Trash, Recycling, and Compost Guide
What Goes in Each Cart
Brown Cart with Green Lid – Commercial Food Waste Program
Use this cart for:
Food Scraps
All prepared, cooked, and spoiled food
Coffee grounds
Dairy and cheese
Eggs and eggshells
Fruits and vegetables
Meat, poultry, fish, and seafood
Bones
Rice, beans, grains, and pasta
BPI-certified food scrap bags
Food-Soiled Paper
Bamboo plates and utensils
Food-soiled pizza boxes and paper bags
Paper coffee filters
Paper towels, napkins, and tissues
Tea bags
Unlined take-out containers and plates
Do Not Include:
Pet or human waste
Kitty litter
Compostable plastics or PLA
Foam, polystyrene
Hazardous waste or batteries
Plastic bags (except BPI)
Dirt or pressure-treated wood
Waxed cardboard
Horse manure
Garbage
Diapers or wipes
Gray Cart – Landfill/Garbage
Accepted Items:
Diapers and pet waste
Plastic bags and flimsy plastics
Bubble wrap
Styrofoam
Pottery, ceramics, and glassware (window, mirror, drinking)
Multi-packaged products
End-of-life clothing, shoes, and furniture
Pyrex and other treated glass
Please Recycle Instead:
Rigid plastics
Clean paper and cardboard
Glass
Metal
Please Compost Instead:
Food scraps
Yard waste
Untreated wood
Food-soiled paper
Do Not Include:
Batteries or e-waste
Hazardous waste
Green Cart – Residential Compost Program
Yard Waste
Leaves, grass, flowers, shrubs
Twigs and branches
Natural cork
Wood
Untreated, unpainted, metal-free
Food Scraps
All prepared, cooked, and spoiled food
Coffee grounds
Dairy and cheese
Eggs and eggshells
Fruits and vegetables
Meat, poultry, fish, and seafood
Bones
Rice, beans, grains, and pasta
BPI-certified compost bags
Food-Soiled Paper
Bamboo paperware and utensils
Food-soiled pizza boxes and paper bags
Paper coffee filters
Napkins, paper towels, tissues
Tea bags
Unlined take-out containers and plates
Do Not Include:
Pet or human waste
Kitty litter
Compostable plastic or PLA
Foam, styrofoam
Hazardous waste
Batteries
Plastic bags (except BPI)
Waxed paper or cardboard
Household garbage
Diapers, wipes, or feminine products
Painted or treated wood
Blue Cart – Recycling (Single Stream)
Paper Items
Newspaper
Magazines, catalogs
Brown bags and paper packaging
Carbonless and office paper
Envelopes (labels/windows OK)
Phone books
Junk mail
Shredded paper
Cardboard (flattened)
Cereal and shoe boxes
Tetra Paks and cartons
Books with soft covers
Plastic Items
Clean bottles, jugs, containers
Plastic toys and tubs
Clamshell containers
Buckets and baskets
Plant pots
Metal Items
Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
Clean pans and foil
Small scrap metal (under 36")
Pots, pans, and utensils
Loose jar lids
Glass
Clean food and beverage containers
Labels OK
Do Not Include:
Styrofoam, bubble wrap
Food or yard waste
Electronics, batteries, or computer equipment
Plastic bags
Clothing, shoes, or medication
Needles
Window glass, mirrors, or ceramics
Fluorescent bulbs or light bulbs
Hardcover books, binders
Contaminated paper or waxed items
Include the Food!
You can now place all food scraps and food-soiled paper into your green compost cart — it’s not just for yard waste anymore!
How it Works:
Collect food scraps, napkins, filters, and paper towels while cooking or cleaning out your fridge.
Empty your kitchen pail into the green cart — include the liner.
Set out your cart on your regular collection day.
Note: UVDS will not collect materials from kitchen pails left outside. Always empty contents into your green cart for pickup.
Questions or More Info?
Visit www.uvds.com or www.countyofnapa.org/recycling
Let me know if you’d like this packaged as a downloadable PDF, or organized into multiple subpages (e.g. compost, landfill, recycling) for better usability.