Commercial Compostables Service

Welcome to Marin Sanitary Service’s Commercial Compostables program, designed to help businesses in Marin County efficiently manage organic waste. Our comprehensive composting services enable your business to reduce waste, lower disposal costs, and promote sustainability. Join us in our mission to create a greener community by transforming food scraps and organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.

Removing organic material from the landfill is a top priority for all of California. When organic material like food waste is landfilled, it breaks down and creates Methane – a greenhouse gas 80x more powerful than Carbon Dioxide. More methane means more global warming, droughts, and wildfires.

As of January 2022, every home, apartment complex, and business in California is required by law to collect their food waste, yard waste, and paper separately from all other waste. The law (SB 1383) aims to reduce harmful methane emissions. Learn more about SB 1383 and other recycling laws here.

We offer two compost programs for our business customers.

A recycling coordinator will review these options with you upon starting service to assure you’re using the right program.

Regular Commercial Compostables

The first program is our regular compostables service for plant materials, food-soiled paper, and food scraps composting. All compostable items placed in this cart are taken to Redwood Landfill’s WM EarthCare™ of Marin composting facility in Novato where they are turned into compost approved for organic farming. See information below.

Food 2 Energy (F2E)

The second program is our Food 2 Energy program which is aimed at large food waste generators (restaurants, delis, grocery stores) and diverts organic food waste from the landfill by turning it into energy.

WHAT GOES IN THE compostables CART

The size and number of compostables carts a business uses varies, but what goes in these compostable receptacles remains the same: only yard waste, food waste, and food-soiled paper.

Your compostable receptacles should be clearly marked and easy to identify. Please remember that we do not sort through the materials placed in garbage carts, so it is imperative to always place all of your yard waste and food scraps in a compostables cart.

Visit our Commercial Services page to review the size and container options for commercial customers.

WHAT GOES IN THE COMPOSTABLES CART

FOOD SCRAPS

If you can eat it, it can go in the compostables cart!

FOOD-SOILED PAPER

YARD WASTE

This list isn’t comprehensive. When in doubt, please use the Where Does It Go, Joe tool to look up a what cart a specific item should go into.

WHAT CANNOT GO IN THE COMPOSTABLES CART

Compostable or Bio-degradable plastics of any kind
Compostable or Bio-degradable bags
Compostable or Bio-degradable cups or containers
Compostable or Bio-degradable utensils
Plastic bags
Coffee Cups
Paper soft drink cups
Paper soup cups

Cartons
Waxed cardboard
Palm Fronds
Yucca
Poison Oak
Bamboo
Dirt / Soil or rocks
Pet or human waste

This list isn’t comprehensive. When in doubt, please use the Where Does It Go, Joe tool to look up a what cart a specific item should go into.

Why no compostable or bio-degradable plastics?

We CANNOT accept any plastics labeled as compostable or bio-degradable. If we did, the quality compost WM EarthCare™ produces would lose its organic farming certification. Their compost is certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). OMRI doesn’t allow compostable or bio-degradable plastics as many are actually petroleum based and just break down into micro plastics. Others don’t break down rapidly enough and it is hard to differentiate between compostable and non-compostable plastics.

Please put your compostable plastics or bio-degradable items in your garbage cart or bin.

Where does it go, Joe?

It’s very important that we avoid contaminating our recycling or compostable streams. When in doubt, use our handy “Where Does It Go, Joe?” online tool to find out what material goes in what cart.

GET JOE ON THE GO! You’ll always have Joe’s sorting advice at your fingertips with the Marin Sanitary Service mobile app. Download it for your Apple Device or Google Device now for free!

Join California's Climate Food Fight

As of January 2022, SB 1383 requires every home, apartment complex, and business in California to collect their food waste, yard waste, and paper separately from all other waste.

When organic material like food waste is landfilled, it breaks down and creates Methane – a greenhouse gas 80x more powerful than Carbon Dioxide.

More methane means more global warming, droughts, and wildfires. Do your part to stop climate change by placing your food scraps, yard waste and food-soiled paper in your green cart, not garbage.

What to do with extra compostables.

Business owners or account holders may contact customer service at (415) 456-2601 prior to your service day if you find that your total amount of compostables (yard/food waste) exceeds the capacity of your container.

Please do not overload your compostable cart!

What happens to your compostables?

Watch this video to see how your compostables are turned into organic compost at Redwood Landfill.

38% of what's in Marin's garbage should go in compost!

A garbage cart that shows images of what's inside it and 38% is food and food-soiled paper which belongs in compost

In 2014, Marin Sanitary Service conducted a study to identify the types of materials being sent to landfill. We discovered that 38% of what residents were throwing in the trash could have been composted – the process of turning organic materials such as food scraps, yard waste and compostable paper into a nutrient rich soil for use in gardens, farms and vineyards. SB 1383 requires that all residents, businesses and local governments in the State of California no longer send any food waste, yard waste, or paper to the landfill.

Have Questions?

Our customer support representatives are available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (415) 456-2601.

Recycling Laws

What you need to know about California’s mandatory composting and recycling laws.

We Can Help

We provide compost and recycling opportunity assessments, diversion planning, training, and posters to help your business recycle successfully.