If you have a question about South Lake Refuse & Recycling services, please review these FAQs before calling our office.
Food waste/scrap compost collection coming soon. We will keep you posted!
As of January 1, 2022, a new California law (SB 1383) requires the sorting of recyclables and organic waste including paper, cardboard, yard waste, food scraps, and food soiled paper from the garbage.
However, Lake County is a rural community and has been given two more years to fully implement a food waste compost program.
For more information this law, visit our Recycling Laws page.
Organics are defined as food scraps, food soiled paper, yard trimmings, clean wood waste, cardboard, and paper. At South Lake Refuse, we refer to organics as compost because that is what the material is turned into.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept compostable plastic packaging in the compost (green).
South Lake Refuse Resource Recovery Center produces compost from what is collected in your compost carts. Because it is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for organic farming applications and participates in the US Composting Council Seal of Testing Assurance program, it cannot accept any plastics at all even those labeled as “compostable” or “biodegradable”. All compostable/ bio-based plastic packaging should be placed in the gray garbage (landfill) bin.
Organics are taken to Quackenbush Compost for processing and certified organic compost is produced and ready for use by the community!
We have on board computers and cameras to verify if a driver was at your property. If our driver skips your collection, please call our office within 2 business days to report the miss. We will do our best to send the driver back the following day to empty the containers that were missed. If we cannot do this, we may ask you to place out extra bags the following week on your collection day at no cost to you.
We are all human and may accidently forgot to set-out our carts for collection. If this happens, please call our office hours and let us know. We can offer a one-time courtesy fee waiver and allow you to set out an extra bag the next pick-up day equal to your missed collection without charge. If you cannot wait until the next week to set-out extra garbage, we can go back and empty the cart(s) for an additional $25 per cart.
Visit our Recycling pages to learn what goes in your recycling cart(s) or bins.
South Lake Recycling Center is not a CA Redemption Center, but, can drop these materials at no charge at South Lake Recycling Center or place them in your recycling carts.
House hold hazardous wastes, like batteries, paints and cleaning products, can be taken to a collection event the third Friday and Saturday of each month from 9:00am – 1:00p.m. at rotating ends of the lake for convenience to all residents in Lake County.
Learn more about 2022 HHW Events here.
No, these materials must be placed in your garbage (landfill) cart or disposed of at the landfill.
No. Plastic bags clog our sorting machine when placed in your curbside container. Please only put these in the gray landfill cart. Some grocery stores will take back clean plastic bags at designated locations.
Compost can be purchased from the Quakenbush Resource Recovery Center year-round.
We have on board computers and cameras to verify if a driver was at your property. If our driver skips your collection, please call our office within 2 business days to report the miss. We will do our best to send the driver back the following day to empty the containers that were missed. If we cannot do this, we may ask you to place out extra bags the following week on your collection day at no cost to you.
We are all human and may accidently forgot to set-out our carts for collection. If this happens, please call our office hours and let us know. We can offer a one-time courtesy fee waiver and allow you to set out an extra bag the next pick-up day equal to your missed collection without charge. If you cannot wait until the next week to set-out extra garbage, we can go back and empty the cart(s) for an additional $25 per cart.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are considered hazardous waste. Find out more about the Lake County HHW Drop Off events here.
Incandescent lightbulbs can be put in your garbage bin or brought to the facility for recycling.
If the cart is broken due to general wear & tear, we will exchange it with a new one at no charge to you. Just email us through the inquiry form or call the office (707) 994-8613.
If you break the cart or damage, the cart can be replaced for a fee. Just email us through the inquiry form or call the office (707) 994-8613.
It is permissible for residents and businesses to self-haul. There are some rules for self-hauling though.
© 2023 South Lake Refuse & Recycling
