What Recology does

Recology is an employee-owned resource recovery company headquartered in San Francisco, California, operating 26 collection subsidiaries that provide integrated waste collection, recycling, and composting services across California, Oregon, and Washington. The company serves more than 2.5 million individuals and over 100,000 commercial customers via municipal government contracts and direct commercial relationships. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and revenue is not broken out in available filings; the business is described in third-party coverage as a billion-dollar sanitation enterprise. Ownership is 100% employee-held, with the workforce largely unionized under Teamsters Local 174 (Washington) and Teamsters Local 350 (California), each having recently ratified multi-year collective bargaining agreements.

The company's core operations encompass curbside residential and commercial collection, single-stream recycling processing at materials recovery facilities (MRFs), organics collection and processing through the Recology Organics division (producing compost, mulch, and soil blends), and specialty services including hazardous waste, e-waste, bulky item pickup, debris boxes, and Waste Zero sustainability consulting. Infrastructure includes dedicated transfer stations such as Metro Central and the Suttle Road MRF in Portland, plus a 47-acre San Francisco facility housing the Artist in Residence Program studio and Environmental Learning Center. Recology has invested heavily in renewable and alternative fuel infrastructure, with over 90% of its fleet powered by RNG or other alternatives, and has piloted North America's first hydrogen fuel cell refuse truck (Hyzon/New Way, August 2024) and deployed a fully integrated electric refuse vehicle (Heil/Autocar, April 2026) in Issaquah, WA.

Revenue mechanics are primarily subscription-like recurring collection contracts, supplemented by retail compost/organics product sales, Waste Zero consulting fees, and RNG fuel production. The company's growth posture is operational and sustainability-led rather than M&A-driven, with the CleanScapes acquisition (2011, rebranded Recology King County) being the only disclosed inorganic move. Its 2024 Sustainability Update reported 1.4 million tons of landfill diversion and a 27% year-over-year increase in composting, signaling continued scaling of resource recovery.

Name

Recology

Legal name

Recology Inc.

Website

https://recology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Recology is an employee-owned resource recovery company operating 26 collection subsidiaries across California, Oregon, and Washington, providing integrated waste collection, recycling, and composting services to over 2.5 million individuals and 100,000+ commercial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Collection (5621), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Recycling Processing (BPALADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycling Transfer & Consolidation (Single-Stream, Dual-Stream, Source-Separated) (EUAIABAC), On-site Recycling Programs (Single-Stream, Source-Separated) (BPABALAB), Hazardous Waste Recycling & Recovery (Solvent Recovery, Oil Re-refining, Metals Recovery) (EUAIAFAI), Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA), Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

Keywords

• Waste collection services
• Recycling services
• Composting services
• Resource recovery
• Municipal solid waste

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Waste Collection Services: Recology provides integrated waste collection, recycling, and composting services to over 2.5 million individuals and more than 100,000 commercial customers in California, Oregon, and Washington through 26 collection companies.
2. Resource Recovery and Recycling: The company focuses on eliminating waste through sustainable resource recovery practices, including composting, recycling, and waste-to-energy solutions. Composting increased 27 percent according to their 2024 Sustainability Update.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Recology provides integrated waste collection, recycling, and composting services to residential, commercial, and municipal customers through 26 local collection companies across California, Oregon, and Washington. The company also operates Materials Recovery Facilities, transfer stations, organic products (compost, mulch, soil blends), hazardous and electronic waste disposal, and produces renewable natural gas from landfill gas.

Product overview

Recology is a resource recovery company offering an integrated suite of waste collection, recycling, composting, and disposal services across the Western United States. The portfolio consists of core collection services (residential, commercial, multi-family), supported by Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and transfer stations for material processing. Value-added services include hazardous waste, electronic waste, bulky item collection, debris boxes, and Waste Zero sustainability consulting for businesses. Recology also operates a products division (Recology Organics) producing Compost, Mulch, and Soil Blends from processed organic waste. Community programs include the Artist in Residence Program and environmental education initiatives. The company leverages renewable natural gas production from landfill gas and operates a growing fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles including electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks. Digital tools include the WhatBin sorting guide and Customer Account Portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waste Collection Services Curbside and container-based solid waste collection for residential households, commercial businesses, multi-family properties, and municipal customers across California, Oregon, and Washington.
• Recycling Services Single-stream and source-separated recycling collection and processing through Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and buy-back centers for residential and commercial customers.
• Composting/Organics Services Food waste and yard debris collection, processing into compost products, and distribution through the Recology Organics division.
• Recology Organics Products Finished Compost, Mulch, and Soil Blends sold to consumers and businesses, produced from collected organic waste streams.
• Bulky Item Collection Curbside pickup service for large items including furniture, appliances, and mattresses that do not fit in standard carts.
• Hazardous Waste Services Collection and proper disposal of household hazardous waste, including paints, pesticides, fluorescent tubes, and consumer batteries.
• Electronic and Universal Waste Services Drop-off and collection services for e-waste including computer monitors, TVs, and other electronic devices prohibited from regular trash disposal.
• Debris Boxes and Containers Temporary and permanent container rentals for construction, demolition, and large-scale waste generation projects.
• Waste Zero Services Sustainability consulting for businesses to improve waste diversion rates through best management practices for recycling, composting, and landfill reduction.
• Street Sweeping Services Municipal street cleaning services provided in conjunction with waste collection in various service territories.
• Special Events Services Waste and recycling services for events, including container provision, collection, and sorting guidance for event organizers.
• Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Production Production and supply of RNG (biomethane) derived from captured landfill gas and organic waste decomposition for use as vehicle fuel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Diverted 1.4 million tons of materials from landfills
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Heil Co. and Autocar, LLCcoreTechnology or Integration · 28 April 2026Heil Co. and Autocar, LLC announced delivery of a jointly developed fully integrated electric refuse collection vehicle to Recology for service in Issaquah, WA. The vehicle combines Autocar's E-ACX all-electric chassis with Heil's RevAMP electric automated side loader body, creating a fully integrated electric refuse platform with no hydraulics on route. Recology will use this truck to evaluate real-world zero-emission performance.
• Clean Energy Fuels Corp.coreTechnology or Integration · 6 March 2026Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced an expanded service agreement with Recology for renewable natural gas (RNG) supply and operations and maintenance. The partnership provides RNG fueling infrastructure for Recology's fleet, supporting their sustainability targets through clean, domestically produced alternative fuels.
• Hyzon and New Way TruckscoreTechnology or Integration · 26 August 2024Recology tested North America's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse collection truck, built by Hyzon and New Way Trucks, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle was showcased at a Clean Energy event demonstrating zero-emission waste collection technology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Rumpke Consolidated Companies: Family-owned waste and recycling services provider serving Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia. Closely comparable to Recology as a private, family/employee-influenced operator with integrated collection, MRF, and landfill operations.
• Casella Waste Systems: Northeast U.S. regional waste, recycling, and resource management company with vertically integrated collection and processing. Similar operating model to Recology but operating in different geographies.
• EDCO Disposal Corporation: Southern California family-owned waste and recycling hauler with residential and commercial collection plus MRF operations. Comparable to Recology in scale, ownership structure (private/family), and integrated service mix within a defined region.

Direct peers

• Athens Services: Southern California-based integrated waste and recycling company serving residential, commercial, and municipal customers. Direct competitor to Recology across the LA Basin with overlapping organics, recycling, and collection services.

Broad incumbents

• Republic Services: Second-largest U.S. solid waste and recycling company, offering integrated collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services. Closely comparable to Recology in service mix and municipal contract focus, with broader geographic reach.
• Stericycle: Provider of regulated waste and compliance services including medical, hazardous, and document destruction. Overlaps with Recology's hazardous waste and e-waste service lines but is more specialized in regulated streams.
• Clean Harbors: Leading North American provider of hazardous waste management and environmental services. Comparable to Recology's hazardous waste disposal line, but focused exclusively on industrial/chemical waste rather than MSW.
• Waste Connections: Third major North American waste services platform with strong presence in secondary and tertiary markets, providing collection, recycling, and disposal. Comparable business model to Recology with focus on non-urban and growth markets.
• GFL Environmental: Large Canadian-based waste and environmental services company with growing U.S. footprint across collection, recycling, and organics. Directly comparable to Recology in integrated service offering and municipal/industrial customer mix.
• Waste Management, Inc. Largest North American waste and environmental services company, providing collection, recycling, and disposal services. Directly comparable to Recology in residential and commercial collection, MRFs, and transfer stations, but at vastly greater national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RecologyWZ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Recologize
• Facebookfacebook.com/Recology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recology
• Instagraminstagram.com/recology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries28 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recology