Recycle

Tell Me About Curbside Recycling

Who should recycle?

EVERYONE should recycle. Most people living in single-family homes, duplexes, apartment buildings, and condominium complexes in the unincorporated County areas have curbside recycling services.

Why should I recycle?

The County of Los Angeles Recycling Ordinance (90-0167) requires waste haulers to provide recycling services to all residents in the unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles.

Today, recycling is easier than ever with manufacturers providing easily identifiable recycling symbols on their products. The following are just some of the ways that you can improve your community and the environment when you recycle:

Save natural resources
Save landfill space
Reduce pollution
Save energy
Save money
Create employment

Do I have to separate the recyclable items?

Some areas within the County of Los Angeles utilize commingled collection (i.e., all materials and discards are mixed together for sorting at a trash plant). In those areas, you are not required to separate your recyclables and green waste from trash. Contact your waste hauler for specific information on how to separate recyclables in your area.

How do I start recycling?

Contact your waste hauler. They will deliver a recycling cart free of charge to residents in the unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles.

If curbside recycling is not available in your area, consider starting your own recycling program. Here are a few reasons why:

The U.S. EPA estimates that 75 percent of what Americans throw in the trash could actually be recycled.
On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it.
Individually, we generate approximately six pounds of trash each day. If we filled the Rose Bowl with Los Angeles County’s trash, it would be filled in just four days!
Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs.
The national recycling rate of 30 percent saves the equivalent of more than five billion gallons of gasoline, and reduces dependence on foreign oil by 114 million barrels.