SB 1383 Fighting Climate Change

Fighting Climate Change by Recycling Organic Waste

Organic waste accounts for more than a third of the material in California’s waste stream. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by the decomposition of organic material in landfills contribute to global climate change. Reducing the amount of organic material sent to landfills is part of the AB 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) Scoping Plan, is fundamental to ARB’s Short Lived Climate Pollutant strategy, and is one of California’s strategies for reaching the statewide 75 percent recycling goal. Collecting and processing organic materials, particularly food, is also the focus of AB 1826, which mandates such efforts beginning April 1, 2016.

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.

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.

New Statewide Mandatory Organic Waste Collection

Beginning in 2022, SB 1383 requires every jurisdiction to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses.

Single-Family Home Residents and Multi-Family Complexes of Less than Five Units

         • Residents are required to subscribe to and participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service.

         • Residents are required to properly sort their organic waste into the correct containers.

         • Some jurisdictions will allow residents to self-haul their organic waste. If this is the case, the jurisdiction will provide information about the                 requirements for self-hauling.

Multi-Family Residents and Multi-Family Complexes (5 units or more)

         • Residents of multifamily complexes must properly sort their organic waste into the correct containers.

         • Multifamily complexes of five units or more are required to either:

            1. To subscribe to and participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service OR

            2. To self-haul organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program.

    The following activities would be conducted by the multifamily complex property owner or the manager:

         • Multifamily complexes are required to provide organic waste collection services for:  Employees and Tenants

          • They must supply and allow access to an adequate number, size, and location of containers with the correct labels or container colors.

         • They must also:

            1. Annually educate employees and tenants on how to properly sort organic waste into the correct bins, AND

            2. Provide information to new tenants within 14 days of occupation of the premises.

Business

         • Businesses are required to either:

           1. Subscribe to and participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service OR

           2. Self-haul organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program.

         • Businesses must provide collection containers for organic waste and recyclables in all areas where disposal containers are provided for                    customers, except in restrooms.

    However, if a business does not generate any of the materials that would be collected in a specific container, then it does not have to provide            that particular container.

         • Internal containers must conform to the proper color requirements or labeling requirements.

    If a business chooses to use containers that are the correct color, internal containers do not need to be replaced until they are no longer                    functional or until January 1, 2036, whichever comes first.

         • To reduce contamination, businesses must provide education to employees, contractors, tenants, and customers regarding how to properly              sort organic material into the correct containers.

                 Businesses must periodically:

                    Inspect organic waste containers for contamination

                    Inform employees if containers are contaminated

                    Instruct employees about how to properly sort material into the correct containers.

         • Businesses must provide organic waste collection services for Employees, Tenants, Contractors and Customers.

         • They must supply and allow access to an adequate number, size, and location of containers with the correct labels or container colors.

         • They must also

            Annually educate employees, contractors, customers, and tenants on how to properly sort organic waste into the correct bins, AND

            Provide information to new tenants within 14 days of occupation of the premises.

         • Employees, contactors, tenants, and customers must properly sort organic materials into the correct containers at business establishments.

Public Schools and School Districts, State Agencies, Special Districts and Federal Facilities

         • Public schools and school districts, state agencies, special districts, and federal facilities do not fall under a jurisdiction’s authority and must              either:

             1. Subscribe to a collection service that the jurisdiction provides

             2. Contract for collection service independently OR

             3. Self-haul organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program.

         • Jurisdictions will provide information to these entities regarding their requirements for recycling organic waste.

         • Property managers or other administrators must educate employees about organic waste prevention and how to properly sort materials into             correct containers.

               Property managers and administrators must periodically:

                     Inspect organic waste containers for contamination

                     Inform employees if containers are contaminated AND

                     Instruct employees how to properly sort material into the correct containers.

         • Property managers or administrators must provide containers for organic waste and recyclables in all areas where disposal containers are               provided, except in restrooms.

               However, if an entity does not generate any of the type of material collected in a specific container, then the property management or                       administrator does not have to provide that type of internal container.

         • Containers must conform to the proper color or labeling requirements.

               If a property manager or administrator chooses to use containers that are the correct color, internal containers do not need to be replaced                 until they are no longer functional or until January 1, 2036, whichever comes first. They can adhere correct labels to existing internal                         containers to comply with SB 1383.

         • Employees of these entities must properly sort their organic waste into the correct containers.