Trash & Recycling

CR&R is San Clemente's Franchise Waste Hauler.

1-877-728-0446 | www.crrinc.com

Residential Service Information

Commercial Service Information

Franchise Agreement

Refuse Service Rates for San Clemente:

Residential | Commercial | Multifamily | Roll Off Bins | Cub Bins

How to Sort Your Recycle Waste 

How to Sort Your Organics Waste

The City of San Clemente is committed to being a municipal leader in helping California fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing landfill waste, and increasing recycling efforts.

• Organic waste in landfills creates 20% of California’s methane gas (84x stronger than carbon dioxide).
• Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard are 50% of what’s in our landfills.
• Reducing organic waste (and other short-lived climate pollutants) will have the fastest impact on the climate crisis.

Through education, innovation, and compliance, the City of San Clemente is helping California reach its goals of reducing organic waste disposal by 75% and recovering 20% of edible surplus food that’s currently thrown out by 2025.

The City of San Clemente, in partnership with CR&R and the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce, has launched a multi-faceted environmental education program to provide local businesses and the public with resources on how to comply with California's newest environmental organic recycling requirements (SB1383), via the following steps:

1. The program kicked-off in 2023 with a visit to CR&R's "digester" where select restaurant owners/operators and community leaders received a visual of how organics are converted into clean transportation fuel.
2. Next, a special presentation outlined how the community can support and implement food waste recycling regulations.
3. Then, a Green Team task force was formed. The team produced fun and useful educational videos:

4. Soon, 200 businesses in San Clemente will receive custom starter packs for their kitchens.

5. Finally, a Sustainable Leader window cling will be presented to the local businesses who have committed to supporting organic recycling best practices.

Knowing what to recycle and how to recycle it prevents contamination. Placing something in the recycling bin because you WISH it were recyclable is called “wishcycling” and makes recyclable materials less valuable for recycling markets. In addition, machines that sort and process recyclables can only manage certain items without causing sorting and processing problems. Only place known recyclable materials in the recycling bin.

Some common items that CAN be recycled:

Some common items that CANNOT be recycled:

• Plastic/paper straws
• Plastic utensils
• Plastic bags, food wrappers
• Paper towels
• Items without chasing arrows
• Styrofoam

Click on the information sheet to the right for a complete list of recyclable and non-recyclable materials.

Recycling and Disposal Quick Guide

Bulky items that cannot fit in your trash cart or dumpster can be properly disposed of with CR&R by arranging a free bulky item pickup. Some examples of bulky items are:

• Washing machines
• Dryers
• Sofas
• Refrigerators
• Other large household items

To schedule a free bulky item pick-up on your regular waste collection day, please use CR&R’s Online Scheduling Service. Each San Clemente resident customer can arrange for a bulky item pick-up free of charge four times per calendar year of up to four (4) large items or four (4) bags of material. Additional bulky item pick-ups will be provided for a small fee.

Bottles and cans California Redemption Value (CRV) recycling center, Ponce Recycling (714-794-7542), is open behind Ralph's at 638 Camino De Los Mares. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Information on Recycling Center Closures for Bottles and Cans

California Redemption Value Information (click here)

In mid-2019 there was a closure of several hundred recycling centers throughout California that accepted California Redemption Value (CRV) bottles and cans. The State Division of Recycling (CalRecycle) is providing the following information to the public.

• For callers curious if any rePlanet sites were in their jurisdiction, what recycling centers are in their jurisdiction, when retailers may be required to redeem in their jurisdiction, or if there are any retailers/dealers who redeem in-store, please direct them to the CalRecycle website:  https://calrecycle.ca.gov/Markets/RecyclingClosures/

• Any dealers (retailers) who call with questions regarding zone status should go to: https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/Retailers/Zones/

• Any recyclers who call with questions should go to Certification. (916) 324-8598. 

• As always, complaints about retailers or recycling centers should call 1-800-RECYCLE.

Locations that were served by a recycling center within their convenience zone but the convenience zone has since closed are given a 60 day grace period to decide if they will either redeem CRV in store or pay a daily $100 fee. 

SB 1383 requires single-family residences and multifamily complexes to subscribe to organics collection and recycle both green waste and food waste beginning January 1, 2022.

Residential Organics (Food Waste) Material Instructions.

Organics Cart Tips

• Put yard trimmings and/or newspaper at the bottom of your organics cart.
• Alternate layers of food scraps and yard trimmings to keep your cart cleaner.
• Compostable bags are optional. Other plastic bags, including grocery bags, are not accepted.
• Store your cart in the shade during warm weather.
• Keep your food scraps in the freezer until collection day.
• Sprinkle baking soda in your organics cart.

Don’t be alarmed if you see auditors looking through your trash, recycling, and organics carts. As part of SB 1383, all service routes must be audited every year.

Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

Door to Door Pick Up Service For Household Hazardous Waste is Available to San Clemente residents.

City of San Clemente residents can arrange for free HHW pickups by contacting CR&R customer service at 1-877-728-0446.

Examples of HHW include:

• Batteries (except automobile batteries which must be delivered to a certified hazardous waste center)
• Thermostats
• Fluorescent tubes
• Cathode ray tubes such as televisions and computer monitors
• High-intensity discharge lamps such as heat lamps
• Sodium vapor lamps such as low light pollution light bulbs
• Aerosol cans (which are not completely empty)
• Mercury-containing items such as light switches, pressure gauges, thermometers, and greeting cards that play music
• Used paint
• Solvents, pesticides, pool Chemicals
• Sharps such as syringes and lancets within a one-way protection container
• Fertilizer
• Used motor oil & filters

San Clemente residents can also bring these items to the Orange County HHW facility in San Juan Capistrano for free. Click here for more information.

For more information on CR&R HHW pickups, call CR&R toll-free at (877) 728-0446 or Click Here to Learn More.

Mix medication with coffee grounds or animal waste and put them in the trash, or bring them to National Drug Take Back Day event. Please do NOT flush medications down the toilet or drain. For questions or more information, please call (949) 498-9436 or click here.

Recycle Used Motor Oil

Recycle your used motor oil and oil filters for free! Click here for a list of free used motor oil drop-off locations in San Clemente!

San Clemente used Oil Recycling Tip Card

Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) took effect January 1, 2022, requiring everyone (commercial businesses and residential properties) across the state to participate in source separated recycling.

The City is required to ensure that every property is recycling organic waste (e.g., food waste, food-soiled paper, landscaping/green waste, and wood waste) and dry mixed recyclables (e.g., bottles, cans, plastic, glass, paper, and cardboard) in accordance with California’s Mandatory Recycling Laws.

As required by state regulation SB 1383, the City adopted local Ordinance 1728 on April 5, 2022, which provides enforcement and fines for non-participating entities. Every business in San Clemente must participate in recycling and organics programs.

Senate Bill 1383 and Food Recovery

To reduce food waste and help address food insecurity, SB 1383 requires that by 2025 California will recover 20 percent of edible food that would otherwise be sent to landfills, to feed people in need.

It is mandatory by law for large food generators such as grocery stores, large restaurants, hotels, and other venues to participate in food donation programs by January 2024. San Clemente has partnered with Abound Food Care for Food Recovery – www.aboundfoodcare.org.

Commercial Food Recovery Guide

More Information About Abound Food Care 

The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 341 (AB 341) in 2012. This law requires all businesses and public entities that generate 4 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week to arrange for recycling services. 

The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1826 (AB 1826) in September 2014. This law requires all businesses that generate two (2) cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste (trash) per week to enroll in a program to recycle organic waste rather than send it to the landfill. Organic waste includes grass trimmings, yard waste, food waste, vegetable trimmings, plate scrapings, spoiled food and excess food inventory.

(Please note the local Prima Deshecha landfill is NOT a recycling center, please do not list it as your recycling center)

Click Here for the Construction & Demolition Debris Recycling Requirements.

Click Here Construction and Demolition Facilities 

Click Here for a Waste Management Plan Application

Click Here for the City's Recycling Summary Report.

Click Here for an Exemption Request Form

Waste & Recycling Construction Guidelines for Commercial & Multi-Family Projects

Click Here for CALGreen Construction Waste Management Requirements.

CalRecycle

This series shows you real options for recycling, reducing, or re-using solid waste products. Helping promote the development of California's' recyclable materials market is our mission.  www.CalRecycle.ca.gov