Local Government Disaster Debris Disposal Information

Previous Procedures related to Disposal Waste Modifications by Jurisdictions are available upon request.

Disaster and Class II Disposal Waste

Under previous reporting in the Disposal Reporting System (DRS) system, all disaster debris and designated waste (a.k.a Class II waste) was reported in the mixed solid waste (MSW) disposal stream and appeared in the Default Reporting-Year Disposal Amount tons in the Electronic Annual Report (EAR) for the purposes of calculating an annual per capita disposal rate. Jurisdictions could submit a report-year disposal modification certification and sufficient documentation of the waste to receive a disposal reduction credit that may be applied to reduce the annual calculated per capita rate.

Beginning with the start of Recycling and Disposal Reporting System (RDRS), reporting by disposal facilities on July 1, 2019, disaster debris and designated waste outflows are reported separately from MSW disposal (“Disposal” – Resources Code – PRC 40192).

Therefore, disposal modification requests for this disposal type should not be submitted or tracked by jurisdiction reporters since they should no longer be included in Default Reporting-Year Disposal Amount tons total for the purposes of calculating an annual per capita disposal rate.

If a jurisdiction believes these types of waste have been included in the disposal total, they should contact the reporting facilities to have RDRS updated.

Jurisdictions impacted by any disaster should still make maximum efforts to recycle, reuse, or otherwise divert from disposal as much of the debris and other non-hazardous waste received by the solid waste facility as possible.

See California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, Division 7, Chapter 9, Article 9, section 18794.2 (g)(2).

  • Verify that the claimed disaster is a declared disaster or public emergency – that is, a local emergency or a state of emergency has been duly proclaimed.
    • A state of emergency can only be proclaimed by the Governor.
    • A local emergency may be proclaimed only by the governing body of a city, county, or city and county or by an official designated by ordinance adopted by that governing body.
    • Chapter 14 of the disaster plan provides additional details on who may duly proclaim a disaster.

Visit the CalRecycle Disaster Debris Recovery Operations page for more detailed information for homeowners, contractors, and debris removal operations.

If you have additional questions about local government’s role in managing disaster debris or RDRS reporting changes, contact RDRS@calrecycle.ca.gov or your CalRecycle Local Assistance Representative.