San Diego to begin delivering new recycling bins

New light-blue bins are more durable, easy to identify, and equipped with scannable tags

Mar. 25, 2026 at 4:09am

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Starting Wednesday, the City of San Diego will begin delivering new light blue recycling bins to households that receive city trash and recycling service, replacing the older dark blue carts. The new bins are more durable, easy to identify, and equipped with scannable tags to improve reliability and accountability. The rollout will take several months, with some properties receiving their new bins in early fall.

Why it matters

The new recycling bins are part of San Diego's efforts to improve its waste management and recycling services. The scannable tags will help the city track bin performance and continually improve service. This comes after the city rolled out new gray trash bins in 2025, replacing the old black ones, as part of changes to the city's trash collection model.

The details

The new light blue recycling bins will be delivered to eligible households on their regular trash day, with crews removing the old dark blue bins the same day. With over 225,000 households eligible, the process will take several months. The new bins include scannable tags to help the city track bin performance and return any misplaced bins to their assigned homes.

  • Deliveries of the new recycling bins will begin on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
  • The rollout of the new bins will continue through early fall 2026.

The players

City of San Diego

The local government responsible for implementing the new recycling bin program.

Jeremy Bauer

Assistant director for the City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department.

Andrea Deleon

Deputy director of the City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department's Waste Reduction Division.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited for customers to experience the benefit of these new recycling bins. As with the new gray trash bins, the new recycling bins include scannable tags that will help the city track performance and continually improve service, a key part of our commitment to serving customers better every day.”

— Jeremy Bauer, Assistant director for Environmental Services

“By chipping the bins on site, each truck can carry more material, reducing the number of trips required and lowering overall carbon footprint. Each bin becomes part of a circular process that keeps plastic in use and out of the landfill. When all is said and done, more than 750,000 bins will be recycled.”

— Andrea Deleon, Deputy director of the Waste Reduction Division

What’s next

The city will continue servicing old recycling bins until the new ones have been delivered to all eligible households, which is expected to be completed by early fall 2026.

The takeaway

The new recycling bins are part of San Diego's broader efforts to improve its waste management and recycling services, including the recent rollout of new gray trash bins. The scannable tags on the new bins will help the city track performance and continually enhance its services to residents.