The Solid Waste Program includes collection services for trash, recycling, green waste and other organic waste for both residential and commercial customers, as well as street sweeping services.
The City contracts with E.J. Harrison and Sons, Inc. under a franchise agreement, and Sweeping Corporation of America, LLC for street sweeping. This program also provides for the collection of antifreeze, batteries, oil, and paint (ABOP); and the annual household hazardous waste and household goods including electronic waste (E-Waste).
The Solid Waste Program is funded by Assembly Bill (AB) 939 fees which are collected by E. J. Harrison and Sons, Inc. and remitted to the City as part of the contract. The cost of the program is also offset with the Oil Payment Program Funds from the California Department of Resource, Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle).
Contracted Waste Haulers
The City adopted the most recent Franchise Agreement with E.J. Harrison and Sons, Inc. for regular solid waste handling services in May of 2022. The Agreement provides regular waste services for trash, recycling, and organic waste, as well as a free medical sharps mail-back program, a certain number free bulky item collection services for all residential customers (see more below), servicing of two household batter drop off locations, and providing assistance for the annual household hazardous waste day.
Used Oil Collection Center
The City accepts used motor oil and oil filters Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) at 5775 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria CA 93013. This is a self service oil disposal center located at the ABOP containment area adjacent to the west parking lot and Public Works. There is a five gallon liquid maximum per household. Please contact 805.880.3415, erinm@ci.carpinteria.ca.us for questions about this facility.
ABOP (Antifreeze, Batteries, Oil, Paint) Collection
The City collects antifreeze*, batteries*, oil*, and paint* on the second and fourth Saturday of the month January through October from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the months of November and December, the event is held only on the second Saturday of the month. In addition to the above items, the City accepts up to three small household electronics (for example, microwaves, televisions, handheld devices), compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and fluorescent light tubes (limit six) and mercury based thermostats. This event is free of charge to residents.
Please keep items separated and ONLY bring those items that are accepted. If you have items not listed above, please visit lessismore.org or hold them until the annual Household Goods and Hazardous Waste Day.
*There is a 5 gallon total liquid maximum
Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection:
The City operates a once a year free hazardous waste collection event for the residents of Carpinteria. The Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event is held at City Hall and operated as a drive through drop off in the City’s Public Works Yard. Most items are accepted at this yearly event. The following items are NOT accepted: biohazards, nuclear waste, explosives, and tires.
The Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event is conducted on the second Saturday in April between the times of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The next Household Goods and Hazardous Waste Day is currently scheduled for Saturday, April 8, 2023.
For hazardous waste disposal the rest of the year, you can look up approved hazardous waste haulers at Less is More, or find information on recycling specific items here.
Beverage Container Recycling Center
The recycling center located behind Albertson’s supermarket in Casitas Plaza accepts beverage containers eligible for redemption. The center is operated by Ponce Recycling, and open hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers will be paid for glass, aluminum and plastic beverage containers labeled for California redemption.
Bulky Item Pickup
As part of the Franchise Agreement, residential trash collection services include two free bulky item pickups each calendar year. To schedule, please call E.J. Harrison & Sons at 805-647-1414. If you are located outside of City limits, contact your waste hauler for more information.
Multi-family customers (dwellings with five or more units) are also eligible for a certain number of free bulky item pickups each year. Tenants should work with their property manager or landlord to arrange for pickup.
Commercial customers may arrange for bulky item collection for a fee. If you are a multi-family or commercial customer, please contact the account holder or property manager and have them arrange for bulky item pickup.
Medication/Pharmaceutical Disposal
Please do not flush medications! It is important that medications are properly disposed of. Wastewater treatment facilities are not able to remove many of the chemicals that make up pharmaceutical products. If released into water bodies, these pharmaceutical byproducts can adversely impact wildlife and the environment. Currently there are two programs that operate take-back programs at convenient locations throughout the City. Visit Med-Project and the California Drug Take-Back Program for locations.
Home-generated sharps, or simply “sharps”, are needles, syringes with needles, and disposable lancets like the type diabetics use to test their insulin levels. These items should be disposed of in an approved container made of rigid, thick-walled plastic. The containers should be clearly marked with a biohazards label. Please download this helpful Sharps brochure for more information.
E.J. Harrison & Sons provides free, postage-paid mail-back containers for home-generated sharps. To order a container, simply call E.J. Harrison & Sons at 805-647-1414. If you are located outside of City limits, contact your waste hauler for more information.
Organics Waste Recycling
What
California Senate Bill (SB) 1383 requires all residents, businesses, and multi-family properties to recycle all organic waste, including food waste, paper, cardboard, yard waste. The law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting the amount of organic waste sent to landfills through collection of material and recovery of edible food. When organic material is landfilled, it breaks down and produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG).
To get more education on this information, check out the following link by clicking the SB 1383 Education and Outreach.
Getting Started
Know what’s required: New state legislation requires all businesses, multi-family properties and residents to participate in a recycling and organics recycling collection program*. Assembly Bill (AB) 341, AB 1826 also apply to businesses and multi-family properties. These requirements are codified via amendments to Carpinteria Municipal Code Chapter 8.08.800.
Residential Customers: Bag food scraps and food-soiled paper and dispose of it in your yard waste container. Items can be bagged in paper (preferred) or plastic. Food waste posters are available in English and Espanol.
Commercial and Multi-Family Customers: Businesses may also choose to self-haul or back-haul their organic waste to a processing facility if they meet specific tracking requirements. If your business self-hauls or backhauls organic waste, submit a Third Party Reporting Form (required annually) to provide documentation of self-hauling or back-hauling.
Contact the City’s waste hauler: Determine what service levels are best for your property by calling Donald Sealund with EJ Harrison & Sons at (805) 647-1414 ext. 4318. Eligible commercial customers can apply for a Waiver.
Free Tools and Resources
For Businesses
- Request Indoor Food Waste Bins: Request free indoor bins to help make separating food waste from other materials a breeze. Please note these are ONLY for businesses diverting food waste.
- Request Container Stickers: Order free stickers and place them on new and existing indoor waste and recycling containers.
- Customizable Employee Memo: Use a customizable employee memo to help notify and remind employees about business recycling practices.
- Flyers for Employees: Remind employees about recycling practices with a helpful diagram.
- Recycling Guideline Posters: Help employees understand what bins should be used for trash, organics, and recyclable materials by posting recycling signs in common areas or near disposal sites. Available in English and Espanol.
For Residents
- Recycling Guideline Posters: Help tenants understand what bins should be used for trash, organics, and recyclable materials by posting recycling signs in common areas or near disposal sites. Available in English and Espanol.
- Customizable Lease Addendum: Use a customizable recycling addendum for lease agreements to encourage new residents to recycle and establish recycling habits.
- Program Poster for Tenants: Help tenants understand the basics of the food waste recycling program and how to participate.
- Schedule a City sponsored pop-up event: Provide resources and educate tenants through a small community event in partnership with City staff. Send us an email at erinm@carpinteriaca.gov.
- Request kitchen collection pails: Free kitchen collection pails are available for pickup at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Avenue during normal business hours.
Recycling Guidelines
Food Recovery
SB 1383 Edible Food Recovery
Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) is a bill designed to keep organics out of the landfill. Part of this bill includes reducing edible food that goes to waste, and feeding hungry people. SB 1383 states that edible food waste generators must donate surplus food to food recovery organizations. Edible food waste generators are separated into two tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 generators must donate starting January 1, 2022, and Tier 2 generators must donate beginning January 1, 2024. The City of Carpinteria has partnered with other local agencies to implement the Santa Barbara County Regional SB 1383 Food Recovery Plan.
There are two requirements for edible food donors:
Establishing Contracts and Written Agreements with Food Recovery Organizations and Services
To ensure that the maximum amount of edible food is recovered, the regulations require that mandated food donors establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations and services. Food recovery organizations and services vary in the amount and types of food they can receive, so mandated food donors may need to establish contracts or written agreements with multiple food recovery organizations and services to be in compliance.
Recordkeeping
The law requires mandated food donors to maintain records on-site of their food donation activities. Jurisdictions will monitor compliance by requesting the following types of records:
• Contract or written agreement for food recovery organizations and services
• Schedules for food donation deliveries or collections
• Quantity of food donated in pounds per month
• Types of food each food recovery organization will receive or collect
We want to help! If you’d like to start donating food from your business, please email erinm@carpinteriaca.gov
Street Sweeping
The City contracts with Sweeping Corporation of America to sweep all publicly owned streets monthly basis. Commercial districts are serviced every Tuesday, and residential neighborhoods are swept on the first and third Wednesday every month. For the complete schedule, please view our street sweeping maps.
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