NEW Compost and Recycling Law goes into effect January 1, 2022

On January 1, 2022, California State law (Senate Bill 1383) goes into effect requiring that compostable materials be kept out of landfills. In Pleasanton, the law is implemented under the Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance, through a partnership between the City of Pleasanton, Pleasanton Garbage Service, StopWaste, and the Alameda County Environmental Health Department. It replaces and expands on the Mandatory Composting and Recycling Ordinance that has been in place in Alameda County Since 2012.

What is the new law?

In September 2016, Governor Edmund Brown Jr. set methane emissions reduction targets for California (SB 1383 Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) requires residents and businesses to keep food and other compostable materials out of landfills to help fight climate change. 

• SB 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) is the most significant waste reduction mandate to be adopted in California in the last 30 years.
• SB 1383 requires the state to reduce organic waste [food waste, green waste, paper products, etc.] disposal by 75% by 2025.In other words, the state must reduce organic waste disposal by more than 20 million tons annually by 2025.
• The law also requires that 20% of currently disposed edible food be recovered for human consumption by 2025.
• This has significant policy and legal implications for the state and local governments.

Landfills are the third largest source of methane in California. Organic waste in landfills emits 20% of the state’s methane, a climate super pollutant 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide and ir pollutants like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma.

When compostable materials like food scraps, paper, cardboard, and plant trimmings break down in landfills, they produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas and contributor to climate change. When we dispose of these items in the green cart (food and plant waste) instead of placing them in the garbage, those materials are made into compost – a valuable resource used to grow our food and we reduce methane emissions. 

Pleasanton City Council Actions related to SB1383

• July 2021, the City adopted the SB1383 Action Plan

• October 2021, the City adopted the SB1383 ORRO

INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS

INFORMATION FOR BUSINESSES AND MULIT-FAMILY PROPERTIES 



Resources Available 

More Information

For more information about SB 1383 and the Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance visit www.StopWaste.org/Rules (English) or www.StopWaste.org/Rules-Languages (Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese).

Technical Assistance

Free support is available to help you determine collection service needs, set up indoor color-coded and labeled bins, establish a food donation program, train staff and tenants, and provide other waste reduction support. To request free phone, virtual or in-person assistance, complete StopWaste’s request form at www.StopWaste.org/Request-Help.

Free Indoor Green Bins

To make separating food scraps, food-soiled paper and plant debris easier, StopWaste is offering free containers and lids for the indoor areas of businesses and common areas of multifamily properties. Up to $500 is available per approved site to choose from over 25 container and lid options, offered by two partner vendors. To apply, visit www.Stopwaste.org/Rules-Resources.

Additional Resources

StopWaste offers free bin labels, a sign-maker tool, training videos, and other useful materials to help businesses and multifamily properties comply with the law. Request or download materials at www.StopWaste.org/Rules-Resources. Visit www.StopWaste.org/Rules-Languages for information about the new law in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.