California’s Mandatory Recycling Laws

California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SB 1383)

Per California State Law SB 1383, businesses and multifamily complexes of five units or more are required to either subscribe to and participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service or self-haul organic waste to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program.  For further requirements please see the Statewide Organic Waste Regulations.

For more information on SB 1383 visit the CalRecycle Mandatory Organic Waste Collection website.

Mandatory Recycling California Law (AB 827)

Per California State Law AB 827, MCR and MORe requires businesses, public entities, and Schools to provide organics and recycling containers at front-of-house to collect waste generated from products purchased and consumed on the premises.  These containers must be placed adjacent to trash containers and be visible, easily accessible, and clearly marked.  Full-service restaurants do not have to provide containers for patrons, but must provide containers for employees to separate post-consumer recyclable and organics for customers.

For more information on AB 827 visit the California Legislative Information website. 

MORe:  Mandatory Organics Recycling (AB 1826)

Per California State Law AB 1826, businesses that generate 2 or more cubic yards of waste per week and multi-family properties of 6 units or more are required to recycle their organic waste.  Organic waste includes food waste, food-soiled paper waste, and landscaping waste (grass clippings, tree trimmings, etc.).

For more information on AB 1826 visit the CalRecycle Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling website. 

MCR:  Mandatory Commercial Recycling (AB 341)

Per California State Law AB 341, businesses that generate 4 or more cubic yards of waste a week are required to have recycling services.  All multi-family residences with 5 or more units, regardless of weekly trash generation, are also required to have recycling services.

For more information on AB 341 visit the CalRecycle Mandatory Commercial Recycling website. 

Self-Hauling Organic Waste (Including Landscapers)

Self-haulers may either:

• Separate generated organic waste from non-organic waste on site and haul the organic waste to a solid waste facility operation, activity, or property that processes or recovers the waste; or
• Collect comingled organic waste onsite and haul it to a high-diversion organic waste processing facility.

Businesses that self-haul their organic waste must keep a record of the amount of organic waste delivered to each solid waste facility or activity that recovers it.

 For more information on Organic Hauling Requirements visit the CalRecycle Organic Hauling webpage.

Resources: Prevent Wasted Food Through Source Reduction