What Pasadenans Need to Know About California’s New Composting Law

Pasadena residents were required to bag their food waste and put it into the existing green waste container starting on January 1 as the City launches a new mandatory Food Waste Recycling Program in accordance with California’s new composting law, SB 1383.

In a letter sent out earlier, the City reminded residents about its new Food Waste Recycling Program, and advised them to not place food waste directly into the green waste container “in order to prevent green waste contamination and avoid additional processing costs.”

“Clear plastic bags are recommended but not required and are available at local retailers and online sales outlets.” the letter said. “Organic waste is mainly comprised of food scraps and yard waste such as landscape waste, green waste and pruning waste.”

The city also issued a revised list of of organic waste which may be placed into resident’s green waste containers for collection:

• Grass clippings

• Leaves

• Weeds

• Pruning

• Flowers

• Other yard waste

• Bagged food waste (i.e. Food scraps, including: fruit, bread, fish, meat, vegetables and dairy)

The letter said waste collection days will not change.

The City, through the Department of Public Works, said residents should also consider composting their food waste, if they haven’t done so yet, to help with reducing methane emissions. Compost bins are available to community members at a cost of $56.

As food waste accounts for approximately 17 to18 percent of total landfill disposal, increasing food waste prevention, encouraging edible food rescue, and expanding the composting and in-vessel digestion of organic waste will help reduce methane emissions from organic waste disposed of in California’s landfills.

The City, through the Department of Public Works, said residents should also start composting their food waste, if they haven’t done so yet, to help with reducing methane emissions. Compost bins are available to community members at a cost of $56.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 1383 in 2016 establishing methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) in various sectors of the state’s economy. The law also laid out plans to achieve a 50-percent reduction in the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020 and a 75-percent reduction by 2025.

On January 1, CalRecycle, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, starts implementing regulations to meet the organic waste reduction targets for 2020 and 2025.

For more information on purchasing a compost bin, visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-works/recycling-resources/mulch-compost-recycling/ordering-compost-bins.

Residents who wish to learn how to compost organic waste may check a guide on properly composting through this link:  www.cityofpasadena.net/public-works/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/Compost-Presentation.pdf?v=1640639020655.

In order to reduce food waste disposal, the City also encourages donating excess edible food instead of throwing them into the trash bin. More information can be found on this online guide from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/LACFRI/donate-surplus-food.htm.