Current Recycling and Organics Requirements and Changes in 2022 for Multi-family Residential Complexes

The City of Palm Springs Office of Sustainability and Palm Springs Disposal Services (PSDS) held an informative webinar on New Waste Management Requirements for Multi-Family Residential Complexes on Thursday, September 23, 2021. View the presentation HERE or watch the recorded video HERE.

The State of California adopted regulations in November 2020 to implement the requirements of SB 1383 to reduce landfill emissions resulting from food waste and green/landscape waste being sent to landfills. Starting January 1, 2022, this new law changes the existing requirements for multi-family residential complexes to require that you collect and appropriately manage food waste from residents in addition to green/landscape waste. 

The law also lowers the “de minimis” threshold to 20 gallons of organics per week from the current threshold of a half cubic yard of material per week. This means that it is unlikely that your complex can avoid these requirements because of limited waste generation. 

This has several implications for owners and managers of multi-family residential complexes:
     • You must subscribe to organics management services from Palm Springs Disposal Services or self-           haul your organic materials to an appropriate composting or green waste management facility.
     • You must make room for carts or bins for your residents to use for collection of food waste, even if           you are contracting with a landscaper to manage your green waste.
     • You may need to expand your trash enclosures to accommodate all three waste streams – trash,               organics, and recycling.

These new State requirements have been incorporated into our municipal code as of January 9, 2022. If you have questions about these requirements, please contact Tracy Sheldon at tracy.sheldon@palmspringsca.gov or 760-323-8248.  If you would like to set up a time to assess your property for waste disposal options, please contact Mayra Gonzalez at Palm Springs Disposal at Mayra@palmspringsdisposal.com or 760-327-1351 x 322.

Click HERE to view the letter which was mailed on September 2, 2021. 

Assembly Bill 341 made recycling mandatory for all businesses that generate four or more cubic yards of waste per week.  All Palm Springs’ businesses and multifamily dwellings that generate this amount of waste per week and do not already have a recycling service should contact Palm Springs Disposal Services as soon as possible to subscribe to a recycling service.  If you are unsure if you meet this waste threshold, Palm Springs Disposal Services can assist you in clarifying the amount of waste generated on-site to determine if you need to subscribe.

Assembly Bill 1826 requires businesses that generate organic waste materials to separate the material for composting. Organic waste includes food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, clean wood waste and food-soiled paper.  These organic requirements are essentially replaced by SB 1383 requirements, which are described above. If you meet the service threshold, please contact Palm Springs Disposal Services if you don’t already have a collection service.

Please follow up directly with Palm Springs Disposal Services at 760-327-1351 or visit www.palmspringsdisposal.com for additional information, to verify your organics recycling program, or to subscribe to any of these recycling services.

New Signage Requirements Effective July 1, 2020

At the end of 2019, the State passed AB 827 that modified its requirements for those businesses that must comply with mandatory organics management and recycling requirements under AB 341 and AB 1826 (as described above). As of July 1, 2020, those affected businesses that provide customers access to the business must provide customers with a commercial solid waste recycling bin or container to collect material purchased on the premises and an organic waste recycling bin or container to collect material purchased on the premises for immediate consumption, as appropriate. The containers must all be appropriately labeled and adjacent to each other.

This requirement would not apply to full service restaurants that have a recycling and organics management system established for employees to use with appropriately labeled receptacles. It would also not apply to take out services.

The State recently issued guidance and templates for signage that should accompany trash, organics, and recycling containers. This guidance can be found on the CalRecycle Website.

For more information, businesses can review the Frequently Asked Questions on AB 827, which can also be found on the CalRecycle website. They start at Question 26. 

For questions about this new requirement and for compliance assistance support, please contact the Office of Sustainability  at 760-323-8214.

Related Links

• Frequently Asked Questions regarding CalRecycle’s Mandatory Commercial Recycling regulation.
• Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling. Requirement that California local jurisdictions implement an organic waste recycling program to divert organic waste generated by businesses, including multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five or more units (Note that multifamily dwellings are not required to have a food waste diversion program).
• Other Resources for Business and Industry. CalRecycle interacts with California's business community on several fronts, with programs and services geared toward a variety of business groups. This page is continuously updated with resources to help businesses in California to make waste management and purchasing choices that minimize waste, maximize the purchase of recycled content products, increase the use of recycled content materials in manufacturing, and reduce environmental impacts of doing business.
• The California Green Business Program is a network of local governments working with the Department of Toxic Substances Control to help companies make the switch to green business practices. Businesses earn a seal of certification from their local city or county by meeting rigorous criteria established by the California Green Business Program.
• Examples of successful waste reduction techniques from CalRecycle's former Waste Reduction Award Program (WRAP), which California businesses may adopt as their own.