What Goes Where?

Unincorporated Sonoma County

Find out how to properly dispose of household material by clicking the tabs below or by searching for an item (last tab). You can also view or download our printable sorting guides. If you’re unable to find what you’re looking for, please reach out!

COMPOST
RECYCLE
TRASH
HAZARDOUS & ELECTRONIC WASTE
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We accept all food scraps, soiled paper, and plants in the green compost cart. Please do not place compostable material in plastic or compostable plastic bags, as the current regional compost facilities are unable to process those materials. Paper bags are acceptable.

Accepted Compost Materials		Unaccepted Compost Materials
Food Scraps Bread, grains and pasta Coffee grounds with paper filter Dairy Eggshells and eggs Fruit (pits and shells too) Leftovers and spoiled food Meat (including bones) Seafood (including shellfish) Tea and tea bags Vegetables Food Soiled Paper Coffee filters Greasy pizza boxes Paper cups and plates (without film plastic liner) Paper bags, napkins, tissues and towels Paper take-out boxes and containers (without film plastic liner) Tissues	Plants Branches and brush Flowers and floral trimmings Grasses and weeds Leaves Tree trimmings (less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long) Other Hair, fur, and feathers (non-synthetic) Shredded paper Wood – small pieces of lumber or sawdust from clean wood only (no plywood, press board, painted, stained or treated wood) Wooden chop sticks and coffee stir sticks		Aluminum foil or trays “Biodegradable” and “Compostable” labeled plastics (bags, utensils, cups) Cat litter or animal feces Ceramic dishware or glassware Clothing, linens and rags Cooking oil Corks – Natural Corks – plastic Diapers Dirt, rocks or stone Flower pots or trays Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper Glass, metal or plastic not labeled “Compostable” Juice or soy milk type boxes with foil liner Liquids or ice Plastic bags, wrappers or film Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper Styrofoam Waxy paper milk and juice cartons/cardboard Wood – plywood, press board, painted or stained wood Poison Oak, Yukka tree trimmings, Bamboo, Cactus, Palm fronds

Accepted Compost Materials

Unaccepted Compost Materials

Food Scraps

Bread, grains and pasta
Coffee grounds with paper filter
Dairy
Eggshells and eggs
Fruit (pits and shells too)
Leftovers and spoiled food
Meat (including bones)
Seafood (including shellfish)
Tea and tea bags
Vegetables

Food Soiled Paper

Coffee filters
Greasy pizza boxes
Paper cups and plates (without film plastic liner)
Paper bags, napkins, tissues and towels
Paper take-out boxes and containers
(without film plastic liner)
Tissues

Plants

Branches and brush
Flowers and floral trimmings
Grasses and weeds
Leaves
Tree trimmings (less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)

Other

Hair, fur, and feathers (non-synthetic)
Shredded paper
Wood – small pieces of lumber or sawdust from clean wood only (no plywood, press board, painted, stained or treated wood)
Wooden chop sticks and coffee stir sticks

Aluminum foil or trays
“Biodegradable” and “Compostable” labeled plastics (bags, utensils, cups)
Cat litter or animal feces
Ceramic dishware or glassware
Clothing, linens and rags
Cooking oil
Corks – Natural
Corks – plastic
Diapers
Dirt, rocks or stone
Flower pots or trays
Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper
Glass, metal or plastic not labeled “Compostable”
Juice or soy milk type boxes with foil liner
Liquids or ice
Plastic bags, wrappers or film
Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper
Styrofoam
Waxy paper milk and juice cartons/cardboard
Wood – plywood, press board, painted or stained wood
Poison Oak, Yukka tree trimmings, Bamboo, Cactus, Palm fronds

Please do not place recyclable materials in plastic bags, as the recycling facility is unable to process those materials. Paper bags are acceptable.

Accepted Recycling Materials		Unaccepted Recyclables
Glass (no liquids or food) Glass bottles and jars only (metal caps and lids too) Metal (no liquids or food) Aluminum cans Aluminum foil and trays (ball foil up to softball size) Caps and lids from bottles, jars and steel (tin) cans Paint cans (must be empty or dry) Spray cans (must be empty) Steel (tin) cans Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (rinsed) Bottles (leave caps on) Containers and clam shells Laundry detergent bottles Tubs and lids (yogurt containers and Tupperware)	Paper (clean, dry and unsoiled) Bags (paper only, no plastic) Cardboard (non-waxed) Cereal boxes Computer and office paper Egg cartons Envelopes (windows okay) Juice or soy milk type boxes with foil liner Junk mail and magazines Newspapers Packing paper Phonebooks Sticky notes Waxy paper milk or juice cartons Wrapping paper (non-metallic)		Batteries Ceramic dishware or glassware Clothing, linens and rags Coat hangers Electronics Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper Food scraps Glass mirrors and windows Incandescent light bulbs, Fluorescent light bulbs and HIDs Plastic bags, wrappers or film Plastic items mixed with metal, fabric or rubber Plastic labeled “Compostable” or “Biodegradable” Scrap metal Shredded paper Soiled paper Styrofoam Waxed cardboard and paper Wood Yard trimmings

Accepted Recycling Materials

Unaccepted Recyclables

Glass (no liquids or food)

Glass bottles and jars only (metal caps and lids too)

Metal (no liquids or food)

Aluminum cans
Aluminum foil and trays (ball foil up to softball size)
Caps and lids from bottles, jars and steel (tin) cans
Paint cans (must be empty or dry)
Spray cans (must be empty)
Steel (tin) cans

Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (rinsed)

Bottles (leave caps on)
Containers and clam shells
Laundry detergent bottles
Tubs and lids (yogurt containers and Tupperware)

Paper (clean, dry and unsoiled)

Bags (paper only, no plastic)
Cardboard (non-waxed)
Cereal boxes
Computer and office paper
Egg cartons
Envelopes (windows okay)
Juice or soy milk type boxes with foil liner
Junk mail and magazines
Newspapers
Packing paper
Phonebooks
Sticky notes
Waxy paper milk or juice cartons
Wrapping paper
(non-metallic)

Batteries
Ceramic dishware or glassware
Clothing, linens and rags
Coat hangers
Electronics
Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper
Food scraps
Glass mirrors and windows
Incandescent light bulbs,
Fluorescent light bulbs and HIDs
Plastic bags, wrappers or film
Plastic items mixed with metal, fabric or rubber
Plastic labeled “Compostable” or “Biodegradable”
Scrap metal
Shredded paper
Soiled paper
Styrofoam
Waxed cardboard and paper
Wood
Yard trimmings

Few things, once they are used, are actually trash. Among such things are non-recyclable plastics and other complex materials that were not designed to be recycled.

Accepted Landfill Items		Unaccepted Trash Items
Cat litter and animal feces (bagged) Ceramic dishware or glassware Clothing linens and rags Cigarette Butts (extinguished – run under water prior to disposal) Dental floss Diapers Feminine Hygiene Products Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper Glass mirrors and windows Incandescent light bulbs (no fluorescents or HIDs) Mylar (shiny metal) bags (potato chips, candy bars, balloons, etc)	Pens and pencils Plastic bags, wrappers and film (not labeled “Compostable”) Plastic items mixed with metal, fabric or rubber Plastic labeled “Biodegradable” only Rubber bands Six-pack ring holder – please cut up Sponges Styrofoam Twist Ties Wood – small pieces of plywood, press board, and painted or stained wood		Appliances Asbestos Batteries Construction debris Cooking oil and grease Dirt, rocks or stone Electronics Fluorescent or HID light bulbs Household hazardous waste or chemicals Large items (furniture, metal, plastic, wood) Liquids or ice Motor oil Needles or syringes Paint Tires Toys with electronics or batteries Treated wood

Accepted Landfill Items

Unaccepted Trash Items

Cat litter and animal feces (bagged)
Ceramic dishware or glassware
Clothing linens and rags
Cigarette Butts (extinguished – run under water prior to disposal)
Dental floss
Diapers
Feminine Hygiene Products
Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper
Glass mirrors and windows
Incandescent light bulbs
(no fluorescents or HIDs)
Mylar (shiny metal) bags (potato chips, candy bars, balloons, etc)

Pens and pencils
Plastic bags, wrappers and film (not labeled “Compostable”)
Plastic items mixed with metal, fabric or rubber
Plastic labeled “Biodegradable” only
Rubber bands
Six-pack ring holder – please cut up
Sponges
Styrofoam
Twist Ties
Wood – small pieces of plywood, press board, and painted or stained wood

Appliances
Asbestos
Batteries
Construction debris
Cooking oil and grease
Dirt, rocks or stone
Electronics
Fluorescent or HID light bulbs
Household hazardous waste or chemicals
Large items (furniture, metal, plastic, wood)
Liquids or ice
Motor oil
Needles or syringes
Paint
Tires
Toys with electronics or batteries
Treated wood

Zero Waste Sonoma has a number of program changes and updates regarding HHW events due to COVID-19. Please check the link for the latest updates. https://zerowastesonoma.gov/covid-19

It is illegal to put items such as electronics, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, pesticides, and other chemicals in the trash. When household hazardous wastes end up in a landfill, they can cause serious threats to humans, wildlife and the environment.

Motor Oil: Recology offers curbside pickup of motor oil and filters. Just call customer service to request an oil kit and filter bag. When filled, call us again to request a pick up, and place oil and filters at the curb next (NOT IN) to your recycling cart for pickup. There are also many locations in Sonoma County that will accept motor oil and filters. Visit www.ZeroWasteSonoma.gov to find a location.

Electronics: Any Sonoma County transfer station will accept household electronics for recycling. Goodwill will also accept electronics, working or not. Visit www.ZeroWasteSonoma.gov for additional recycling options and community drop-off events.

- NEW – Treated Wood Waste: Effective January 1, 2021, treated wood (any wood that has been treated with a chemical preservative to protect the wood against attacks from insects, microorganisms, or fungi) is considered hazardous waste per California State law. Recology is no longer able to haul treated wood waste. More information can be found here.

We are pleased to announce the release of our 2019 Sustainability Report! Learn more about our achievements in sustainability and view a full copy of the report here!

What Goes Where?

RESOURCES

We are pleased to announce the release of our 2019 Sustainability Report!
Learn more about our achievements in sustainability and view a full copy of the report here!