How to Recycle and Compost in San Francisco

Put items in the right bin with these recycling and composting guidelines.

Recycle

Recycle plastic, metal, glass, and paper. Empty containers prior to recycling.

Plastic: rigid and hard plastics only (empty buckets, cups, yogurt containers)
Metal: cans, tins, party trays, aluminum foil
Glass: bottles, jars (no bakeware, glassware, or dishware)
Paper: junk mail, cardboard, newspaper, magazines. Put shredded paper in a paper bag, staple it closed, and label it "shredded paper"

Compostable items include food, food-soiled paper, and anything that was once alive.

Food: all food scraps, trimmings and spoiled leftovers
Plant trimmings: leaves, flowers, and weeds
Soiled paper products: used paper napkins and towels, plates, coffee cups, coated paper cartons (milk and juice), and paper to-go containers

Some materials are difficult to recycle or compost and for now, must be landfilled.

Mylar film: chip bags, candy wrappers and other mylar film
Aseptic containers: multi-material packaging such as broth and juice boxes (Tetra-paks)
Special glass: glass dishware, bakeware and auto glass
Ceramics