California passed Senate Bill 1383 in 2016 that set reduction targets for methane emissions in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP).  The targets must:

• Reduce organic waste disposal 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025.
• Rescue for people to eat at least 20% of currently disposed surplus food by 2025.

The state has assessed that landfills are the third largest source of methane.  According to CalRecycle, the state’s enforcement agency for solid waste, 20% of the state’s methane emissions come from landfills.  Organic materials like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills.

Senate Bill 1383 states that starting in 2022, all jurisdictions need to provide organic waste collection services to all businesses.