Residential Services

Organic Recycling

EDCO’s New Organics Recycling Program Collects Food Scraps and Yard Waste Mixed Together in Your Green Cart

Imperial Beach Organics Coming Soon Mailer

Imperial Beach Organics Coming Soon Mailer-Spanish

Imperial Beach Organics Roll-Out Mailer

Imperial Beach Organics Roll-Out Mailer-Spanish

Residential customers are provided with a GREEN 96-gallon organics cart. Use your green collection cart to separate organic materials for collection each week on your scheduled service day and set out by 6 a.m.Please note that additional green carts are available at no additional cost.

96-Gallon Cart

appx. 35.75" x 29.75" x 43.25"

64-Gallon Cart

appx. 31.75" x 24.25" x 41.75"

32-Gallon Cart

appx. 24.25" x 19.75" x 37.50"

NEED MORE CARTS? Click here and fill out EDCO’s Contact Us form to order more green carts.

Recyclable Organics Includes:
  • grass clippings
  • brush
  • weeds
  • hedge trimmings
  • branches
  • leaves
  • palm fronds
  • ice plant (in small amounts only due to weight)
  • ivy
  • floral decorations
  • Halloween pumpkins
  • Christmas trees (NO flocked trees)
  • untreated and non-lead based painted wood
  • food scraps
  • food-soiled paper

Place recyclable green waste directly into your designated green collection container. Do not use any kind of plastic bags (including certified compostable or biodegradable bags) for any type of green waste, food waste, or other organics collection or disposal, as they contaminate the Anaerobic Digester! All organic material must be placed loosely inside the green container for collection. Paper bags are acceptable.

Please do not place any of the following materials in your green cart:

  • No plastic bags.
  • No trash or hazardous waste.
  • No animal waste.
  • No dirt, rocks, asphalt, concrete, sand, etc.
  • No treated or lead-based painted wood or lumber.

Organic Waste

Food scraps

Organic waste is a renewable natural resource. It mainly comes from yard and kitchen waste from homes, and food waste and scraps from industrial and commercial operations.

Mandatory recycling of organic waste is the next step to achieving California’s Zero Waste goals. EDCO has constructed the first state-of-the-art, advanced technology Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility in San Diego County, capable of producing renewable natural gas that will serve the needs of the region.

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and environmentally sustainable technology that can make a significant contribution to the management of organic waste in California. Capturing and reducing the amount of methane released into the atmosphere is critical in ensuring a safe and healthy environment for ourselves and future generations.

EDCO’s Anaerobic Digestion Facility

Since 1967, family-owned and operated EDCO has had a long-standing commitment to reducing impacts on the environment through innovation. EDCO’s state-of-the-art AD Facility will begin serving customers in early 2021, assisting your community to be in full compliance with State Mandates and keep us On the Road to Zero Waste.

EDCO Anaerobic Digestion Facility

AD is the natural process in which microorganisms break down organic materials such as food waste, green waste, fats, oils, and greases. Anaerobic digestion happens in closed spaces where there is no oxygen and converts organic material into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and fertilizer.

Recycling organics will be easy and convenient with EDCO’s commingled organics recycling program. EDCO has expanded the source-separated green waste collection to include the recycling of food waste. The service will allow customers to place food scraps in the same container as green waste. EDCO’s AD Facility will be a foundation for your community to achieve State mandates, including AB 1826, AB 1594, and SB 1383, which are directly related to organics recycling in the State of California.

EDCO’s Anaerobic Digestion Video

To learn more about EDCO’s new AD Facility and how it will significantly impact the future of organic waste, please watch our informative videos.

Why Recycle Food Waste?

Diagram of food waste recycling process

Organic waste accounts for over 40% of the material in California’s waste stream. Organic material cannot break down when buried in a landfill, as it would in nature or in a compost pile because it decomposes without oxygen, releasing methane gas into the atmosphere. Organic material (food scraps and yard waste) will soon be recycled when placed in green carts and then transported to EDCO’s AD Facility, once completed, where it will be converted into renewable natural gas and fertilizer.

Leafy green icon

What Will Go in the Green Cart?

Below are just a few examples of what will be able to be placed in your green organics cart.

Green onion icon

Food Scraps

Fruit, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, eggshells, prepared food

Food scraps

Food-Soiled Paper

Napkins, tea bags, paper plates, coffee filters

Pieces of food-soiled paper

Yard Waste

Plants, leaves, branches, grass

Yard waste

Papaya and orange fruit scraps

Leaf icon

What Can You do Now?

In the United States alone, a shocking 40% of food is uneaten, wasted, and discarded. We as consumers are the largest producers of food waste, believe it or not, exceeding grocery stores and restaurants combined! So, the smallest changes add up and make a huge difference. San Diego Food System Alliance is leading an initiative across San Diego County to reduce food waste and increase food donations to people. By visiting their website, at sdfsa.org/savethefoodsd/, residents can find information on food recovery throughout the county, food donation guides, and resources.

Request a Kitchen Caddie

Residents can request a Kitchen Caddie for convenient transfer of food scraps from the kitchen to the organics cart or compost pile.Kitchen Caddie

Request a Kitchen Caddie

Your Service Area

You are currently viewing services for Imperial Beach.
Enter a zip code to if you want to switch to another location.