What Can You Recycle in San Diego? The Complete 2026 Guide
San Diego's recycling rules can be confusing. Blue bin? Green bin? Week A? Week B? Here's everything you need to know, explained clearly.
Quick lookup
Not sure which recycling week you are? Look up your address — we'll tell you your collection day, recycling week, and next pickup date.
The Three-Bin System
San Diego uses a three-bin waste collection system. Every household gets:
- 🗑️Black bin (Trash) — Collected weekly. Everything that can't be recycled or composted.
- ♻️Blue bin (Recycling) — Collected every other week (A/B schedule). Clean, dry recyclables only.
- 🌿Green bin (Organics) — Collected weekly. Food scraps, yard waste, food-soiled paper.
✅ What Goes IN the Blue Recycling Bin
Paper & Cardboard
- ✅ Newspapers, magazines, catalogs
- ✅ Cardboard boxes (flattened)
- ✅ Junk mail, envelopes
- ✅ Paper bags
- ✅ Clean pizza box tops
- ✅ Office paper, school papers
Containers
- ✅ Aluminum cans (rinsed)
- ✅ Glass bottles and jars (rinsed)
- ✅ Plastic bottles #1-7 (rinsed, caps on)
- ✅ Steel/tin cans (rinsed)
- ✅ Milk and juice cartons (rinsed)
- ✅ Rigid plastic containers
❌ What Does NOT Go in the Blue Bin
- ❌ Plastic bags — They jam machines. Return to grocery stores instead.
- ❌ Styrofoam — Not recyclable curbside in San Diego.
- ❌ Food waste — Goes in the green organics bin.
- ❌ Electronics — Take to an e-waste drop-off.
- ❌ Clothing and textiles — Donate or use textile recycling.
- ❌ Garden hoses, wires, chains — They tangle in sorting equipment.
- ❌ Diapers — Black trash bin only.
- ❌ Broken glass or ceramics — Wrap and put in black bin.
- ❌ "Compostable" plastics — Most aren't actually recyclable. Green bin or trash.
Understanding Week A vs Week B
Recycling in San Diego is collected every other week, not weekly. Your address is assigned to either "Week A" or "Week B." This alternating schedule helps the city manage collection routes efficiently.
The easiest way to find out your week: look up your address on TrashAlert. We'll show you exactly which weeks are yours and when your next recycling pickup is.
For a visual calendar of upcoming A and B weeks, see our Recycling Week A vs B guide.
The Golden Rule: Empty, Clean, Dry
Before putting anything in the blue bin, remember three words: empty, clean, dry.
- Empty — Pour out all contents. A "mostly empty" peanut butter jar still contaminates.
- Clean — A quick rinse is enough. No need to scrub spotless.
- Dry — Shake off excess water. Wet paper turns to mush and ruins the batch.
The Pizza Box Dilemma (Solved)
Pizza boxes are the #1 source of recycling confusion. Here's the answer:
- 🔵 Clean lid → Blue recycling bin
- 🟢 Greasy bottom → Green organics bin (food-soiled paper is accepted!)
- Just tear the box in half. Problem solved.
Why Contamination Matters
When non-recyclable items end up in the blue bin, they can contaminate an entire truckload. One bag of trash mixed in can send an entire load of recyclables to the landfill instead.
San Diego's recycling contamination rate is around 20%. That means 1 in 5 items in blue bins shouldn't be there. When in doubt, throw it out (black bin). It's better to landfill one item than contaminate a whole bin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put plastic bags in recycling in San Diego?
No. Plastic bags — including grocery bags and produce bags — should NOT go in the blue bin. They jam the sorting machines at recycling facilities. Return plastic bags to grocery stores with collection bins, or put them in the black trash bin.
Do I need to rinse recyclables?
Yes, a quick rinse is recommended. Items should be empty, clean, and dry. They don't need to be spotless — just free of visible food residue.
Can pizza boxes be recycled?
Clean parts can. Tear the box — clean lid goes in the blue bin, greasy bottom goes in the green organics bin (food-soiled paper is accepted in San Diego's organics program).
What is Week A and Week B recycling?
San Diego uses alternating recycling weeks. Your address is assigned either Week A or Week B, and recycling is collected every other week. Look up your address to find your week.
🔔 Never miss recycling day
Get a reminder the night before — we'll tell you if it's a recycling week.
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