SB 1383: STATE ORGANICS LAW
Quick Links:
- If you would like to enroll in composting, contact Recology here.
- If you would like to apply for a waiver, contact RethinkWaste here.
WHAT IS SB 1383?
SB 1383 is a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (such as methane from landfills) and combat climate change. SB 1383 sets the following targets:
- Reduce the amount of organic waste going to landfills by 50% by 2020 and by 75% by 2025.
- Rescue at least 20% of edible food that is currently going to landfills.
Organic waste includes food and food- or beverage-soiled paper products, landscape trimmings and yard waste, lumber, cardboard, paper products, and other plant and animal based products.
In San Mateo County, 71% of waste landfilled is organic material. When organic waste breaks down in landfills it produces methane, a potent climate super pollutan. The good news is that organic waste can be turned into compost instead - a beneficial resource for soil and agriculture.
SB 1383 aims to divert organic waste from the landfill, reduce methane emissions, and help achieve California's climate goals. SB 1383 expands upon the requirements of AB 341: Mandatory Commercial Recyclin and AB 1826: Mandatory Commercial Organics.
SB 1383 REQUIREMENTS
All residents and businesses will need to comply with SB 1383. Everyone will be required to divert their organic waste from the landfill through composting.
What does this mean for residents?
All residents living in single-family homes in the RethinkWaste Service Area are automatically provided curbside organics (compost/green cart) service. Residents must compost all organic waste in their green bins. If you do not have compost service, please contact Recology San Mateo County to enroll.
What does this mean for businesses?
If you own a business or apartment/condo complex (of five units or more), you are required* to:
- Enroll in a composting service (or self-haul to a specified composting facility or program and maintain records of the amount of materials delivered to the facility or program)
- Provide labeled collection bins for organic waste and recyclables next to trashcans for employees, tenants, and customers
- Provide educational information annually about the legal requirements to compost and recycle, including how to properly sort between the trash, recycling, and organics waste streams (RethinkWaste and Recology San Mateo County can provide educational materials for your employees)
To enroll in a composting service, contact Recology San Mateo County.
*Commercial businesses may be granted a waiver and exempted from some or all requirements of SB 1383 if they can provide documentation and evidence to support one of the waiver options. More information about waivers can be found on the RethinkWaste Organics Collection Waiver Application page.
Edible Food Recovery Program
Edible food recovery is the act of diverting surplus edible food from businesses, organizations, or events that otherwise would have been disposed of for consumption by members of our community. If you are a large, food-generating business or organization, you have new edible food recovery requirements under SB 1383. SB 1383 requires cities to enforce a food recovery program requiring large food-service businesses, like grocery stores, restaurants, and hotels, to donate surplus edible food to food recovery organizations. Edible food generators must arrange to recover the maximum amount of their edible food that would otherwise go to landfills.
The good news is that Redwood City has joined with San Mateo County’s 22 other jurisdictions to create one countywide edible food recovery program to help all affected businesses and organizations meet their new mandatory requirements. This program is managed by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability and has recovered millions of pounds of food to date!
Visit https://www.smcsustainability.org/generator-edible-food-recovery-requirements to learn if your business has new edible food recovery requirements, to find more information on the countywide program, and to access resources available to help you comply.
Waste Partners
SB 1383 requires expansive changes in waste collection and will significantly impact how organic waste is handled in California. Fortunately in Redwood City, our waste partners will assist the City in being compliant with SB 1383.
- RethinkWaste, our waste management authority, is managing overall compliance with SB 1383 on behalf of Redwood City, including: record keeping, contract management with Recology, and outreach and education.
- Recology, our waste hauler, is working to enroll all residents and businesses with a composting program.
- County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability is developing an edible food recovery program for the City and assist with outreach and enforcement.
Procure Recovered Organics Products
SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to support organic recycling by committing to divert and procure organic products. SB 1383 regulations call for Redwood City to:
- Purchase a specified amount of compost, mulch, or biogas annually
- Purchase recycled-content paper when purchasing paper
- Comply with the State's Construction and Demolition Ordinance which requires that 60% of construction debris, like lumber, be diverted from the landfill
- Comply with the State's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance which requires that compost and mulch be used in landscaping
Education and Outreach
Redwood City is working with its waste partners on a coordinated outreach effort to educate residents and businesses on SB 1383 and composting.
Compliance and Enforcement
SB 1383 will begin to be enforceable in 2024. When enforcement starts in 2024, the City will be authorized to penalize entities that do not comply with SB 1383.
More Information