Quick answer
In the City of Los Angeles, the green bin is for yard trimmings — grass, leaves, small branches, and plant clippings — and, since the citywide OrganicsLA rollout, food scraps and food-soiled paper too, as required by the state's SB 1383 organic waste law. Large branches, dirt, rocks, and bagged trash don't belong in the green bin; those need bulky-item pickup or a hauling service, and cities outside LA Sanitation's service area have their own haulers and rules.
What goes in the green bin
LA Sanitation's green bin (OrganicsLA) accepts:
- Grass clippings, leaves, and small twigs
- Plant trimmings, weeds, and flowers
- Small branches that fit inside the bin with the lid closed
- Food scraps — fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, bones, coffee grounds
- Food-soiled paper, like greasy pizza boxes and used napkins
Why food scraps go in the green bin now
California's SB 1383 requires cities to divert organic waste from landfills, because food and yard waste buried in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. LA Sanitation's citywide OrganicsLA program lets residents combine food scraps with yard trimmings in the same green bin, at no extra cost, and the material is turned into compost.
What doesn't go in the green bin
Keep these out of the green bin:
- Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and other non-compostable plastics
- Dirt, rocks, and construction debris
- Branches or logs too large to fit with the lid closed
- Diapers, pet waste, and cat litter
- Glass, metal, and general household trash
Large yard waste and bulky loads
Big branches, large pruning jobs, or a full yard cleanup can produce more debris than a green bin can hold in one collection cycle. In the City of LA, bulky item pickup can be scheduled through LA Sanitation, but for a large one-time cleanup — like after a storm, a hedge overhaul, or clearing an overgrown yard — hauling the debris away directly is often faster than waiting for bin pickup.
Other cities have their own haulers
These rules describe LA Sanitation's (LASAN) citywide program. Many other cities and unincorporated areas in LA County contract with different waste haulers, each with their own bin colors, accepted materials, and pickup schedules — check with your city or hauler if you're outside the City of Los Angeles.
Common questions
Official sources
Rules and programs change. Confirm current details on these pages.
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