Mandatory Commercial Recycling - AB 341

The commercial sector generates nearly three fourths of the waste in California much of which is recyclable. The Mandatory Recycling Law (AB 341) states that businesses, including public entities, generating four cubic yards or more of commercial  solid waste per week or a multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more shall arrange for recycling services starting July 1, 2012. Businesses can take one or any combination of the following to divert solid waste from disposal: self-haul, subscribe to a hauler(s), arrange for the pickup of recyclable materials, and/ or subscribe to a recycling service that may include mixed waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation. Visit the CalRecycle website for more information about the Mandatory Recycling Law.

Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling AB 1826

Recyclable organic waste accounts for about 40 percent of the material Californians dispose in landfills annually. In order for California to achieve its aggressive recycling and waste diversion goals it must recycle its organic waste. The Mandatory Organics Recycling Law (AB 1826) requires that businesses arrange for recycling services for the following types of organic waste: food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper. Multifamily complexes must arrange for recycling services for the same material with the exception of food waste and food-soiled paper. Most organic waste is recyclable through methods such as composting, mulching, and anaerobic digestion. Organic recycling services often accept a wide variety of different types of organic waste.
The requirement to recycle organic waste can be met by taking one or any combination of the following actions, provided that the action is in compliance with local ordinances and requirements.

1. Source-separate organic waste from other waste and subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that specifically includes collection and recycling of organic waste.
2. Recycle organic waste on-site, or self-haul organic waste for organic recycling.
3. Subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that includes mixed-waste processing that specifically recycles organic waste.
4. Sell or donate the generated organic waste.

Businesses and multifamily complexes must start recycling organic waste by the following dates:

• April 1, 2016 – generators of 8 or more cubic yards of organic waste per week;
• January 1, 2017 – generators of 4 or more cubic yards of organic waste per week;
• January 1, 2019 – generators of 4 or more cubic yards of solid waste per week;
• January 1, 2020 – generators of 2 or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, if statewide disposal of organic waste is not decreased by half.

To learn more about commercial organics recycling please visit the CalRecycle website