California’s Climate Progress on SB 1383

Most California Communities Have Organic Collection and Food Recovery Programs

California’s climate crisis gives no time to delay cutting organic waste pollution. 

Organic waste recycling has taken off in California as a vital part of our climate fight:

  • Residents in most communities have organic waste collection.
  • Businesses invested millions in this growing green industry.

3 MILLION CARS

worth of climate pollution
will be cut
by reaching SB 1383’s
recycling and food rescue targets

Progress Since January 2022 Implementation

%

of jurisdictions with requirements for collection report having residential organics collection.*

471 out of 523 jurisdictions without rural or low population waivers report having residential organics collection.
Additionally, 23% (22 out of 95) of those with rural or low population waivers report having residential organics collection.

California Sends Unsold Food to People in Need

  • 2.5 billion meals worth of potentially-donatable food is landfilled a year. 
  • This could help feed millions of the 1 in 5 Californians without enough to eat.

%

of California communities have expanded programs to send still-fresh,
unsold food from large food businesses to Californians in need.

  • 217,042 tons of unsold food was recovered by local programs in 2023.
    • 94% of the 2025 target of 231,476 tons.

About 700 million unsold meals went to Californians in need since
food recovery rules started in 2022.

California Cut 2 Million Tons of Organic Waste Before 1383 Took Effect

2 million tons of organic waste a year was already cut between 2018 to 2021, even before most communities launched their organic waste programs when the law took effect on January 1, 2022.

California now has 206 organic waste processing facilities and is building 20 more.

CalRecycle investments in SB 1383 infrastructure:

  • Grants: $466 million
  • Loans: $21.3 million

126 Jurisdictions Were Given More Time to Comply

126 jurisdictions gained more time to reach compliance with all SB 1383 rules by using
the SB 619 process passed by the Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021.

Rural and Low Population Jurisdictions Have Ways to Navigate New Rules

*154 local governments have waivers or exemptions for SB 1383 collection
requirements based on being rural, having low population or an elevation waiver.
In 2027, rural communities can apply for a low-population waiver.

Rural areas without a low enough population for a waiver can pass a self-haul ordinance and ensure that self-hauled waste sorts into organics, recyclable, and landfill categories.

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CalRecycle's Organics Recycling Campaign

CalRecycle provided educational resources, public service announcements, and 5 web trainings for how to use them.

The organics recycling PSAs ran in every town with organic waste collection in 2022.

California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy

For more information, contact the Office of Public Affairs at OPA@calrecycle.ca.gov