Removing organic material (compostables) from the landfill is not only a top priority for Marin Sanitary Service, it is an essential step toward achieving California’s recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals. Not only does proper disposal of organic materials produce a soil amendment for California farmers, it also has an impact on reducing greenhouse gases. When organic material like food waste is landfilled, it breaks down anaerobically, creating methane and other greenhouse gases that leak from landfills and contribute to climate change.

Assembly Bill 1826 requires California businesses, including public entities, and multifamily complexes of five (5) units or more to recycle their organic waste depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.

The requirements are slightly different for businesses and multifamily complexes. If you are looking for information about commercial business requirements, visit our Commercial Laws page.

The law’s tiered implementation schedule phases in requirements over time based on the amount and type of organics or waste produced on a weekly basis.

• January 1, 2017: Multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five (5) or more units that generate four (4) cubic yards of non-food organic waste (green waste, landscape and pruning waste and nonhazardous wood waste) per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services.
• January 1, 2019: Multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five (5) or more units that generate four (4) cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services.
• Summer 2021: If CalRecycle determines that the statewide disposal of organic waste in 2020 has not been reduced by 50 percent of the level of disposal during 2014, the organic recycling requirements on businesses will expand to cover businesses that generate two cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week.