Oakland Recycles
Recycling every day, at home, at work and at play, is an easy and rewarding practice. By adopting recycling and waste reduction habits, you can reduce pollution and fight climate change. Help Oakland recycle more by making a habit of recycling paper, cardboard, cans and bottles and batteries, and by eliminating wasteful habits. The Recycling Program oversees garbage and recycling services provided by Waste Management of Alameda County and California Waste Solutions and works to ensure that recycling is widely available.
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Contact us at (510) 238-7283 (SAVE) or email recycling@oaklandnet.com
Oakland Recycles Home Page | Recycling at Home | Recycling at Work
Construction & Demolition Recycling | Garbage Services in Oakland | Zero Waste
Thank You, Oakland Residents!
Since 2000:
Recycling UP 33% 
Landfill DOWN 27%
Since 2000, Oakland residents have recycled 700,000 tons of cans, bottles, magazines, junk mail, office paper, cardboard, yard trimmings and food scraps. The materials have been used by manufacturers to make new products, such as aluminum cans, glass bottles, newspaper, packaging products and made into compost used to grow our food and restore California’s soils. Your recycling efforts have also saved essential resources such as forests, water and energy. And by recycling, you have significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution.
- Residential Recycling Program (for 1-4 units)
- Multi-family Recycling Program (5 or more units)
Current Events
Here are highlights of our current programs & events:
 | Ready, Set, Recycle The Ready Set Recycle Contest is back for Alameda County residents! Participate in the contest, win prizes, play the Speed Sorter Game and pledge to recycle online at www.ReadySetRecycleContest.Org. |
| Oakland Re-Create Art Contest & Exhibition Learn more by visiting the Oakland Re-Create Art Contest & Exhibit web page. |
| Event Recycling in Oakland |
| Bay Area Green Business Program |
 | Recycle More! New! Multi-Family Recycling Toolkit (for five or more unit buildings in Oakland). |
Waste Reduction
First Reduce, then Reuse, then Recycle & Rot
It takes resources and energy to manufacture and transport all products, including recyclables. So cutting down on waste disposal through Reduce and Reuse activities provides more economic, social and environmental benefits than recycling and composting alone.
Being a Sustainable City means making our City safe, healthy and vibrant with opportunity and well-being for all — while acting within the capacity of natural systems. Learn more about waste reduction and the four R's.
Bulky Pickup & Recycling
The Oakland Bulky Pickup Program provides one bulky pickup to every resident residing in a single family home and occupants of 2-4 unit buildings and an optional second appointment for the first 500 callers. The Bulky Pick-up Program also provides bulky pick-ups to 5-9 unit buildings to the first 1,100 callers.
- Bulky Pickup & Recycling Guidelines
- Call Waste Management of Alameda County (WMAC) at (510) 613-8710 to schedule your pickup appointment.
- Oakland Bulky Pickup Program Website
- Frequently Asked Questions - Bulky Pickup
Bring Your Own Bag
Single-use bags — whether paper or plastic — create waste and litter and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about our Bring Your Own Bag Campaign.
Reduce Junk Mail
Unwanted mail and catalogs clutter homes, and every year the paper industry cuts down 100 million trees in the U.S. annually to produce it. It’s good to recycle your junk mail. It’s even better to stop getting it. We have more information to help you reduce your unwanted junk mail.
The Future: A Zero Waste Oakland
Oakland is working passionately toward becoming a Sustainable City — a place where we can meet our current needs while ensuring that future generations can live rewarding and healthy lives. To learn more about the strategic plan to make Oakland waste free by 2020, click here.
Fats, Oil, Grease - FOG
Liquid cooking oil and fat from animal products solidifies and clogs pipes. Pouring FOG down your household drain contributes to sewage problems near your home or even further down the pipeline. Pipes blocked with fats, oil and grease can result in a sewage backup into your home, sewage over flows into city streets, parks and waterways causing a public health risk and threatening our environment. Please see the FOG Brochure for more information and locations where you may safely discard your FOG.
Rules & Regulations
Download the Green Food Packaging Ordinance - Effective January 1, 2007, Oakland food vendors may no longer use polystyrene foam (such as Styrofoam) disposable food service ware. To find out more, visit the Green Food Packaging Ordinance page.
Download the Construction and Demolition Ordinance - Keeping 96,000 tons construction debris out of landfills takes some effort and you are part of the ongoing efforts to raise that number. For program details, forms and information on salvage and recycling facilities in the region, visit the Construction & Demolition page.
Reports & Documents
Contact Us
Oakland Public Works Agency
Environmental Services Division, Recycling Program
250 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Suite 5301
Oakland, CA 94612-2034
recycling@oaklandnet.com
Phone: (510) 238-SAVE (238-7283)
Fax: (510) 238-7286
TDD: (510) 238-3254
