In compliance with the statewide Organics Recycling Bill SB1383, Encinitas residents are required to place both food scraps and yard waste in their green bins. EDCO completed construction of a state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion (AD) facility to process organic waste.  Diverting organic waste is critical for meeting the City’s greenhouse gas reduction and waste diversion goals. 

The City of Encinitas, EDCO, and Solana Center for Environmental Innovation created the following resources to make the transition to collecting food waste more convenient for residents:

• Organics Recycling Resource Sheet - What Should go in the Green Bin?
• Organics Recycling Program - FAQ Flyer
• Organics Recycling Program - FAQ Full List
• EDCO's Organics Recycling - What You Need to Know
• EDCO - Organics and Anaerobic Digestion Video

Recursos en español:

• ¿Qué debe ponerse en el bote verde?
• Programa de Reciclaje de Residuos Orgánicos Preguntas Frecuentes (FAQs)
• Programa de Reciclaje de Residuos Orgánicos Preguntas Frecuentes (FAQs) - lista completa

What else can you do to reduce organic waste? Learn more about food waste prevention and composting.

What Can Contaminate the Green Bin?

When you participate in the EDCO organic recycling program, you are part of a circular process supporting the future of our City and environment. Sorting organic materials in your home and business allows your unwanted food scraps to be recycled into biofuels and nutrients for the earth. What you put in your green bin matters! Want to test your knowledge? Watch this video and see how you do with our Organic Recycling Sorting Quiz!

Organic waste is any material that is biodegradable and comes from either a plant or an animal. Organic waste, including food and green waste, takes up the largest portion of waste in our landfills, making up between 40-50% (by weight) or our waste stream. When in landfills, organic waste decomposes to produce methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, along with other odorous and noxious gases. Reducing organic waste in landfills by food waste prevention, composting, and organics recycling reduces methane emissions, extends the life of local landfills, and creates valuable products such as renewable natural gas, fertilizer, mulch and compost. 

Do you have fruit trees with excess produce? 

The City of Encinitas has partnered with ProduceGood to assist in harvesting and collecting excess backyard produce to benefit San Diego’s Charitable Food System. Either pick and donate the produce yourself, of schedule a group of ProduceGood volunteers to pick and collect the produce for you. Learn more information and how to register through the ProduceGood website.