a minimum.
C. 
As an alternative to subsections (B)(3) and (B)(4) above, each business generator may achieve compliance by meeting the provisions of Section 6.20.445 or 6.20.460.
D. 
Each business generator shall:
1. 
Provide containers for the adequate collection of recyclable material and organic material in all areas where solid waste containers are accessible to all customers and employees, except for restrooms. Recyclable material containers and organic material containers shall be placed in a location or locations at least as convenient to customers and employees as the solid waste containers; and
2. 
Prominently post and maintain signs on or near the provided containers. Containers shall be labeled and include language or graphic images or both that indicate the primary materials accepted and the primary materials prohibited in that container.
E. 
Each business generator shall notify and instruct employees in writing of applicable source separation requirements, including what materials are required to be source separated and how to source separate such materials. A copy of such written instructions shall be kept on-site for verification during inspections and provided to the Director, upon request, within ten (10) business days of the date of the request.
F. 
Each business generator shall prohibit their employees from placing incorrect material in the recyclable material and organic material collection containers.
G. 
Each business generator shall periodically inspect recyclable material and organic material collection containers for contamination and inform employees if containers are contaminated and of the requirement to only use those containers for recyclable materials or organic materials.
H. 
Nothing in this chapter shall abridge the right of any business generator or any other person, to sell or exchange at fair market value its own recyclable materials which are source separated for reuse and recycling.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023; SCC 1761, 8/5/2025)
A. 
Except as authorized in Sections 6.20.110 and 6.20.200, each multi-family generator may not hire, select, or contract for solid waste collection with, a person who does not hold a current and valid commercial solid waste collection franchise issued by the County. Multi-family generators must subscribe to a level of material collection service, both with respect to container capacity and frequency of collection, that adequately meets the waste generation needs, as determined by the Director.
B. 
Each multi-family generator shall be responsible for ensuring and demonstrating its compliance with the requirements of this chapter and shall:
1. 
Enter into a customer service agreement, through a broker or with a franchisee, for a weekly solid waste collection service, at a minimum; and
2. 
Source separate recyclable material and subscribe to recyclable material collection; and
3. 
Source separate organic material and subscribe to weekly organic material service, at a minimum.
4. 
Subscribe to a service for removal of bulky waste, such as tenants' furniture and household belongings, on an on-call basis or at a frequency necessary to avoid overflowing waste material containers and accumulation outside of containers, as determined by the Director.
C. 
As an alternative, each multi-family generator may comply with subsections (B)(2) and (B)(3) above, as further described in Section 6.20.445 or 6.20.460.
D. 
Each multi-family generator shall:
1. 
Place recyclable material containers and organic material containers co-located with each solid waste container where operationally feasible. Where co-location is not feasible, the recyclable material and organic material containers shall be evenly distributed throughout the property and made as accessible as the solid waste containers; and
2. 
Prominently post and maintain signage on or near all containers, including chutes for solid waste, recyclable material and organic material, specifying the materials required to be source-separated. Where recyclable material containers and organic material containers are not co-located with solid waste containers, additional signage shall be posted indicating the location of nearest recyclable and organic material containers.
3. 
Notify and instruct tenants and residents in writing of the collection requirements for solid waste, recyclable materials, organic materials, and bulky items, including what materials are required to be recycled and how to keep recyclable materials, organic materials, and bulky items out of solid waste material containers. A copy of such written instructions shall be kept on-site for verification during inspections and provided to the Director, upon request, within ten (10) business days of the date of the request.
E. 
Nothing in this chapter shall abridge the right of any multi-family generator, or any tenant thereof, to sell or exchange at fair market value its own recyclable materials which are source separated for reuse and recycling.
F. 
No multi-family generator shall, after taking reasonable measures to inform tenants of recyclable material and organic material collection program requirements and tenant responsibilities, be cited for non-compliance with this article as a result of the failure of his or her rental property tenants to source separate designated recyclable material and organic material from solid waste. Such reasonable measures may include, but are not limited to, lease agreement provisions requiring tenants to source separate recyclable material and organic material and periodic tenant education efforts such as the distribution of information flyers or handouts.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023; SCC 1761, 8/5/2025)
A. 
Unless determined by the Director, according to the provisions of Section 6.20.460, that said commercial generator is exempt from applicable CalRecycle regulations implementing SB 1383, a commercial generator shall:
1. 
Subscribe to source-separated organic material collection in compliance with the provisions of Section 18984.9 of Title 14 of the CCR; or
2. 
Self-haul organic material in compliance with the provisions of Section 18988.3 of Title 14 of the CCR.
B. 
Unless determined by the Director, according to the provisions of Section 6.20.460, that said commercial generator is exempt from applicable CalRecycle regulations implementing SB 1383, a commercial generator shall provide readily available containers and educational material regarding organic material recycling to all tenants, employees, and/or customers in compliance with the provisions of Section 18984.10 of Title 14 of the CCR.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023)
The Director shall designate recyclable materials that must be source separated by commercial generators and collected by franchisees. Such a designation shall consider materials market conditions and the availability of a cost-effective system for recycling such materials. Changes to the designation of recyclable materials, by additions, deletion, or clarifications, shall be communicated directly to franchisees, made publicly available by the Director, and be included in franchise agreements.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023)
A. 
A commercial generator may self-haul, designate a third-party hauler, backhaul, or share service with an adjacent property for the collection of recyclable material and/or organic material generated and collected at its place of business, non-residential property, or multi-family residential property to a recycling facility. Backhauling is not a method of compliance for multi-family generators. Additionally, self-hauling and designating a third-party hauler for food waste recycling service is not a method of compliance for multi-family generators.
B. 
All alternative service activities conducted to maintain generator compliance with recyclable material and organic material collection requirements as described in subsection A of this section must be approved by the Director, using forms provided by the Director. Alternative service activities must collect the same recyclable and/or organic materials as required with franchisee-provided service as described in a County franchise agreement.
C. 
Appeals relating to the denial of an alternative service activity verification authorization shall be conducted in the manner prescribed in Sections 6.20.755 through 6.20.760.
D. 
Generators shall keep records of all alternative service activities on-site for verification during inspections. Records may include, but are not limited to, copies of service agreements; records of the amounts and types of recyclable material and/or organic material collected; identification of the recycling facilities to which recyclable material and/or organic material were delivered; evidence that all parties agree to sharing a container, along with a copy of the recyclable material and/or organics material collection service contract; and/or receipts showing recyclable material and/or organic material are being recycled consistent with this chapter, including rules and regulations promulgated under Section 6.20.035, and applicable State requirements. All records shall be made available for inspection by the Director for determination of compliance with this chapter.
(SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1688 § 5, 2022; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023)
Exemptions from participation in mandatory generator recyclable material programs and/or organic material programs must be approved by the Director. The Director may approve an exemption to recyclable material or organic material collection service, or both. Exemption applications must be submitted on a form provided by the Director. An exemption may be approved by the Director if the waste generator falls within one of the categories set forth below. Exemptions shall be effective for a time period determined by the Director.
A. 
A commercial generator may be exempted from recyclable material or organic material collection requirements if compliance would result in a violation of Sacramento County Zoning Code requirements (e.g. a required number of parking spaces); or if there is no adequate storage space for recyclable material containers or organic material containers on site, as determined by the Director, and it is infeasible to share recyclable material or organic material containers with another adjacent or conveniently located commercial generator. If the Director determines that it is feasible for recyclable material and/or organic material containers to be placed on site or shared with an adjacent or conveniently located commercial generator, then that adjacent or conveniently located commercial generator shall be responsible for compliance with this article.
B. 
A residential generator may be exempted from recyclable material or organic material collection requirements if there is no adequate storage space for recyclable material containers or organic material containers on site, as determined by the Director.
C. 
Exemptions for generators from organic material collection requirements are set forth in Section 18984.11 of Title 14 of the CCR, and may also include exemptions for generators that are set forth in Section 18984.12 of Title 14 of the CCR, as authorized by the Director.
D. 
Any person collecting illegally dumped material on public property or in any public right-of-way is exempt from source-separation requirements for that collected material.
(SCC 517 § 2, 1982; SCC 1044 § 2, 1996; SCC 1654 § 17, 2019; SCC 1672 § 4, 2021; SCC 1688 § 6, 2022; SCC 1720 § 1, 2023; SCC 1761, 8/5/2025)