City's Transition: 2-Stream to 3-Stream Waste Collection System

Transition Overview

On August 1, 2025, the City mailed letters to all single-family homes, commercial properties, and multifamily property owners regarding the transition from a 2-stream to a 3-stream waste collection system. The letter explained how the change will affect individual households as well as tenants in multifamily dwellings.

Multifamily property owners also received a Transition Communication Guide with ready-to-use tenant notification templates to help simplify outreach during this transition.

Transition Reminder Postcards

Postcards are being mailed to all residential, commercial, and multifamily property owners with key transition dates and an overview of the new collection system.

• Commercial & Multifamily Properties / Single-Family Homes with Bin Service

  • Postcards mailed: August 20, 2025

  • Deployment of RECYLCING and ORGANICS bins commencement: August 25, 2025

• Single-Family Homes & Multifamily Dwellings with Barrel Service

  • Postcards mailed: August 28, 2025

  • Residents will be asked to provide feedback on their barrel selections by October 10, 2025.

Deployment Reminder Letter for Manual Barrel Service

On October 1, 2025, single-family homes and multifamily dwellings with manual barrel service will receive a detailed reminder letter. This will provide residents a final opportunity to give input on their barrel selections before deployment.

New Barrel Deployment 

Starting the week of November 10, Athens Services will begin distributing new black (trash), blue (recycling), and green (organics) barrels to all residents enrolled in manual barrel service.

• Each household may receive up to seven 32-gallon containers, and there will be no change in service rates unless a customer requests more than seven barrels.
• All new barrels include wheels, sturdy lids, and are stackable for ease of use.
•  Deployment is expected to be completed by the end of November.

Old Trash Container Recycling 

After new barrels are delivered, Athens Services will begin collecting and recycling old containers starting the week following delivery and continuing through December 12, 2025.

Residents who wish to have their old barrels recycled should place them upside down in their designated trash area on their regular service day.

Residents may also keep their existing containers for personal use; however, these may no longer be used for waste collection once the new barrels have been deployed.

KEY DATES

• Week of November 10: Barrel deployment begins for all manual barrel customers.

• End of November: Full deployment anticipated.

• November–December 12: Athens to collect and recycle old containers.

• Ongoing: Outreach and sorting education through City platforms and Athens’ tools.

SERVICE CHANGES

1. What change is happening to services for commercial properties?

   Commercial customers must now have a 3-stream waste collection system for regular trash, recyclables (bottles, cans, paper, etc.), and organics (food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste). Athens will automatically deliver a (1) 96-gallon blue recycling cart, to be serviced once per week, as part of your regular trash service. There are no additional charges for this standard recycling service.

   In addition, commercial customers will need to subscribe to organics collection services. Most customers will need a 64-gallon green cart for organic waste; however, other sizes are available and customers can choose the size and frequency they need. Organics services will be added at an additional cost. Other sizes are also available for recycling carts (additional fees may apply). Athens’ Recycling Coordinators may have already reached out to you to conduct a waste assessment to determine the best service levels for your needs.

   These changes are part of the City’s ongoing efforts to comply with state law, SB 1383, which supports recycling efforts and waste diversion efforts in California.

2. What is a waste assessment?

   Athens Services will deploy Recycling Coordinators to conduct in-person, door-to-door waste assessments for commercial accounts. During these assessments, on-site managers will receive flyers with information on the new three-stream collection system, deployment of recycling carts, and subscription to organics services. Recycling Coordinators will assess their current waste practices and recommend a service level to fit their individual needs. Athens will also offer training for employees at commercial properties and assist in applying for an organics waiver if eligible. In-person assessments will be followed up with phone and email correspondence.

3. I am the business owner and no one has contacted me for a waste assessment, what do I do?

   If you haven’t been contacted by an Athens representative to conduct a waste assessment, you may contact Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100 to request one.

4. What if the default 96-gallon recycling cart is not enough?

   Other sizes are also available for recycling carts (additional fees may apply). To adjust your recycling services, talk to your Recycling Coordinator or call Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100.

5. What if I need to adjust my current trash service now that we will have additional/separate containers?  

   By adding containers for recycling and organics, you may find that your current trash service levels exceed your needs. You can adjust your service level for your current trash collection, as well as request a different size recycling cart, by contacting the Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100.

6. Can commercial customers apply for a waiver for organics collection?

   Yes, commercial customers producing less than 20 gallons of organic waste per week are eligible to apply for a de minimis waiver for organics collection services. To apply for a waiver, talk to your Recycling Coordinator or call Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100.

7. Can commercial customers apply for a waiver for recycling collection?

   No, all waste customers must have recycling services.

8. Will the collection day change?

   No, your collection day will remain the same for your trash services. However, recycling and organics collection services may occur on different days depending on the frequency of the services chosen. You will be notified in advance if any changes take place.

9. Will my rates increase?

   Rates for regular trash service for commercial properties will not change and recycling containers will be added to existing trash service at no additional cost. However, commercial customers will need to subscribe to organics collection, which will incur an additional cost. Customers who increase their default recycling service will also incur an additional cost.

10. What resources are available for commercial property/business owners?  

    Athens offers training for commercial businesses and their employees. Trainings will review the new regulations, train on proper sorting, and assist in making sure your business is set up with proper containers and procedures. To request a training, talk to your Recycling Coordinator or call Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100.
    
    

     CONTAINERS

1. What kind of new containers will we receive for organics and recycling collection and how many of each?

   Commercial customers will receive carts or bins for recycling and organics collection. The size of the containers and the frequency of collection can be chosen by the customer depending on their needs.

2. When will we receive the new containers?
   Beginning September 2025, based on the customer’s selection, blue recycling containers (either carts or bins), and green organics containers (either carts or bins) will be delivered to the property on the regular collection day. Deployment of new containers will take several weeks.

SEPARATION

1. What is acceptable in each container?

   Blue Recycling Container: Recyclable materials include plastics, metals, paper (clean and dry), cardboard, and glass.
   Green Organics Container: Organics waste includes green waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper (100% fiber-based). *Food-soiled cardboard should be broken up and placed inside your green container.
   Black Trash Container: All other materials should be disposed of in the black container.

   For a full breakdown of acceptable materials, check out the Athens interactive recycling guide at CanIRecycleMy.com. The guide features more than 450 items and is the go-to resource for correctly reducing, reusing, recycling, composting, and disposing of unwanted waste material.

2. How should we separate food scraps?  

   Step 1: Find a portable, reusable pail with a tight-fitting lid to collect your kitchen food scraps. Consider reusing a coffee canister, large yogurt or margarine tub, or juice pitcher. The container can be stored on the kitchen counter, under the sink, or in the freezer. Liners are optional. Consider newspaper or a paper bag.
   Step 2: Fill your pail with food scraps and acceptable items.
   Step 3: Empty pail contents into your green organics barrel.
   Step 4: Rinse out your pail with soap and water. Fill again.
   
   Tips: Sprinkle your pail lightly with baking soda to absorb odors. Store meat and dairy scraps in your freezer and place in your organics barrel on trash day.

3. Can food scraps be bagged?
   Yes, food scraps can be bagged in clear plastic bags or paper bags. Plastic bags do not need to be compostable. All plastic bags will be separated at Athens’ composting facility.
   
   
4. How should we dispose cardboard boxes?
   Clean cardboard boxes should be flattened and placed inside your blue container.
   Food-soiled cardboard (ex: pizza box) should be broken up and placed inside your green container.

To comply with state recycling laws and support environmental sustainability, the City of South Pasadena is enhancing its waste services to include source-separated recycling of recyclable materials and organic materials. This allows the City to meet state mandates (Senate Bill 1383) and ensures recyclable materials, including organics, are properly diverted from landfills.

In 2016, Senate Bill 1383 (Short-Lived Climate Pollutants) was signed into law in a statewide effort to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, namely methane emissions created by organic waste. Pursuant to SB 1383, jurisdictions are mandated to provide organics collection services and require all residents and businesses to divert organic waste (yard waste, food scraps, food-soiled paper, etc.) from landfills to recycling facilities starting January 1, 2022, as regulated by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). In addition, SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to meet high landfill diversion rates, establish an edible food recovery program, conduct education and outreach to the community, procure recyclable and recovered organic waste products, monitor compliance and conduct enforcement, and more. The City of South Pasadena has been working on compliance with the numerous components of SB1383 for the past several years. To meet the high diversion requirements, the City is transitioning from a 2-stream waste collection system to a 3-stream waste collection system. For more information on SB 1383 goals and regulations, visit: https://calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp/

The transition to a 3-stream waste collection system applies to all waste customers citywide including single-family manual barrel customers, single-family bin service customers, multifamily customers, and commercial customers.

The transition to a 3-stream system is already underway. Residents and business owners will be receiving information in the mail regarding the changes. Recycling Coordinators have been visiting businesses and multifamily properties to conduct waste assessments while educating waste customers about the changes. New containers will be deployed this fall (2025) and the transition is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year (2025). Waste customers should begin source separating as soon as they receive their new containers.

The transition to a 3-stream system with new containers will be a big change for all in the City. City staff and Athens are working together to ensure proper and adequate noticing, education, and outreach is conducted citywide.

Letters to Residential and Commercial Customers: Letters will be mailed to all waste customers in late July explaining the transition to a three-stream system, what to expect with new containers, and information on the new curbside bulky item program. The letters will include a list of frequently asked questions and a sorting cheat sheet.

Waste Assessments for Commercial and Multifamily Properties: Athens Services will deploy Recycling Coordinators to conduct in-person, door-to-door waste assessments for commercial and multifamily accounts. During these assessments, on-site managers will receive flyers with information on the new three-stream collection system, deployment of recycling carts, and subscription to organics services. Recycling Coordinators will assess their current waste practices and recommend a service level to fit their individual needs. Athens will also offer training for employees at commercial properties and assist in applying for an organics waiver if eligible. Multifamily properties will receive information on the new bulky item services and a guide with email/signage templates for tenants describing the changes in waste collection. In-person assessments will be followed up with phone and email correspondence.

Postcards to Manual Barrel Service Customers: From late-August to late-September, customers in single-family homes along with multifamily dwellings (2-4 units) with manual barrel service will receive a postcard in the mail with information on the arrival of their new barrels and disposal of their old barrels. Customers will have the opportunity during this time to select their custom combination of barrels (minimum one barrel of each color, up to seven total barrels). Additional barrels are available at an extra cost. These postcards will also be available at City Hall and other City facilities and events.

Postcards to Commercial Customers: In Late-August, commercial customers will receive a postcard in the mail with information on the arrival of their new barrels, how to contact Athens with additional requests or questions, and educational information on SB1383 and what items go into each cart.

Postcard to Single Family Homes and Multifamily Dwellings with Bin Service: In Late-August, commercial customers will receive a postcard in the mail with information on the arrival of their new barrels, how to contact Athens with additional requests or questions, how to schedule a bulky item pickup, and educational information on SB1383 and what items go into each cart.

Billing Inserts: Customers will receive reminders with their Athens bills before deployment of their new containers. Instructions on how to dispose their current containers (if customers choose to do so) will also be provided.

Additional Outreach: In addition to the in-person and mailed outreach described above, City staff and Athens will provide information through all social media avenues and will house frequently asked questions and copies of all outreach materials on their websites. Lastly, City and Athens representatives will educate regarding new sorting practices at City and community events.

The program increases recycling and composting, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and extend landfill space. It also ensures the City remains in compliance with state mandates.

Athens drivers will monitor containers for contamination and provide a “Courtesy Pick-Up Notice” when contaminants are identified. Repeat offenders may receive a contamination fee on their bill.

Click here(PDF, 384KB) for the current rate schedule.

Waste collection rates are typically adjusted each year on July 1 to account for rising operational costs. However, as a result of recent contract negotiations between the City and Athens Services, the annual rate adjustments scheduled for July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, have been waived. This means customers will see no changes to their waste collection rates (besides the cost of additional services) until the next scheduled adjustment on July 1, 2027.

Online self-service options are available 24/7 at AthensServices.com. Customers can also speak with a local customer service representative by calling (888) 336-6100. The Athens Customer Service Center is available Monday – Friday, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, and on Saturday, from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.