Atherton
Atherton’s sorting program is already SB 1383 compliant!
Only yard trimmings are accepted in your green cart. Food scraps must remain in the gray mixed compostables cart and GreenWaste will sort and process the organic material.
GreenWaste has been providing service to Atherton since 2021. Atherton customers receive Mixed Compostables, Recyclable Materials and Yard Trimmings service. All materials are then sorted and processed at the GreenWaste Material Recovery Facility, Northern California’s premier solid waste and recyclables processing facility. Here, more than 80% of materials are diverted from the landfill. Organics material is sorted and transformed into nutrient rich compost at the GreenWaste Composting Facility and recyclable materials are sorted, bailed, and sent for further processing. Learn more about our state-of-the-art facilities.
Omar Lopez, General Manager
Extra Services
- All materials must be properly labeled by material type and set out Curbside next to their associated Cart.
- All material types may be placed in a rigid or otherwise durable and lidded container where combined weight is less than sixty (60) pounds.
- Mixed Compostable and Recyclable Materials may be placed in cinched and secured bags where the contents are less than thirty (30) pounds in weight.
- Woody debris may be bundled/tied or otherwise secured where each set-out no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’
If you have extra material seasonally or on a recurring or frequent basis, it is less expensive to order additional GreenWaste-provided carts for weekly service. Please note, there is no delivery charge for these additional carts, but there is a per vehicle trip charge to remove the additional carts. EXTRA CARDBOARD: Cardboard must be set out Curbside and secured such that the bundle or box remains intact upon lifting and:
- Flattened and bundled/ tied or otherwise secured (e.g. with twine or tape) in a set-out that is no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’, OR
- Cut and placed inside an intact cardboard box and secured (i.e. to prevent litter) in a set-out that is no larger than 2’ x 2’ x 2’
HOLIDAY TREES: On service day, residents may place unornamented trees (cut to no longer than six (6) foot lengths) Curbside, next to service carts, for Yard Trimmings collection. Trees are collected for no additional charge starting December 26 and continuing until the end of January. HOLIDAY RECYCLABLES: Recyclable Materials set out for collection during the week following each of the three holidays (New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) will be collected at no additional charge. USED MOTOR OIL AND FILTERS: Residents may set out used motor oil (in plastic containers with a screw on lid only) and filters (in sealed plastic bags only), next to their Blue Cart, for collection at no additional charge (limited to five (5) gallons of oil per collection. Free containers and bags can be requested by calling Customer Service. HOUSEHOLD BATTERIES & CELL PHONES: Residents may set out household batteries and cell phones placed on top of their Recyclable Materials Cart in clear zip-close plastic bags.
Tape the contacts/terminals of lithium and lead acid button cell batteries with clear tape prior to placing in the plastic bag.
Billing & Rates
What Goes Where & More
- What Goes Where
- Sorting Posters
- Residential Service Guide
- 2021 Sorting Changes
- Jan 9 Resident Workshop Slides
Newsletters
Frequently Asked Questions
- Gray Carts are for Mixed Compostables: garbage, food waste and food soiled paper
- Blue Carts are for Recyclables: clean and dry paper, plastic, glass and metal
- Green Carts are for Yard Trimmings
WHY IS FOOD WASTE MOVING TO THE GREEN CART? Our updated waste-sorting practices allow us to extract resources from all three waste streams and ensure the highest and best use of all materials recovered from those waste streams. By removing the food scraps and food soiled paper from the Green Cart, we are able to produce a higher quality end-product. The clean yard trimmings material from the Green Cart will be used to produce OMRI-listed compost, which is used in agricultural applications. When the contents of the Gray Cart are processed, the food scraps and food soiled paper will be recovered and turned into a landscape compost. Additionally, we have found that when food scraps are allowed to be mixed with yard waste, many customers still placed food waste in their garbage cart so there was food waste in both carts. This new program is designed to make it easier for customers to use while maximizing diversion from landfill. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PUT FOOD IN THE GRAY CART? GreenWaste can accept this material in nearly any form – loose or bagged (paper, compostable plastic, plastic). Since all material is processed through the Materials Recovery Facility (and garbage material is removed), the best way for our facility to accept the material is loose. If you’d like to bag the material, the best option is a paper bag or compostable plastic bag, with plastic bags being the least desirable. WHY CAN’T WE ADD VEGETABLE SCRAPS TO THE GREEN CART ANY LONGER? When food waste is added to the Green Cart, the material can no longer be processed into an organic-certified OMRI-listed compost. Orchard fruit and vegetables from a garden (including pumpkins) that have NOT been brought into a building for preparation for consumption may be placed in the Green Cart. However, any fruit or vegetables grown that are prepared in any fashion for consumption must go into the Gray Cart. WHAT IS BACKYARD SERVICE? HOW ARE BACKYARD SERVICE FEES ASSESSED? Backyard Service is an extra service provided by GreenWaste when the driver disembarks the vehicle to manually collect carts that are more than 5’ from the curb and not readily accessible by the collection vehicle. Backyard service allows collection in locations including a back or side yard, or other non-Curbside location. The fees are based on distance (0’ – 100’, then 50’ increments thereafter) and the total number of Gray Carts. Distance measurements begin just beyond the reach of the truck arm. NOTE: Only BLUE and GRAY Carts are eligible for new Backyard Service. I RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR BACKYARD SERVICES AND I DIDN’T BEFORE. WHY? In order to make the new services cost-effective, GreenWaste is using fully-automated trucks, which means the driver does not need to exit the vehicle to collect carts. These trucks have an arm that reaches out to pick up the carts and empties the contents into the collection vehicle. The carts need to be easily accessible to the truck arm for curbside collection to occur efficiently. Backyard charges will apply when carts are set out at a location that require the driver to disembark the vehicle. I HAVE A PERMANENT DISABILITY AND DON’T HAVE ASSISTANCE WITH MY CARTS, DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR BACKYARD SERVICE? Not necessarily. GreenWaste offers a program where Backyard service is provided for no additional charge for qualifying customers. You can review eligibility criteria and download an application here. If you prefer for an application to be mailed, please contact Customer Service. HOW DO I SET OUT EXTRA MATERIAL FOR COLLECTION? MIXED COMPOSTABLE MATERIALS must be properly labeled, set out Curbside next to the Mixed Compostables cart and either:
- Placed in a rigid or otherwise durable and lidded container where combined weight of a rigid container is less than sixty (60) pounds in weight, OR
- Placed in a black or dark cinched and secured bag where the contents are less than thirty (30) pounds in weight.
RECYCLABLE MATERIALS must be properly labeled, set out Curbside next to the Recyclable Materials cart and either:
- Placed in a rigid or otherwise durable and lidded container where the combined weight of a rigid container is less than sixty (60) pounds in weight, OR
- Placed in a cinched and secured bag where the contents are less than thirty (30) pounds in weight.
CARDBOARD must be set out Curbside and secured such that the bundle or box remains intact upon lifting and:
- Flattened and bundled/ tied or otherwise secured (g. with twine or tape) in a set-out that is no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’, OR
- Cut and placed inside an intact cardboard box and secured (e. to prevent litter) in a set-out that is no larger than 2’ x 2’ x 2’.
YARD TRIMMINGS must be set out Curbside, and either:
- Properly labeled and placed in a rigid or otherwise durable and lidded container where the combined weight of a rigid container is less than sixty (60) pounds in weight, OR
- Woody debris that can be bundled/tied or otherwise secured where each set-out no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’.
Regulatory Requirements
Billing & Rates
What Goes Where & More
Sorting Guidance
Regulatory Requirements
Processing & Disposal Summary
MIXED COMPOSTABLES will be delivered to the GreenWaste San Jose Material Recovery Facility for processing. The compostable fraction is then transported to the GreenWaste Z-Best Composting Facility in Gilroy where it will be transformed into a nutrient-rich soil amendment used for regenerative agriculture and landscaping. | |
RECYCLABLE MATERIALS will be delivered to the GreenWaste San Jose Material Recovery Facility for processing. | |
YARD TRIMMINGS will be delivered to the GreenWaste San Jose Material Recovery Facility for initial processing. The compostable fraction is then transported to the GreenWaste Z-Best Composting Facility for composting. |
Local Community Contacts
GreenWaste Recovery | Local Office
610 E. Gish Rd. San Jose, CA 95112 (650) 798-5999 | Customer Service atherton@greenwaste.com | Email
The Town of Atherton
150 Watkins Avenue Atherton, CA 94027 Phone: 650-752-0500 www.ci.atherton.ca.us
San Mateo County | Office of Sustainability
455 County Center, 4th Floor Redwood City, CA 94063 1-888-442-2666 www.smcsustainability.org