New Commercial Organics Recycling Law Goes Into Effect Soon

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By Marshalle Graham, CalRecycle (Marshalle.Graham@CalRecycle.ca.gov)

With the passage of AB 1826, new organics recycling requirements will be phased in over several years and will help the state meet its goal of recycling 75 percent of its waste by 2020.

AB 1826 (Chesbro, Chapter 727, Statutes of 2014), which was signed in October 2014, requires businesses to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.

Businesses, including public entities, are required to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.  Organics recycling services often accept a wide variety of organic waste. The law requires that businesses arrange for recycling services for the following types of organic waste:
•    food waste
•    green waste
•    landscape and pruning waste
•    nonhazardous wood waste
•    food-soiled paper

Who Must Comply
The new law states that businesses and multifamily complexes must start recycling organic waste by the following dates:
•    Generators of 8 or more cubic yards of organic waste per week – April 1, 2016
•    Generators of 4 or more cubic yards of organic waste per week – January 1, 2017
•    Generators of 4 or more cubic yards of solid waste per week – January 1, 2019
•    Generators of 2 or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, if statewide disposal of organic waste is not decreased by half – January 1, 2020

By January 1, 2016, all jurisdictions must have organic recycling options in place for businesses and multifamily complexes, and they must conduct outreach and education to those businesses about their organics recycling options. The jurisdictions must subsequently monitor implementation.

How to Comply
Businesses can comply with the new requirements by taking one or any combination of the following actions, provided that the action is in compliance with their local ordinances and requirements:
•    Source-separate organic waste from other waste and subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that specifically includes collection and recycling of organic waste.
•    Recycle organic waste onsite, or self-haul for organics recycling.
•    Subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that includes mixed-waste processing that specifically recycles organic waste.
•    Sell or donate the generated organic waste.  

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