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Recycling & Solid Waste Menu

 

 

Business Composting

In Santa Cruz County, food is the largest component of the waste stream for food handling businesses. For most restaurants and grocery stores, 40-75% of total waste is food scraps — spoiled fruits and vegetables, stale bakery items, kitchen prep trimmings, and leftover plate scrapings, which can be composted into a beneficial soil amendment, thus greatly reducing the amount of material going into landfills and saving on disposal bills. Three options for diverting food scraps are described below.

Food Scrap Collection Pilot Program

Food scraps and soiled paper are collected from restaurants and other businesses, transported by Green Waste Recovery to a compost facility and converted into compost.

Food Donation Opportunities

Businesses are encouraged to donate edible food to community organizations who distribute food to those in need. California’s Good Samaritan Law ensures liability protection for such donations.

On-Site Composting

Some businesses are able to compost their food scraps at their business location. Successful projects include:

Example of three-bin composter for camps and conference centers
Earth Tubs (In-Vessel Composting Units) in operationat the California Grey Bears Food Redistribution Center.

2024 Holiday Schedule

Buena Vista Location 

1231 Buena Vista Dr.,
Watsonville, CA

(831) 454-2430 or
(831) 454-5153

County Landfill
Open every Mon.,

Tues., Thurs.,
Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm

Buena Vista Household
Hazardous Waste
Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm
Open every Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

(831) 454-2606


Ben Lomond Location 

9835 Newell Creek Rd.,
Ben Lomond, CA

(831) 454-2430 or

(831) 454-3951

 

County Transfer Station
Open every Mon.,

Tues., Thurs.,
Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm

Ben Lomond Household Hazardous Waste
Open every Thurs.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

(831) 454-2606


Other Household Hazardous Waste 

City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility
Open every Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

605 Dimeo Lane
Santa Cruz, CA

(831) 420-6270


Santa Cruz County
Solid Waste & Recycling
Main Office

701 Ocean St., Room 410
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 454-2160

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