San Antonio apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site property managers: the City of San Antonio has a mandatory multi-family recycling ordinance under City Code Chapter 14 (Solid Waste), including §14-43 “Multi-family recycling”. Every multi-family community is expected to provide residents with convenient on-site recycling service, backed by a decade-plus of policy development, stakeholder work, and inspections by the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD).
Within the City of San Antonio, multi-family properties are required to submit a Multi-Family Recycling Plan, provide on-site recycling containers placed as conveniently as trash, and either contract with a qualified recycling collector or self-haul to a materials recovery facility. Enforcement is through Chapter 14 penalties, which can reach up to $2,000 per violation, per day for sustained non-compliance. In Bexar County outside city limits, there is no separate county-wide apartment recycling mandate, but properties are still regulated under county solid-waste and nuisance rules.
- Mandatory Recycling for Apartments: City of San Antonio requires multi-family properties to give residents convenient access to recycling under Chapter 14, §14-43 and the City’s Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance.
- Plan + Containers + Education: Property managers must maintain an approved recycling plan, keep recycling containers near trash, and provide ongoing resident education.
- Citywide Policy Backbone: The ordinance implemented the City’s 10-Year Recycling and Resource Recovery Plan, adopted by Council in June 2010 to expand recycling to all residents and reach a 60% single-family recycling goal.
- Les Leith as Original Stakeholder: When San Antonio rolled out its first apartment multi-family recycling program in 2011, Les Leith, formerly with Accelerated Waste Solutions and now with National Doorstep, was among the original industry stakeholders supporting property managers, later appearing on the City’s official 2014 multi-family recycling contractor list.
- Hands-Off Compliance: National Doorstep designs valet trash & recycling programs that track to San Antonio’s ordinance requirements so your team can focus on leasing, renewals, and resident experience.
At a Glance: City of San Antonio vs. Bexar County & Region
City of San Antonio (Inside City Limits)
- Mandate Type: Mandatory multi-family recycling for residential multi-family properties.
- Applicability Threshold: City policy and guidance treat multi-family properties with 3+ dwelling units as covered by the program, with phased deadlines based on:
- 300+ units: Plan by April 1, 2011; recycling by July 1, 2011.
- 200–299 units: Plan by July 1, 2011; recycling by October 1, 2011.
- 100–199 units: Plan by October 1, 2011; recycling by January 1, 2012.
- 3–99 units: Plan by January 1, 2012; recycling by April 1, 2012.
Final compliance for all complexes: April 1, 2012. - Small Multi-Family (≤8 units): Owners or property managers of properties with 8 or fewer units may apply to receive and pay for the City’s curbside garbage and recycling service, but they are still expected to provide residents with access to recycling.
- Property Manager Duties: Submit and update a Multi-Family Recycling Plan; provide on-site recycling containers placed as conveniently as garbage containers; contract with a recycling collector or self-haul; maintain clear signage; and educate residents routinely.
- Self-Haul & Hauler Reporting: Property managers or collectors who self-haul must submit an annual report by March 1 documenting units served, tons collected, and the recycling facility used.
- Key City Links:
City of San Antonio – Multi-Family Recycling (Owner/Manager & Hauler Info) · Multi-Family Recycling Guidelines (Property Owners & Managers) · Multi-Family Resident Recycling Checklist · San Antonio Code of Ordinances – Chapter 14 (Solid Waste)
Bexar County & Regional Context
- Mandate Type: No county-wide apartment recycling mandate. Bexar County’s Solid Waste Program focuses on ensuring residents maintain solid-waste pickup and on illegal dumping and nuisance enforcement.
- Applicability: Multi-family properties in unincorporated Bexar County are treated as commercial solid-waste customers under county and state rules. There is no specific county ordinance that requires apartments to provide on-site recycling to residents.
- Program Duties: Maintain adequate trash service; prevent overflow and illegal dumping; comply with any franchise or contract requirements; add recycling voluntarily through private haulers or valet providers.
- Regional Planning: The Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) identifies the City of San Antonio as having a multi-family recycling ordinance and treats it as a model for the region in its Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (2022–2042).
- Key Regional Links:
Bexar County – Solid Waste Program · AACOG Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (2022–2042)
San Antonio Multi-Family Recycling Timeline & Stakeholder History
San Antonio’s multi-family recycling ordinance is rooted in the City’s 10-Year Recycling and Resource Recovery Plan, formally approved by City Council in June 2010. The Plan set key goals:
- Recycling programs for all residents (including those in apartments and other multi-family properties).
- Recycling opportunities for businesses.
- 60% recycling rate target for single-family households.
- Ongoing policy development to support zero-waste goals.
Beginning in June 2009, SWMD coordinated policy and ordinance development with a formal stakeholder group that included:
- San Antonio Apartment Association (SAAA)
- San Antonio Housing Authority – now Opportunity Home San Antonio
- Multi-family property owners and property managers
- Residents at multi-family communities
- Area private waste and recycling haulers
In August 2010, SWMD hosted four community meetings with multi-family property owners and property managers, with more than 200 attendees. On December 9, 2010, City Council adopted the Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance, requiring all multi-family properties in the City of San Antonio to provide recycling for residents.
During the first implementation wave in 2011, Les Leith, formerly with Accelerated Waste Solutions and now with National Doorstep, participated as an original industry stakeholder helping bring doorstep recycling to apartment residents. By 2014, his firm appears as a listed provider in the City’s official Multi-Family Recycling Contractors roster:
Authoritative Ordinance & Policy Documents
- 2010-06-24 Council Resolution – 10-Year Recycling and Resource Recovery Plan
- 2010-11-04 Ordinance – Chapter 14 (Solid Waste) Re-write
- Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance (PDF)
- Multi-Family Recycling Guidelines for Property Owners and Managers
- Steps and Guidelines for Multi-Family Residents
- San Antonio Code of Ordinances – Chapter 14 (Solid Waste, incl. §14-43)
- AACOG Regional Solid Waste Management Plan – Notes San Antonio Multi-Family Ordinance
- Bexar County Solid Waste Program
San Antonio Fines & Penalties Snapshot (Chapter 14)
- Enforcement Authority: The City enforces recycling requirements through Chapter 14, Solid Waste. Authorized enforcement officers (including SWMD staff and code officers) may issue Notices of Violation and pursue municipal citations.
- Misdemeanor & Per-Day Fines: Violations of Chapter 14 may be prosecuted as misdemeanor offenses with fines that can reach up to $2,000 per violation, and each day a violation continues may be treated as a separate offense.
- Chronic Recycling Non-Compliance: For properties that repeatedly fail to provide or manage recycling correctly, the City may:
- Refuse collection of contaminated recycling with no fee reduction.
- Remove recycling containers without reducing regular monthly charges.
- Add additional refuse containers and associated fees.
- Pursue municipal court citations and fines under Chapter 14.
- Who is Cited? Enforcement focuses on the property owner and property manager (and, where applicable, the recycling collector), not individual residents, when program-level duties are not met.
- Risk Management Tip: Keep written recycling plans, hauler contracts, service logs, photos of container areas, and copies of resident education materials. This demonstrates good-faith compliance if a notice or citation is issued.
San Antonio Multi-Family Recycling Compliance Checklist
| Task | Action / Requirement (Property Manager Focus) | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Property Type | Verify that your community is inside the City of San Antonio and qualifies as a multi-family property (3+ dwelling units). If so, the Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance applies, and you must provide residents with convenient access to recycling. |
Multi-Family Recycling – City of San Antonio Code of Ordinances – Chapter 14 |
| ☑ Submit a Multi-Family Recycling Plan | Complete and submit the Multi-Family Recycling Plan – Registration Form. Update the plan whenever ownership, property management, hauler, or container configuration changes. Keep an approved copy on file for inspections and lender/owner due diligence. |
Multi-Family Recycling Guidelines (Plan Instructions) Solid Waste Management Department |
| ☑ Engage a Recycling Collector or Self-Haul | Confirm whether your current waste hauler provides recycling service for multi-family properties. If not, contract with a qualified recycling collector or establish a self-haul program to a certified materials recovery facility. If you self-haul, file the annual report by March 1 (units served, tons collected, facility info). | Multi-Family Recycling – Hauler & Self-Haul Requirements |
| ☑ Design Container Layout & Placement | Provide enough recycling containers to match expected volumes and place them as close as possible to garbage containers so recycling is as convenient as trash. Ensure containers are labeled clearly with accepted materials and kept clean, accessible, and safe for residents and collection trucks. |
Guidelines – Container Sizing & Placement Resident Checklist – Explains Container Locations |
| ☑ Educate Residents & On-Site Teams | Build recycling into move-in packets, renewal conversations, digital portals, and community signage. Explain what can be recycled, where containers are located, how to prepare materials, and who to contact with questions. Train leasing, maintenance, and courtesy staff to reinforce the program and spot contamination issues. |
Guidelines – Education for Staff & Residents SWMD Resource Recovery Team (Training Support) |
| ☑ Document Service & Keep Records | Maintain a compliance file with: approved recycling plan, hauler contracts, invoices, service logs, photos of container areas, contamination notices, and copies of resident communications. This record helps respond to complaints, support inspections, and demonstrate good-faith compliance if fines are considered. | Multi-Family Recycling – Contact & Resources |
Want to stay out of the “up to $2,000 per day” penalty zone? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your San Antonio or Bexar County property. We’ll map your current service against the City of San Antonio’s Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance, design a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program, and build the inspector-ready documentation you need to show alignment with Chapter 14.
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