CURBSIDE ORGANICS RECYCLING PROGRAM

OrganicsLA is the City of Los Angeles’ residential curbside organics recycling program. It helps keep food waste out of landfills and turns it into compost that supports California agriculture and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Under California law (SB 1383), all residential properties must separate food scraps and food-soiled paper from trash. LASAN collects your green bin weekly on your regular collection day.

Who Should Participate?

This program applies to:

  • Single-family homes serviced by LASAN.
  • Small multi-family properties that receive LASAN residential collection service.

Residents should place food scraps and food-soiled paper in the green bin along with yard trimmings. If you live in a large apartment building or operate a restaurant or business, visit our Commercial Organics page for information about recycLA service.

Why participate?

Every peel, stem, eggshell, crust, soiled napkin, and yard trimming you put in your green bin helps LASAN create compost that nourishes the soil at California farms to grow fresh food for our communities.

By keeping food and green waste out of landfills, Angelenos also help reduce methane emissions and protect our climate for future generations.

Watch our 1-minute video to see how small actions can make a big impact for Los Angeles.

How Can I Participate?

A woman in a kitchen placing vegetable scraps into a small, cream-colored countertop compost pail.

1) Collect your food scraps into a kitchen pail.
Use any small container with a lid, such as a reusable food storage container, coffee can, or countertop compost pail.

A woman outdoors emptying the contents of a kitchen compost pail into a large green curbside organics bin.

2) Empty your pail into your green bin.
Please keep plastic and compostable bags out.

A man rolling a large green organics recycling bin down a driveway toward the street for collection.

3) Roll out your green bin on collection day.
You can also use the pail to carry your food scraps to your backyard composting bin or an LA Compost drop-off location.

What goes in the Green bin?

  • Food waste: Peels, bones, meat, fish, beans, leftovers, dairy eggshells, coffee grounds, rice, stale bread, stems, and more.
  • Food-soiled paper: Coffee filters, napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, and more.
  • Yard trimmings: Flowers, grass clippings, tree trimmings, clean untreated wood.
Various food scraps including banana peels, eggshells, and strawberry tops piled on a wooden cutting board

Download this free fridge flyer for a simple, visual guide you can keep in your kitchen. It shows common food scraps and food-soiled paper, and includes contact info for Professor Green so you can quickly ask if you’re unsure of what goes in the green bin.

Preview of the Professor Green 'GREEN Bin It, LA.' Fridge Flyer showing examples of compostable food and paper waste.

Downloadable Toolkits

Resources to help you share the program with your community:

OrganicsLA Advocacy Toolkit cover featuring an adult and child in a kitchen. Text: One of LA's Simplest Climate Actions.

OrganicsLA Advocacy Toolkit

Shareable graphics, messaging, and outreach materials designed to help community leaders and sustainability professionals promote organics recycling citywide.

Download Advocacy Toolkit (PDF, 2 MB)

OrganicsLA Parent & Caregiver Toolkit cover featuring an adult and child laughing while preparing food. Text: Helping Kids Build Good Habits at Home.

OrganicsLA Parent & Caregiver Toolkit

Simple, family-friendly resources that help parents and caregivers teach children how to sort food scraps and build sustainable habits at home.

Download Parent & Caregiver Toolkit (PDF, 2 MB)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent pests, odors, and messes?

With a few simple habits, you can keep your kitchen and green bin clean, odor-free, and pest-resistant all week long.

Inside Your Home
  • Line your kitchen pail with a paper towel or paper bag.
  • Sprinkle baking soda to reduce odors.
  • Empty your pail regularly — especially before collection day.
  • Wash your pail often (it’s dishwasher safe).
  • Wrap smellier items and store them in the fridge or freezer until collection day.
Outside Your Home
  • Layer yard trimmings before and after adding food scraps.
  • Set your green bin out every week — even if it’s not full.
  • Rinse your bin as needed and add baking soda to the bottom.
  • Call 1-800-773-2489 for bin repair or replacement.

Why can’t I put compostable plastics in the green bin?

Items labeled “compostable” or “biodegradable” often do not break down quickly enough in commercial composting facilities. Even products certified under standards like ASTM D6400 or BPI may not fully decompose during the composting process used in Los Angeles.

When these items remain in the finished compost, they reduce quality and create problems for farmers. Please place compostable utensils, bags, and service ware in the trash, not the green bin.

What happens to the green bin contents?

Collected material is processed at a commercial composting facility and turned into nutrient-rich compost used by farmers. Keeping trash, pet waste, and hazardous materials out of the green bin ensures high-quality compost.

How is commercial composting different from backyard composting?

Commercial composting facilities reach much higher temperatures than backyard compost piles. This allows them to safely process meat, dairy, and other food scraps. In backyard composting, do not add meat or dairy products.

Still have questions?

Call LASAN’s 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489.