Organics Law
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling
Assembly Bill 1826 was signed by Governor Brown on September 28, 2014. It places requirements on businesses, multi-family premises, and jurisdictions to divert organic waste from landfills. Organic waste means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste.
Organic waste accounts for approximately 40% of the material in landfills that Californians dispose of annually. Most organic waste is recyclable through methods such as composting, mulching, and anaerobic digestion. Recycling organic waste not only saves our valuable landfill space, but also creates green jobs.
Overview of AB 1826 Requirements:
Obligations for organics recycling began in 2016 and ramping up over a 5 year period as summarized below.
| Deadline | Requirements for Businesses and Multi-family Premises |
|---|---|
| April 1, 2016 | Businesses with 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week* |
| January 1, 2017 | Business with 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week* |
| January 1, 2019 | Businesses with 4 cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week* |
| January 1, 2020 | Business with 2 cubic yards of commercial solid waste** per week* |
*”Businesses” includes multi-family premises with 5 units or more that generate the threshold amount of waste. However, multi-family properties are not required to recycle food waste only landscaping/green waste.
**Applicable only if CalRecycle determines by January 1, 2020, that the statewide disposal of organic waste has not been reduced to 50% of the 2014 disposal level.
The City of Garden Grove, in partnership with Republic Services, established a source separated organics recycling program that is available to all Garden Grove businesses and multi-family complexes that meet the thresholds of AB 1826. To find out if your business qualifies for the program, simply contact Republic Services at (714) 238-3300.
If your multi-family complex falls under the thresholds AB 1826 and already diverts green waste through the use of a landscape service please report this information directly to Republic Services by calling (714) 238-3300. Be prepared to supply your landscaper’s information and if possible, the facility they deliver the landscape materials to.
In the meantime, checkout the following resources to learn how you can start saving money and reducing food waste today!
- https://www.wastenotoc.org/
- https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food
- http://www.foodfinders.org/food-donations/
- https://foodfinder.us/
Visit https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/commercial/organics to learn more about the State of California’s Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law.