Green Can / Organic Waste Program

Organic Waste Collection

The green can is for organic material.  Organic material is food waste, paper waste, cardboard and small yard waste. 

This program has the potential to capture 70% of all waste produced in the average residential household! This organic waste is then converted into compost, utilizing an environmentally friendly recycling process. Please do your part to help the City of Modesto divert as much waste as possible from landfills. In 2018, residents recycled approximately 51,000 tons of organic waste, or 39% of the total tons of residential waste generated.

The Green Can "Cans"

  • 100 pound weight limit and the lid must close completely
  • Brush, tree limbs less than 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter
  • Cardboard and all types of paper (newspaper, junk mail, computer paper, magazines, phone books, paper bags, etc.)
  • Food waste, including meat, bones, dairy
  • Grass, leaves, and trimmings
  • Untreated and undecorated Christmas trees, cut to fit if necessary

The Green Can "Can’ts"

  • No dirt, rocks, concrete, or asphalt
  • No materials over 4 feet long or 6 inches in diameter
  • No plastic, metal, glass, or cloth
  • No plastic bags or plastic lined bags
  • No treated wood or lumber
  • No animal waste, including feces or litter
  • No household or bathroom trash, diapers, or hazardous waste (lightbulbs, batteries, chemicals, paint, etc)
  • No flocked, painted, or fireproofed Christmas trees
  • Do not overfill to more than 100 pounds or that the lid will not close