By Jan. 1, 2010, the recycling ordinance will cover all homes and businesses in the city. The few exceptions will include those for sites that generate very little waste and places with extremely tight space restrictions.

Under the new regulations, property owners and managers must offer recycling for plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, newspapers, metal containers and cardboard. Their facilities must have areas designated for recycling bins and signs that explain what should be recycled.

Grealy and the city's Environmental Services Department are taking a low-key approach to enforcement, saying they plan to educate laggards before they start issuing penalties. The ordinance calls for fines or misdemeanor charges for violators.

City officials won't know for sure whether their latest mandate is effective until August, when the first major batch of reports will be submitted by recycling companies and property managers.

As of Thursday, San Diego officials said they haven't received any applications seeking waivers from the new rules. They said phone calls from people seeking assistance with establishing recycling programs have more than tripled in recent months.

Mandatory recycling will help the bottom line for large businesses and housing complexes, San Diego officials say.

“Replacing three trash (bins) with recycling (bins) at a typical large apartment complex can save an estimated $1,500 per year,” said Chris Gonaver, director of the city's Environmental Services Department.

One challenge for some landlords is space.

“Not all multifamily properties were built with recycling in mind. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice parking to fit a recycling bin,” said Michelle Miller, spokeswoman for the San Diego County Apartment Association.

But Miller said the association's members haven't complained about the space issue.

She praised the city for setting the rules so that landlords are responsible for providing recycling bins but aren't liable if residents don't recycle.

Many commercial property owners already had recycling bins, but the new law has pushed them to educate tenants, said Craig Benedetto, spokesman for the San Diego Building Owners and Managers Association.

“It's going as smoothly as it can go,” he said. “We're happy it is going forward. It's good for the community and good for the environment.”

It's also good for recycling companies such as Express Waste & Recycling in Sorrento Valley.

“I have had a lot of phone calls from people just asking us to come to their office and explain to them how they can start a recycling program,” said Kristan Cliggett, a recycling specialist with the company.

Others have called to ask how they can increase participation, for instance, among tenants in a business park. Cliggett said most commercial buildings and multifamily complexes can accommodate recycling bins with little hassle.

“It's normally really easy,” Cliggett said.