Residents Services

• Organics Recycling

  

  Welcome to your Organics Recycling Program!

  CR&R Environmental Services, together with the City of Laguna Niguel, launched the new Organics Recycling Program on July 1st, 2019. This program co-collects food scraps and yard waste in your green cart. The organic material collected is taken to CR&R’s Regional Organics Anaerobic Recovery Facility (ROAR) in Perris, CA to be converted into renewable natural gas and anaerobic compost.

  Additional Outreach Items (click on links below for more information):

  • Kitchen Food Scrap Container Instruction Guide
  • Organics Announcement Letter
  • Previously Green Waste “exempt” Announcement Letter
  • New 2024 Residential brochure
  • *How-To Recycle Organics* (click here for video)

  Tips for your Kitchen Food Scrap Container (click here for image)

  How to reduce odor

  • Empty your container after every meal
  • Sprinkle baking soda on top of your food scraps
  • Line your container with a compostable bag
  • Place pieces of torn newspaper or paper bag on the bottom of the container to absorb liquids
  • Drain excess liquids before placing food scraps in the container
  • Your container is dishwasher safe!

  Tips for your Green Organics Cart

  How to reduce odor

  • Place yard waste in the very bottom of the cart first to absorb liquids
  • Alternate layers of yard waste and food scraps
  • Keep the cart in a covered or shaded area out of direct sunlight

  Organics Recycling FAQs

  • How often is my green organics cart going to be picked up? Weekly on your collection day.
  • If I don’t have much organic material, can I put my kitchen food scrap container out for collection? No. All organic material must be placed in your green organics cart.
  • Does pet waste go into the green organics cart? No. Pet waste needs to be placed into the black landfill cart.
• Curbside Pickup Information

  
  CR&R Recommends the Following On Collection Day

  • Carts should be placed at curbside no later than 6:30 a.m. on collection day.
  • Please place your carts side-by-side approximately one (1) foot apart and at least three (3) feet from any obstruction (i.e. car, fire hydrant, trees).
  • Place your carts with the handles and wheels facing towards your home.
  • Carts should be removed from curbside within 12 hours after service.
  • Items not in carts will not be collected.
  • Available cart sizes are: 35 gallon, 65 gallon and 95 gallon.
  • Effective July 1st, 2019, each resident may customize their 3 cart set. For example, a resident with a 35 gallon landfill cart might select a 65 gallon recycle cart and a 95 gallon organics cart.

  Cart Reminders

  • The black cart is for landfill.
  • The blue or brown cart is for recyclables.
  • The green cart is for organics (food scraps & yard waste).
• Holiday Schedule

  
  CR&R Observes the Following Holidays

  • New Years Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

  If the holiday falls during the week, service postponed by one day the remainder of the week. Example: If Independence Day is a Monday, and your normal collection day is Thursday, we'll see you on Friday.

• Container Information

  
  Approximate Cart Sizes Available
  Residents may order from the following containers.

  • 35 gallon automated cart - 38"H x 20"W x 24"D
  • 65 gallon automated cart - 42"H x 24"W x 31"D
  • 95 gallon automated cart - 43"H x 30"W x 35"D

  *approximate dimensions

  If your residence generates a greater quantity of waste, additional automated carts may be ordered by contacting Customer Service at the office closest to you.

  • 3 Yard Temporary Bin - 4'H x 4'W x 6'9"L for clean up projects - 500 lb limit

  Special Collections
  Larger waste collection bins (from 10 to 40 yards) are available for clean-up projects and other disposal needs.

• Recycling

  
  Christmas tree collection will begin on December 26th for a two week period. Please remove all ornaments, lights, stands, and cut the tree in half if over 6 feet tall. If possible, please place your tree bottom first and upright in your green waste container. If you cannot use the green waste container or do not have one, place your tree curbside on your service day and our tree collectors will come by in a separate truck, there is no need to call the office.

  It's important to identify and remove materials unsuitable for recycling. Please review this section for more information on what's acceptable and unacceptable for Recycling. If you have questions about how to join the recycling program in your area, or plan a clean-up project, please contact the office located closest to you.

  Recyclable Paper
  Acceptable Items	Unacceptable Items
  Milk or Juice Cartons	Mixed products such as combinations of paper and metal.
  Corrugated Cardboard	Waxed Paper
  Junk Mail
  Magazines
  Phonebooks
  Chipboard (Cereal/Cracker Boxes)
  Newspaper
  Computer paper
  Any White Paper
  Recyclable Plastics
  Please remove liquids, lids and food residue from all recyclables before placing them in the recycling container.
  Acceptable Items	Unacceptable Items
  PET: soft drink bottles, photo film canisters	Flower/Plant Containers
  HDPE: detergent containers, plastic water/milk containers, pails, t-shirt bags	No Mixed Products (ie plastic/metal combination)
  PVC: sprinkler pipe
  LDPE: trash can liners, shrink wrap, grocery bags
  PP: yogurt containers, luggage, drinking straws
  PS: plastic plates, cups, egg cartons, food trays
  Other: Tupperware and mixed plastic containers
  Plastic Toys
  Recyclable Metal
  Acceptable Items	Unacceptable Items
  Empty Aerosol Cans	Automotive Parts
  Metal Coat Hangers	Plumbing Parts
  Aluminum Cans	No Mixed Products such as combinations of metal and paper
  Tin Cans
  Food and Juice Jars
  Empty Paint Cans (dry paint is OK)
  Metal Foil
  Lawn Furniture
  Recyclable Glass
  Acceptable Items	Unacceptable Items
  Food and Beverage Bottles	Ceramic
  Glass Jars and Bottles	Mirrors
  House Windows	Fluorescent Tubes
  Liquor, Soda and Juice Bottles	Light Bulbs
  Tempered Glass	Safety Glass
  Pyrex
  Organics
  Acceptable Items	Unacceptable Items
  Grass Clippings	Animal Waste
  Green Plants	Palm Branches
  Dry Leaves	Diseased Plants
  Garden Trimmings	Sod/Dirt
  Weeds
  Wood Scraps/Chips
  Meat/Fish
  Dairy Products

• Hazardous Waste

  
  It is illegal to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) through the automated residential collection program. HHW must be disposed of at a certified hazardous waste collection center. For the nearest collection center, please contact the office located closest to you.

  Household Hazardous Waste includes, but is not limited to:

  • Used Motor Oil
  • Solvents
  • Batteries
  • Cleaning Products
  • Wood Preservative
  • Old Paint
  • Pesticides
  • Pool Chemicals
  • Printer Cartridges
  • Old Road Flares
  • Fluorescent Lights
• Electronic Waste

  
  Electronic waste (E-waste) is an item such as a computer monitor, television, cell phone or other like materials. Due to the high amounts of lead and chemicals found in E-waste, they are not allowed into local landfills.

  Refrigerators contain Freon and other chemicals which require special handling as well. CR&R will collect these items from your curbside for a nominal charge.  To arrange a curbside pick-up for E-waste or a refrigerator, please use our Online Scheduling Service.

• Bulky Items

  
  Items that cannot fit in your automated containers, such as a chair or a couch, are considered "bulky items." A bulky item is an object that can be handled by a two-person crew and may include washers, dryers, sofas or other large materials. To make arrangements for a bulky item pick-up on your regular waste collection day, please use our Online Scheduling Service.

• Special Services

  
  CR&R makes it easy to request special services in your area. Please contact the office located closest to you with details about your special needs. A service representative will then contact you with more information about the appropriate resources. Whether it's collection, containers, recycling or other services, CR&R is here to help.