Statewide Mandatory Organic Waste Collection
SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses, unless they:
- Have an exemption or waiver for low population or high elevation OR
- Choose instead to require people to separate organics, recyclables, and landfill waste that they haul to disposal facilities themselves.
Jurisdiction means a city, county, a city and county, or a special district that provides solid waste collection services.
Jurisdictions can select from a variety of organic waste collection services to match their unique communities and local infrastructure.
This organic waste collection will produce uncontaminated organic feedstock that can be recycled into high-quality, marketable recycled products, including:
- Compost
- Renewable natural gas
- Electricity
- Paper
Jurisdictions will educate all residents and businesses about collection requirements, including what materials to put in curbside bins.
Jurisdictions must provide education specific to their local programs:
- Electronically
- In printed materials and/or
- Through direct outreach.

Organic waste
Organic waste includes food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate, and sludges.
Collection Requirements

Single-Family Home Residents and Multifamily Complexes of Less than 5 Units
- Local programs will share specific rules for their programs.
- Residents must participate in their local organics curbside collection program.
- Residents must sort their organic waste into the correct containers.
- Some jurisdictions allow residents to haul (self-haul) their own organic waste to disposal facilities. Contact your local program for these rules.
Multifamily Residents and Multifamily Complexes
Multifamily complexes of 5 units or more are required to either:
- Participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service OR
- Self-haul organic waste to a specific:
- Composting facility
- Community composting program or
- Other collection activity or program
The multifamily complex property owner or the manager must:
- Provide organic waste collection services for:
- Employees
- Tenants
- Give access to an adequate number, size, and location of containers with correct labels or colors.
- Annually educate employees and tenants on how to properly sort organic waste into the correct bins AND
- Provide new tenants with information within 14 days of occupation of the premises.
*Residents of multifamily complexes must properly sort their organic waste into the correct containers or self-haul organic waste according to local program rules.
Businesses
Businesses are required to either:
- Participate in their jurisdiction’s organics curbside collection service OR
- Self-haul organic waste to a specific:
-
- Composting facility
- Community composting program or
- Other collection activity or program
Note: Businesses also have the right to donate or sell their recyclable materials (Public Resources Code section 41952).
-
- Businesses must place collection containers for organic waste and recyclables in all areas with disposal containers for customers, except restrooms.
- A collection container is not required for materials that a facility does not generate.
- Internal containers must have the required color or labeling.
- If a business uses containers with correct colors, containers inside a facility do not need to be replaced until they no longer function or until January 1, 2036, whichever is first.
- Businesses must:
- Provide organic waste collection services for employees, tenants, contractors, and customers.
- Provide access to an adequate number, size, and location of containers with correct labels or colors.
- Annually educate employees, contractors, customers, and tenants on how to sort organic waste into the correct bins.
- Provide information to new tenants within 14 days of occupation of the premises.
- Educate employees, contractors, tenants, and customers on how to sort organic material into the correct containers to reduce contamination.
- Inspect organic waste containers for contamination.
- Inform employees if containers are contaminated.
- Employees, contractors, tenants, and customers must properly sort organic materials into the correct containers at business sites.
Public Schools and School Districts, State Agencies, Special Districts, and Federal Facilities
- Public schools and school districts, state agencies, special districts, and federal facilities do not fall under a jurisdiction’s authority and must either:
- Subscribe to a collection service that the jurisdiction provides
- Contract for collection service independently OR
- Self-haul organic waste to a specific composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program.
- Jurisdictions must inform these entities of their organic waste recycling requirements.
- Property managers or other administrators must:
- Instruct employees on how to prevent organic waste and sort material into the correct containers.
- Inspect organic waste containers for contamination AND
- Inform employees if containers are contaminated
- Put organic waste and recyclable bins in all areas with disposal containers, except restrooms.
- A collection container is not required for materials that a facility does not generate.
- Make sure containers have required colors or labels.
- If a property manager or administrator currently uses containers with correct colors, containers inside a facility do not need to be replaced until they no longer function or until January 1, 2036, whichever is first.
- Employees must sort organic waste into the correct containers.

Resources for Jurisdictions

Collection Systems, Standardized Bin Colors, and Labels
SB 1383 lets jurisdictions customize collection systems, but requires consistent bin color and labels across California.

Jurisdictions must regularly track contamination and provide feedback on contamination to residents and businesses.

CalRecycle developed model signage, sample franchise agreements, and other tools to help jurisdictions implement their collection requirements.
For more information contact: Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP), Organic Waste Methane Emissions Reductions, SLCP.organics@calrecycle.ca.gov