LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA — If you spot someone wearing a safety vest opening your garbage or recycling bins this week, don’t freak out. They may be checking whether you’re throwing things away correctly.
RecycleSmart, the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, is conducting its annual “lid-flip” inspections in Lafayette and other nearby communities during the week of November 2-6, 2026.
The inspections involve workers lifting the lids of residential garbage, recycling and organics carts to visually examine their contents, looking for materials that have been placed in the wrong bin.
In a social media announcement, the City of Lafayette explained that inspectors may be visiting neighborhoods to monitor contamination and help educate residents about proper waste disposal.
“If you put something in the wrong cart, you may receive a ‘cart tag’ explaining what materials or contamination were discovered, and tips for proper sorting,” the announcement said.
What Are Inspectors Looking For?
The inspections are part of California’s efforts to reduce the amount of organic waste ending up in landfills.
Under Senate Bill 1383, local governments are required to conduct annual reviews of waste collection routes to determine whether residents and businesses are properly separating their garbage, recyclables and compostable materials.
According to CalRecycle, these inspections generally involve visually examining selected containers for contamination. Inspectors are not required to open individual garbage bags.
RecycleSmart has conducted similar inspections in Lafayette before. In October 2025, the city announced that contractors from SCS Engineers would examine residential and commercial carts, leaving educational tags when appropriate.
The city also announced a separate round of inspections in April 2026.
This week’s inspections are another reminder that what residents place in their curbside carts may be checked before collection.
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What Happens If You’re Caught Putting Something in the Wrong Bin?
For this week’s inspections, the emphasis is on education rather than punishment.
Residents whose carts contain improperly sorted materials may receive an “Oops” tag identifying the problem and explaining how to correct it. Those sorting their waste properly may receive a “Good Job” tag.
RecycleSmart’s inspection program is intended to identify contamination problems and improve public education, rather than issue immediate fines.
However, Republic Services can decline to empty contaminated carts. Residents whose carts are not collected because of contamination can contact Republic Services at (925) 685-4711.
There is also a separate issue involving overfilled garbage carts.
As Bay Area Telegraph previously reported, Republic Services introduced a $10 fee for certain overfilled landfill carts beginning November 1, 2026, in its RecycleSmart service area.
That fee is separate from the lid-flip inspections and should not be confused with a penalty for receiving an educational sorting tag.
Are You Putting the Right Things in Your Green Bin?
One of the main goals of the inspection program is ensuring that food scraps and other compostable materials stay out of landfills.
According to RecycleSmart’s official green cart guidelines, acceptable materials include:
- Raw and cooked food scraps, including meat, bones, dairy products and leftovers
- Fruits, vegetables, eggshells, bread and pasta
- Yard trimmings, leaves, grass and untreated wood
- Uncoated food-soiled paper, including pizza boxes, paper towels and napkins
- Paper bags and BPI-certified compostable bags
Some items that might seem compostable actually belong in the landfill cart.
These include plastic-coated paper cups, shiny takeout containers, ordinary plastic bags, pet waste and most products marketed as biodegradable plastics.
RecycleSmart also advises residents to keep recyclable containers empty, clean and dry before placing them in the blue cart.
For households looking to make food scrap collection easier, Republic Services offers a free three-gallon kitchen food scraps container once every two years.
Where Else Are Inspections Happening?
RecycleSmart serves Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga and Danville, along with unincorporated communities including Alamo, Blackhawk and Diablo.
The inspections are part of the authority’s broader regional monitoring program, although individual households are not necessarily inspected every year.
Residents may encounter inspection crews in their neighborhoods during the early morning hours.
Anyone with questions about the inspections or proper sorting can visit RecycleSmart.org or call the authority at (925) 906-1801.
