Californians are now required by law (S.B. 1383) to separate organic waste out of their trash and add that waste to their previously named green waste cart. This law targets removing food waste, and organic material as a whole, from landfills. Organic material in landfills are attributed for generating 20% of the State’s methane according to the CalRecycle, the State’s solid waste governing agency. Additionally, CalRecycle has found that organic waste makes up half of all waste that is dumped in landfills.
Residential Organic Waste
Residential Organic Waste Recycling
For Residents of Galt, Woodbridge and Rancho Murieta.
*Residents of Rancho Murieta should continue to use their GRAY organic waste cart*
How you handle food waste in your kitchen is up to you. There are many different options for collecting and disposing of food waste in your Organic Waste cart, so test different methods and see what works best for your lifestyle!
Benefits of Sorting Food Waste
- Compliance with state and local laws
- Maintaining a clean refrigerator and freezer
- Monitoring and lowering grocery bills
- Potentially downsizing your trash cart
When to Collect Food Waste
- Preparing meals
- Cleaning up after meals
- Cleaning out the refrigerator, freezer or pantry
Containers to Collect Food Waste
- Old plastic containers or empty food containers
- Home composting systems
- Kitchen pales: countless options available through amazon or a local hardware store
NOT ACCEPTED MATERIALS
- Plastic bags are not allowed in organics carts. If you choose to use a plastic bag to collect food waste in the kitchen the bag must be emptied and thrown away in the trash cart.
- Plastics marketed as “bio-degradable”, “compostable”, or “eco-friendly” are not allowed in organics carts.
Senate Bill 1383 – Short Lived Climate Pollutants
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.
