Are there penalties for not recycling correctly in Sacramento? Bee Curious answers

With the various trash bins for recycling, garbage and yard waste, it can be easy to accidentally discard trash in the wrong bin.

A reader asked Bee Curious about the consequences of such a slip up, whether it’s worth it to clean bottles and cans before recycling and where the new composting charge in Sacramento goes towards.

The Bee spoke to a city of Sacramento official to find the answer.

What happens if you don’t recycle properly?

If residents accidentally put a can in a non-recycling bin, it’s “really unlikely” that they’ll be fined, said Jesa Davis, media and communications specialist for Sacramento’s recycling and solid waste division.

But the city does track residents’ trash if they regularly contaminate their recycling by putting garbage in the recycling bin. If this is a common occurrence, the city will give the resident a notice to stop and will educate them about why it’s important to recycle properly.

“Our operators, they keep an eye out on what materials are going in every time they empty a bin into their trucks,” Davis said. The waste is then brought to one of three facilities in the Sacramento area where it is sorted.

It’s still important for people to correctly discard their trash, she said, because the sorting process can miss some items, leading to contamination of the materials.

What about Sacramento County?

The same goes for Sacramento County’s Department of Waste Management and Recycling, which offers collection services to neighborhoods in unincorporated areas in the county.

“DWMR works to help educate customers on sorting smart and putting the right material in the right cart,” Brenda Bongiorno, public information officer for the county, said in an email statement. The department uses cart tags to notify the customer on how best to sort and recycle or to congratulate them on recycling right.”

She said if the county sees certain neighborhoods need help, they’ll send recycling educators to talk to residents and provide educational material about recycling benefits.

Should you rinse your bottles before recycling?

Yes, empty and clean recyclables make the recycling process easier.

If processors at recycling facilities have containers filled with food, for example, Davis said they don’t have the capability to go and empty it out. As a result, the otherwise recyclable item ends up going into the trash.

Where does the increased solid waste fee go?

Rates for solid waste increased earlier this year in Sacramento. New monthly rates for garbage start at $17.56, recycle is $7.45 and yard waste is $14.32.

According to the city’s website, the jump in rates help address the new composting service that’s slated for summer 2022, required by California law. It will include collection of food waste, yard trimmings and other organic trash in yard waste bins.

In the case of composting, residents will get fined starting at $100 for doing so improperly, starting 2024, after multiple violations.

Davis said the rate adjustment helps to cover the expenses of processing organic waste, such as building the facilities, getting permits, paying employee wages and purchasing equipment.

She added that factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic have led the city to process more residential trash, too. During this time, with stay at home orders, more people were accumulating and discarding trash at home — trash that would have been collected from commercial entities at the person’s business or work location, she said.

Have a question of your own? Email beecurious@sacbee.com of fill out the form below.

This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 10:09 AM.