Waste Sorting Guide

Berkeley residents and businesses can help keep our community and the planet clean by properly sorting waste into the appropriate curbside bins or using other resources to dispose of bulky or hazardous materials.

Each household gets three bins: blue for recycling, green for compost, and grey for trash. 

• Green compost bin: Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings.
• Blue recycling bin: Clean paper and cardboard on one side; empty glass, metal, foil, and hard plastic containers on the other.
• Gray landfill bin: Only things that cannot be composted or recycled, including lined paper food cartons.

See details in the sections below. 

Some things don’t belong in your curbside bins, but the City has you covered. Take construction debris and large items to the Transfer Station. Drop off household hazardous waste and electronics at special collection sites.

For items that don’t go in your green, blue or grey bins, use the RE:Source guide for countywide reuse, repair, recycling, and safe disposal options.

Sorting your compost, recycling, and trash

Reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill by sorting organic waste into the green compost bin and while sorting paper, bottles, and cans into the blue recycling bin. Avoid putting materials in the wrong bins, which can contaminate the entire load, cause damage to equipment and staff, or harm the environment.

Compost food waste and plant debris

Composting food waste and organic materials allows the City to recycle them to rich fertilizers that can help grow farms, gardens, and yards. You can pick up the resulting compost for free at the Berkeley Marina.

The following materials are accepted in green compost bins:

• Food scraps
• Food-soiled paper, such as pizza boxes
• Coffee grounds
• Plant and yard debris, such as branches and leaves (tree branches should be no more than 2 feet in length and no more than 2 inches in diameter if placed in compost container. Lid must close down completely with no obstructions).
• BPI-certified compostable paper bowls, plates, cups, bags, and food boxes
• Uncoated paper plates, bowls, and napkins

Please do NOT put in green compost bins:

• Dirt, rock, or concrete (bring to the Transfer Station or rent a dumpster)
• Hazardous or electronic waste (bring it to one of Alameda County’s hazardous household waste facilities)
• Diapers or pet waste (put in landfill container)
• Plastic (rigid plastic containers can be put in container & bottle recycling container)
• Glass bottles or liquids (put it in container & bottle recycling container)
• Milk cartons (put in landfill container)

Recycle paper and cardboard

In the City of Berkeley, residential recycling goes in a blue bin that’s divided into two containers: one for paper and cardboard, and one for cans and bottles.

Do not bag the paper and cardboard items before putting in the containers. If you have too much cardboard to fit into your container, flatten and tie up to one 1 foot x 2 feet x 3 feet bundle and place next to your cart.

The following materials are accepted in the paper and cardboard recycling container:

• Clean, dry paper
• Cardboard
• Molded fiber (such as egg cartons)

Please do NOT put the following items in the paper and cardboard side of your blue bin:

• Paper towels or cups (BPI-certified compostable items can be put in compost container)
• Hazardous or electronic waste (bring it to one of Alameda County’s hazardous household waste facilities)
• Juice or milk boxes (put in landfill container)
• Plastic or cans (cans be put in container & bottle recycling container)
• Food-soiled or waxed materials (food-soiled paper, such as pizza boxes, can be put in the compost container) 

Recycle bottles and cans

Before recycling containers and bottles, please clean, empty, and dry them. Do not bag the containers and bottles before recycling.

The following materials are accepted in the container and bottle recycling containers:

• Glass bottles and jars
• Cans
• Foil
• Rigid plastic containers

Please do NOT put the following items in the bottles and cans side your blue bin:

• Foam plastic (put in landfill container)
• Small plastics, such as lids and utensils (put in landfill container)
• Liquids or food (food scraps can be put in compost container)
• Hazardous or electronic waste (bring it to one of Alameda County’s hazardous household waste facilities)
• Plastic bags or film (put in landfill container)
• Dishware, ceramics, or window glass (bring to the Transfer Station or rent a dumpster)

Last resort: Toss in landfill

Not all items in your house or business can be composted or recycled.

The following materials can be disposed in the landfill containers:

• Plastic bags, cups, utensils, straws and films
• Milk, juice and soup cartons
• Dishware, ceramics, or window glass
• Diapers
• Pet waste
• Styrofoam

Please do NOT put in landfill containers:

• Compostable items (put in compost containers)
• Hazardous or electronic waste (bring it to one of Alameda County’s hazardous household waste facilities)
• Dirt, rock, or concrete (bring to the Transfer Station or rent a dumpster)
• Construction debris (bring to the Transfer Station or rent a dumpster)
• Furniture (consider donating)
• Recyclable items (put in either paper & cardboard or container & bottle recycling containers)