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Commercial Recycling & Garbage
Welcome to Commercial Recycling & Garbage Services
The City of Milpitas Public Works Department and Milpitas Sanitation are dedicated to helping your business maintain disposal reduction goals and provide quality solid waste services.
Please call Milpitas Sanitation Customer Services at 408-988-4500 Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm, to establish or improve your recycling and garbage collection services. Milpitas Sanitation will assist you with recycling bin or cart delivery and related issues such as overloaded bins and organics recycling. The City of Milpitas requires a minimum garbage collection schedule of once a week. If you have questions about service frequencies or the Solid Waste Management Ordinance, please call 408-586-2600.
Please visit the Milpitas Sanitation website for information about new collection bins for Recyclables, Yard Trimmings, Garbage, and Food Scraps.
Milpitas Ordinance Number 293 (PDF) prohibiting the use of foam food ware goes into effect on July 1, 2018. It requires all restaurants and other food establishments to use alternatives for foam food ware for both dine-in and takeout. Restaurant owners and managers may choose the best alternative for their business needs. View a reference guide (PDF) and factsheet (PDF) of non-foam food container product information and material listing, provided courtesy of the City of San Jose
Ordinance Number 293 aims to reduce litter by banning food service ware made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, commonly referred to as Styrofoam. EPS foam is uniquely problematic when littered because it does not degrade. It breaks easily into tiny pieces, making it difficult to clean up. Those small pieces are often mistaken as food by fish and wildlife and are harmful to their health.
Overview
California Assembly Bill 341 - effective since January 1, 2012 - requires all businesses that generate at least 4 cubic yards or more of garbage per week to participate in a recycling program.
Call Milpitas Sanitation Customer Service at 408-988-4500 to learn more about commercial recycling and garbage services.
Is My Business Required to Recycle?
Yes, if your trash bin is 4 cubic yards or bigger, or if you have a smaller bin that is serviced 2 to 3 times per week, you need to start recycling services.
Recycling Right
With the right training, recycling can be easy! Since all recyclables can be placed in just one container, there's no need to spend precious time separating them. Just follow these guidelines to make your program a success.
Overloaded Bins
Depending on the amount of trash and recyclables your business generates, you may find that your onsite containers aren't large enough to accommodate your disposal needs. If your containers are overloaded (i.e., you can't close the container lids), then it's time to contact Milpitas Sanitation at 408-988-4500 to schedule a free waste consultation.
Overview
Properly disposing of hazardous waste can be costly and inconvenient. Fortunately, small business owners in Milpitas have a cost-effective and environmentally sound option to meet their hazardous waste recycling and disposal needs.
If your business qualifies as a Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG), you have the opportunity to participate in the Santa Clara County VSQG Program. To qualify, you must generate less than 220 pounds, or 27 gallons of hazardous waste per month, or less than 2.2 pounds of extremely hazardous waste per month. Learn how to participate.
If your business does not qualify for the VSQG Program, please refer to the County's Hazardous Materials Compliance Division for detailed information on how to properly handle your business's hazardous waste.
Watch Out for Hazardous Waste in Your Bins
The ability to identify what items belong in which containers is essential to the success of the recycling process. Even more vital to our efforts is keeping hazardous waste out of both the trash and recycling streams to protect workers and the environment.
Materials that do not belong in either container can be thought of as the Killers, Hurters, Hiders, and Sliders. If you have any questions about hazardous materials and how to safely dispose of them, visit the HHW website.
Keep your work area clean and prevent water pollution! You can do this by maintaining clean enclosures, keeping bin lids closed at all times, increasing service if bins always overfill, watching for leaks from bins, and calling Republic when this happens.
| Hazardous Waste Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| The Killers - Actual poisons | Pesticides; herbicides; insect sprays |
| The Hurters - Chemicals that are harsh, damaging, or toxic | Acids (swimming pool chemicals); chlorine bleaches; lye; liquid drain openers; paint and paint-related products such as thinners; varnishes; strippers; rust removers; photo and x-ray processing products and residues; automotive cleaners and solvents |
| The Hiders - Products that have toxic or dangerous elements hidden inside | Automotive tires; batteries; electronic products - computers, monitors, printers, etc.; aerosol cans; tanks with any amount of helium, propane, or oxygen |
| The Sliders: Lubricants and oil-based products | Used or new motor oil; transmission fluid; gasoline; anti-freeze and brake fluid |
Is My Business Required To Recycle Organics
California Assembly Bill 1826 - effective since April 1, 2016 - requires all businesses that generate 8 cubic yards or more of organic waste per week to arrange for organics recycling services. The implementation schedule for mandatory organics recycling ramps up as follows:
- April 1, 2016: Businesses that generate 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week shall arrange for organics waste recycling services.
- January 1, 2017: Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week shall arrange for organics waste recycling services.
- January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week shall arrange for organics waste recycling services.
How To Start Organics Recycling
The City of Milpitas and Milpitas Sanitation offer food waste recycling and a recycling coordinator to help make this transition as easy as possible. Please contact Milpitas Sanitation Customer Service at 408-988-4500 to set up or get help managing your organics recycling program. You can also visit Milpitas Sanitation for more information.
Organics Recycling Quick Facts
- 40% of the material going to landfills is compostable!
- Compost builds healthy soils through the introduction of organic matter, prevents soil erosion, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and significantly increases water retention.
- The CO2 released during the decomposition of composting is a natural part of the carbon cycle, whereas the CO2 released in an anaerobic environment (such as a landfill) releases the carbon as a methane, which is a significantly more potent greenhouse gas in the short term.
Illegal Scavenging
Stealing glass, plastic bottles, or aluminum cans out of recycling containers is illegal in the City of Milpitas. Scavenging is dangerous and increases the cost of recycling services. Report scavenging immediately! Call the Milpitas Police Department at 408-586-2400 when you witness scavenging with the following information:
- Time and location the scavenging occurs or usually occurs;
- Description of scavenger (height, clothing, etc.);
- Direction scavenger is traveling;
- License plate number, if this can be safely obtained.
Illegal Dumping
To report suspicious discharges into the storm drain, call 911 immediately. The City of Milpitas Fire Department responds to reports about illegal dumping into storm drains. Remember: Anything other than rainwater is an illegal discharge to our stormwater conveyance system, our creeks, and South San Francisco Bay.
If hazardous waste has been dumped on your business property, please email Household Hazardous Waste Program in the County of Santa Clara to ask for suggestions pertaining to illegal dumping prevention and tips.