Commercial Office Building
Recycling and Composting Program Guidelines
I. Introduction
These guidelines provide models and best practices for effective implementation of office
building recycling and composting programs in San Francisco. The goal is full participation of
all parties – property managers, collection service providers, janitorial service companies,
janitors and tenants - to create effective source separation programs as a means of achieving
compliance with the City’s Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, meeting
citywide diversion goals, and achieving the diversion or disposal rate reported annually by
the City to the State of California.
These guidelines have been developed and approved by the Mayor's Committee on Recycling in
Commercial Office Buildings including representatives of all the above parties.
This document presents:
 The roles of the primary participants
 Common best practices for recycling and composting program effectiveness for all
collection types
 Three collection models with additional best practices for effectiveness of each
It is important to note that every commercial property is unique. On-site tenants, janitors, and
property managers will likely have specific suggestions for what might work best for each
individual property. Ongoing evaluation will help fine-tune programs as all parties gain more
experience with three-stream collection programs – recycling, composting, and trash destined
for landfills.
II. Roles of the Participants
This section addresses the roles and responsibilities of office building management companies,
tenants, janitorial service companies and janitors to create a program that works for everyone
involved with the on-site separation and management of: 1) recyclables, 2) compostables, and
3) trash for landfill.
Effective programs avoid contamination by keeping all three streams separated for collection
by janitors in each office and placed in designated containers for collection by the collection
service provider.
It has been the experience of property managers that engaging janitorial companies and
janitors for their input and cooperation in implementing programs is critical. Because recycling
and composting reduces trash, it is possible to tailor a program that complies with the
Mandatory Ordinance but does not increase or decrease janitors’ workload.
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A. Property Management Companies
Owners and managers of commercial office buildings are responsible for signing up with
collection service providers for adequate recycling, composting and trash collection service.
They work with contracted janitorial service companies and on-site janitors to establish
convenient and easy-to-use programs for the on-site separation and collection of recyclables,
compostables and trash as a means of achieving the annually reported citywide diversion rates
to the State of California. They provide education and multi-lingual training at least once a year
on the property’s recycling and composting programs to tenants, employees, and contractors.
This includes training on-site janitors typically provided through their contracted janitorial
service company. They provide appropriately labeled and color-coded containers in appropriate
locations.
B. Tenants
Tenants’ employees, contractors, customers and visitors participate in these programs by
placing separated recyclables, compostables and trash in properly designated containers.
C. Janitors & Janitorial Service Companies
Janitorial service companies and on-site janitors are valuable partners in the success of office
recycling and composting programs. Janitorial service companies are responsible for ensuring
that their on-site janitors receive education and multi-lingual training at least once a year on
the property’s recycling and composting requirements. On-site janitors play a vital role
collecting recyclables, compostables and trash separated by tenants and other building users.
On-site janitors are responsible for placing properly separated recyclables into designated
recycling containers, compostables into designated composting containers, and trash into
designated trash containers. A separate agreement can be negotiated with janitorial
contractors to sort out recyclables and compostables from trash, and recyclable and
compostable materials that are not properly separated by tenants and other building users to
help ensure complete material separation and improve program performance.
III. Common Best Practices for Program Effectiveness
This section provides the best common practices for effective implementation of recycling and
composting programs that applies to all model programs described below.

Develop and clearly define program and janitorial staff responsibilities with janitorial
company and staff input. This should be in writing including what materials janitors are to
collect, the container locations, the frequencies of collection, equipment used and any
other responsibilities staff may have, such as how to provide tenant feedback or sorting of
any contamination. See collection program models below for design options.

Label and color-code containers with color photo image stickers (available from haulers or
the City), and use blue for recycling, green for composting and black for trash containers.
Place color signs above bins when possible to further identify what they are to be used for.
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
Locate centralized containers together for recycling, composting and trash in convenient
locations and with input from janitors and tenants for best locations. No trash container
should be placed without both recycling and composting containers at all central locations
and no trash container should be placed deskside without accompanying recycling
container. Avoiding isolated trash containers and reducing the total number of trash
containers while adding recycling and composting makes it easier for tenants to separate all
3 streams and can balance janitorial workload needs.

Collect recyclables mixed together (e.g., office paper, plastic, aluminum and glass) for
greater convenience and fewer containers to serve. San Francisco’s primary recycling
collection companies offer service for mixed recyclables so there is no need for tenants to
separate paper from plastic, aluminum or glass.

Provide containers for recyclables and dry trash without plastic liners. Offices generate
primarily paper discards where liners are not needed. This can encourage tenants to avoid
placing wet compostable materials in recycling containers, whether at deskside or located
centrally. Not using liners saves janitors’ time by not having them replace liners or remove
them from recyclables. However, if liquids from beverage containers create the need to
frequently clean containers, then centrally located, lined containers for recycling bottles
and cans may be appropriate. Trash collection containers can also be unlined and can
encourage recycling and composting and proper tenant separation.

Collect restroom paper towels for composting. Since restroom discards are nearly all paper
towels, if paper towel dispensers are used, then an appropriately labeled and color-coded
composting container can be used without adjacent recycling and trash containers. Existing
paper towel dispenser/disposal units may be designated for paper towels only for
composting. Ladies restroom stalls should continue to have small receptacles for feminine
hygiene products that would be collected as usual. Diaper changing tables should also have
a trash container for keeping diapers separate from paper towels.

Educate tenants with easy to understand and informative materials and training sessions.
Provide ongoing reminders to tenants, full training every year, and materials and training
for new tenants. Information provided should include what is acceptable and not
acceptable for putting in recycling, composting and trash containers. Tenants should be
educated that improperly sorted recyclables or compostables may end up being sent to the
landfill because of contamination. Food scraps contaminated with glass bottles cannot be
accepted for composting into a nutrient-rich soil amendment used to grow food. Office
copy paper contaminated with food scraps or plastic bags cannot be made into new white
office paper and high quality tissue products. Tenants can identify waste diversion
coordinators or “green teams” to liaise with property managers and help educate and
provide on-going feedback to tenants.
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
Educate janitors with easy to understand and informative materials and training sessions,
including multilingual training/materials and photo images as necessary, to help janitorial
staff best collect separated materials from tenant spaces and deliver to designated
containers for haulers to collect. Information provided should include what is acceptable
and not acceptable for putting in recycling, composting and trash containers.
IV. Material Collection Program Design Models
This section describes three models of office building recycling and composting collection
programs that can be effective in achieving compliance with the Mandatory Ordinance. While
every office building differs, and a variety of effective systems are in place throughout the City,
these models exemplify current and emerging systems that can work for tenants, janitors and
property managers.
Best practices to use to help achieve effective implementation specific to each model are also
noted. These are in addition to the best practices described above that are common to all
collection program models.
Model A:
 Centralized Only Recycling, Composting and Trash Collection
 No Deskside Collection
Model A provides janitorial collection only from centralized containers for recyclables,
compostables and trash. Tenants would be responsible for bringing all their materials to
centralized sets of containers for all three material types.
This model lowers the likelihood of cross contamination for all three material types compared
to Models B and C given the equal convenience to separate all 3 streams. However, it requires
tenants to adapt to the most change from having previous deskside service to bringing their
materials to centralized containers.
Additional Best Practices for Effective Implementation:
 Sets of all three containers, placed adjacent to each other, should be located
with convenient and nearby access, such as within 50 feet, from tenant desks as
well as in common areas such as kitchens, break rooms, conference rooms and
copy rooms.
 Tenants can be provided with containers for their own use deskside to store
materials before bringing them to the centralized containers.
Model B:
 Deskside Recycling Only Collection
 Centralized Recycling, Composting and Trash Collection
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Model B provides janitorial collection of recyclables (only) from deskside containers, as well as
janitorial collection of all three material types from sets of centralized containers.
Model B provides more convenient recycling collection than trash or composting collection for
tenants, but there is a higher potential of contamination of recyclables by compostables and
trash.
Additional Best Practices for Effective Implementation:
 When using only one deskside container for janitorial collection, use it for
recycling.
 Tenants can be provided with containers for their own use deskside to store
trash or compostables before bringing them to the centralized containers.
 Service recycling containers less than daily, if less than half full and if dry and
free of compostables.
 Ask tenants to place deskside containers within easy reach of janitors for
collection so that janitors do not need to crawl under tenant workspaces to
retrieve containers.
 Provide a method for janitors to help in identifying improper sorting or
contamination by tenants. This could help provide valuable feedback between
tenants, janitors, and property managers.
Model C:
 Deskside Recycling and Trash Collection
 Centralized Recycling, Composting and Trash Collection
Model C provides janitorial collection of recyclables and trash from deskside containers, as well
as janitorial collection from sets of centralized containers for all three material types.
This model provides more convenience for tenants to participate compared to Models A and B
but there is a higher potential of contamination of recyclables and trash by compostables than
Model A.
Although there has been little experience to date, it may also be effective to provide janitorial
collection of recyclables and compostables, instead of trash, deskside. Since trash for landfill
will likely be the smallest of the 3 discards streams, it could just be collected from sets of
centralized containers for all three material types.
Additional Best Practices for Effective Implementation:
 When using a deskside trash container, in addition to a deskside recycling
container for janitorial collection, use a smaller trash caddy for the reduced trash
quantity and easier service.
 Use tandem dollies, barrel dividers or other equipment to make collection easier.
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


Service recycling and trash containers less than daily, if less than half full and if
dry and free of compostables.
Ask tenants to place deskside containers within easy reach of janitors for
collection, so that janitors do not need to crawl under tenant workspaces to
retrieve containers.
Provide a method for janitors to help in identifying improper sorting or
contamination by tenants. This could help provide valuable feedback between
tenants, janitors, and property managers.
For more information on the Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance and resources
for program implementation, visit www.sfenvironment.org/mandatory
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