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Multi-Family Recycling Can Save You Money

In the County of Santa Barbara, recycling at multi-family complexes can save you money. Apartments, mobile home parks, and condos can all save money by providing recycling opportunities for their residents.

Multi-Family Residential Recycling Program

Property owners of multi-family complexes (i.e. apartments, condominiums, and mobile home parks) in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County can save money by starting a recycling program.

Trash volume will be reduced, since recyclables currently being thrown into the trash will be recycled. And in most cases, there is no extra charge for recycling at multi-family complexes.

Other Benefits of Recycling

  • Saves energy
  • Reduces air and water pollution
  • Reduces amount of waste going to local landfills
  • Has a positive economic impact!

Process for Starting Recycling Service

Recycling service can be started easily:

Step 1: Contact your franchise waste hauler or the County's Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division at (805) 882-3624 to discuss recycling options and the potential savings from reducing trash service.

Step 2: Assess the amount of space available for recycling containers and arrange a meeting with your waste hauler or the County to determine the type of containers that you'll need, where they'll be placed, and how often they'll be picked up.

Step 3: Educate your tenants. Ask your waste hauler or County staff to provide you with recycling posters and refrigerator magnets to help you educate your tenants about your recycling program. To download PDFs of these materials, visit our Outreach Materials Page. Advise your tenants that they will be responsible for taking the recyclables collected within their units to the outside collection area.

Step 4: Start your recycling service! Your waste hauler will deliver recycling containers for your outside collection area.

After recycling service has begun, we recommend that you maintain your existing trash service for four to six weeks to determine the average reduction in your trash volume.  After this transition period, you should then contact your waste hauler to determine if the number of trash containers can be reduced, smaller trash containers can be provided, and/or the frequency of service can be reduced.

Costs and container sizes will vary depending on your waste hauler and your level of need. Please see our Waste Hauler Contact page for the phone number of the waste hauler in your area.

What's Recyclable?

Check out our What Can I Recycle? page for a complete list.

Where to go

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