The county’s Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance regulates the use of disposable food service ware to reduce single-use plastic and other foodware waste. This law applies to food service businesses in unincorporated areas of the county and in the 16 cities within the county that have adopted the model ordinance. The county’s Foodware Aware Team is here to help businesses transition away from plastics and reduce foodware waste effectively, and can respond to complaints from the community regarding noncompliance.

State Law SB 1383 requires residents and businesses to subscribe to and participate in curbside compost collection service through their local hauler. Alternatively, self-hauling is allowed as long as records of receipts and weight tickets are kept.

State Law SB 1383 requires certain food-generating businesses to donate their surplus edible food. In partnership with the Sustainability Department, the county’s Environmental Health Services Department offers a program to help businesses and organizations comply with the SB 1383 edible food recovery requirements, including support with setting up food recovery contracts and educating staff on safe food donation handling, with free hands-on technical assistance. Learn more by visiting the Environmental Health Edible Food Recovery Program Assistance webpage. 

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is generated as a result of new construction, addition, remodel, or demolition projects. To minimize waste and increase reuse and recycling and landfill diversion, the county requires that certain projects in unincorporated San Mateo County submit a Waste Management Plan to the Sustainability Department.

In San Mateo County, it is illegal to throw away electronics. Any device powered by electricity (including batteries) that contains circuitry (such as TVs, electronic toys, lamps, and kitchen appliances), and is identified by the State of California as hazardous or universal waste, must be responsibly recycled. Improper disposal of electronics pollutes the air, soil, and groundwater, contaminates the waste stream, and exposes workers to harmful conditions.