Can you recycle plastic bags in San Francisco, CA?

Not in your blue bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Recology 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 San Francisco, CA?

Batteries never go in any of your San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA

📍 Recology · 3-cart program

Who collects your recycling in San Francisco, CA

Residential curbside collection in San Francisco, CA is provided by Recology under an exclusive franchise, so every household on the route gets the same carts and the same accepted-items list. 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 San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA directly.

📷 Scan an item

San Francisco, CA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in San Francisco, CA?: Not in your blue bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Recology 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 San Francisco, CA?: Batteries never go in any of your San Francisco, 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 Recology guide.