SB 1383

Organics/Food Waste Recycling is now required for all commercial locations

Presentation of the City of Galt Organics Recycling Implementation

Fighting Climate Change by Recycling Organic Waste

In September 2016, Governor Edmund Brown Jr. set methane emissions reduction targets for California (SB 1383 Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP). The targets must:

• Reduce organic waste disposal 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025.
• Rescue for people to eat at least 20% of currently disposed surplus food by 2025.

Landfills Are Third Largest Source of Methane in California. Organic waste in landfills emits:

• 20% of the state's methane, a climate super pollutant 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
• Air pollutants like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma.

Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills.

Reducing Short-Lived Climate Super Pollutants like organic waste will have the fastest impact on the climate crisis.

Please visit Cal Recycle's website for more details.
https://calrecycle.ca.gov/Organics/SLCP/collection/

Alternative Organic Material Recyclers

1.  Third-Party Recycler: The business contracts with a recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and recycles all generated organic material. This may include landscapers who recycle your green waste/landscape trimmings. All contracts between the business and each alternative service recycler must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
2. Self-Haul: The business contracts with a recycler, who is not a franchised hauler, who collects and recycles all generated organic material. This may include landscapers who recycle your green waste/landscape trimmings. All contracts between the business and each alternative service recycler must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
3. Backhaul: The business hauls its organic materials back to a central or corporate location to be collected for recycling. Contracts or other proof of evidence must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
4. Shared Container: The business places its organic materials in another business organic material recycling container to be recycled. Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the organic recycling collection service contract must be retained on-site for verification during inspection. 

Waivers - Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form

20 Gallons or Less Waiver: If your business has a total solid waste service of two (2) or more cubic yards per week and the business generates less than 20 gallons of organic material per week, the business may apply for a 20-Gallon or Less Waiver.

10 Gallons or Less Waiver: If your business has a total solid waste service of less than two (2) cubic yards per week and the business generates less than 10 gallons of organic material per week, the business may apply for a 10-Gallon or Less Waiver.

Important: To request a waiver, separate your organic material from your garbage into a bucket for at least a week and measure how much material is collected. Your findings will need to be submitted in the waiver request.

Businesses who sell or produce food are ineligible to receive a 10-Gallon or 20-Gallon or Less Waiver. These include, but are not limited to, restaurants, theaters, hotels, schools, event centers, gas stations, and coffee shops.* 

Physical Space Waiver (not commonly used):

If the business does not have adequate space for an organic material container, complete the Physical Space Waiver portion on the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. Note: Supporting documents are required as evidence that the business does not have space for a 64-gallon cart (25" wide X 32" deep X 42" high).

*Ineligible Businesses (10 or 20 Gallon Organics Recycling)

The following businesses are ineligible for a 10 or 20 Gallon or Less Waiver:

Mandatory Commercial Recycling

The State of California now requires all businesses and all multi-family residential dwellings with five or more units, to meet state mandates for diverting recyclables from landfill disposal in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Who must comply?

All businesses, non-residential properties, multi-family properties (with five or more units), and single-family residential properties managed by an association or other organization are required to implement an on-site recycling program.

How to comply with program requirements:

Keep recyclable materials separate from your trash. This includes; paper, newspaper, magazines, junk mail, cardboard, plastic containers, aluminum and tin containers, colored and clear glass containers. To learn more about acceptable/unacceptable items and how they must be prepared for recycling, please contact California Waste Recovery.

Educate employees and/or tenants about the recycling program.

All recyclables must be collected and delivered to a recycling facility by one of the following:

1. Contact California Waste for the collection of recyclables; or
2. Self-haul recyclable materials to an appropriate facility. For this option, you must retain your receipts for on-site verification during inspection or complete and retain onsite a Self-Haul Recycling Form. 
3. Backhaul recyclable materials to a central or corporate location to be collected for recycling. Contracts or other proof of evidence must be retained on-site for verification during the inspection.
4. Shared Containers: The business places their recyclable material in another business’ recycling container and a copy of the recycling collection service contract must be retained on-site for verification during inspection; or, Provide designated recycling containers inside your business and post signs describing recyclable items.

 Physical Space Waiver (not commonly used) - If the business does not have adequate space for a recycling material container, complete the Physical Space Waiver portion on the Recycling Compliance Form. Note: Supporting documents are required as evidence that the business does not have space for a 96-gallon cart.

Organic material can be diverted from landfills into composting and anaerobic digestion facilities where it is transformed into rich soil amendments and biofuel. California is aiming to reduce the amount of organic waste by 50 percent by 2020 and by 75 percent by 2025. In order to achieve this target, AB 1826 (Chesbro, Chapter 727, Statutes of 2014) requires commercial businesses to arrange for organic waste recycling services if they generate 4 cubic yards of solid waste per week.