Can you recycle plastic bags in Los Angeles, CA?

Not in your blue bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility LA Sanitation uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your black bin.

What do I do with batteries in Los Angeles, CA?

Batteries never go in any of your Los Angeles, CA carts — not the blue bin, not the black bin. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Recycling rules in Los Angeles, CA

📍 LA Sanitation (LASAN) · 3-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA collects its own residential waste: LA Sanitation (LASAN) operates the carts directly rather than contracting the route to a private hauler. Households get three carts — a blue bin for recyclables, a green bin for food scraps and yard trimmings, and a black bin for everything else.

That third cart isn't optional: California's SB 1383 requires organic-waste collection statewide, which is why food scraps have their own cart here instead of going in the trash.

The quick answer for Los Angeles, CA

Plastic bottles & jugs	♻️ Blue bin	Empty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans	♻️ Blue bin	Give them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard	♻️ Blue bin	Clean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars	♻️ Blue bin	Lids off.
Food scraps	🌱 Green bin	Fruit, veg, leftovers, bones.
Greasy pizza box	🌱 Green bin	A clean box can be recycled instead.
Plastic bags & film	🗑️ Black bin	Store drop-off is better.
Batteries	⚠️ Hazardous	Never curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Los Angeles, CA directly.

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Los Angeles, CA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Los Angeles, CA?: Not in your blue bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility LA Sanitation uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your black bin.
What do I do with batteries in Los Angeles, CA?: Batteries never go in any of your Los Angeles, CA carts — not the blue bin, not the black bin. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official LA Sanitation (LASAN) guide.