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1. How do I request a free food scraps collection pail?

El Cerrito residents can request their free food scraps pail to be delivered to their home by calling 510-215-4350 or emailing green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us or asking staff in the Recycling Center business office, located at 7501 Schmidt Lane, during normal office hours.

2. Won't putting food scraps in my green waste bin attract raccoons and other pests?

If you are concerned about pests, use a tied bungee to keep the organics waste bin's lid closed and difficult to open.

3. What if my neighbor's green waste bin smells or attracts pests?

City staff will take complaints about nuisances resulting from mismanagement of compostable materials seriously and will investigate reports about smells or pest issues and take appropriate code enforcement action.

4. What about ants and other bugs?

Exposed food scraps tend to attract fruit flies, ants, and other insects if left uncovered. There are several ways to manage this problem, including: 

• Keeping a piece of cardboard on the bottom of the empty container then piling food and yard waste on top to keep decomposed organics from accumulating on the bottom,
• Covering your food scraps with shredded white paper, grass clipping or other yard debris, 
• Putting your food scraps in paper bags or wrapping them in other compost-safe paper (i.e. brown paper, butcher paper, newspaper, or using a paper landscape bag as a liner inside your green bin to fill), or 
• Utilizing an ASTM D6400 BPI certified compostable bag for food scraps,  
• Additionally, regularly setting your green bin to the curb for weekly pick-up will also help to minimize its attraction to critters looking for free food.

5. Am I required to participate?

As of January 1, 2022, curbside organics recycling is a mandatory program.  The State of California is mandated to reduce organics to landfill by 75% by 2025 which will dramatically help to reduce the negative effects of climate change, reducing methane gas production in the landfill.  

For more information visit: El-Cerrito.Org/MandatoryOrganicsRecycling.

6. Should I compost everything I can?

You should compost correctly, making sure to compost everything that can be composted in the curbside program.  When you have questions, call us at 510.215.4350 or email us.

For more information, please visit:  Curbside Organics