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Organic Waste Recycling

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Senate Bill 1383 

The State of California passed Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), which requires every city and county in the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SB 1383 requires all single-family residences, multi-family dwellings, schools and businesses to divert organic materials (food scraps and yard waste) from the trash. Organic waste buried in landfills releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas and a major contributor to climate change. Businesses are also required to recycle organic waste, and some are required to donate edible food. Beginning 2022, all single-family residences, multi-family dwellings, schools and businesses are to begin placing food scraps in the organics bin (green lid with a gray body).

Tips on properly disposing of food waste:

  • Place a layer of yard waste at the bottom of the organics bin before adding any food scraps
  • If you’re worried about the smell, place your food scraps inside a plastic bag and freeze it. The night before your service day, take the food scraps out of the plastic bag and place them in your organics bin. Plastic, both “compostable” and “non-compostable”, is not acceptable inside the organics bin
  • Make sure to keep the lid closed on your organics bin
  • Put out your organics bin every week, even if there is only a small amount of food scraps and yard waste in it
  • Alternatively, composting at home, self-hauling, or back-hauling are acceptable methods to divert organic materials from the landfill. Please see below for more information on these methods!

Acceptable materials include:

  • Fruit and Vegetables
  • Meat, Eggs, Cheese
  • Pasta and Rice
  • Coffee and Tea Grounds and Filters
  • Yard Waste

Unacceptable materials include:

  • Trash and Recyclables
  • Plastic Bags, Straws, Bottles
  • “Compostable” Plastics
  • Liquids and Oils
  • Dirt and Rocks
  • Animal Waste
  • Palm Fronds, Pampas Grass, and Yucca
  • Hazardous Waste

Remember: Place organics directly into your organics container, without a bag.

Please note – Contamination fees went into effect January 2024. Anytime the recycling or organic (green waste) container is contaminated with any material other than what’s acceptable, there will be fines imposed.

Below is a list of the fines:

  • 1st time - $18 for each 65- or 95-gallon container
  • 1st time - $30 for each 300-gallon container
  • 1st time - $40 for each 450-gallon container or Cardboard Bin
  • 2nd time - $50 per container
  • 3rd time - $100 per container
  • 4th & subsequent time - $250 per container

For questions about what material is acceptable in the recycling or organic (green waste) container, please call our office at (805) 875-8025.

If you’d like more information about the new legislation, please visit the State of California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) website at California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy - CalRecycle Home Page.

Click here to view the ordinance adopted by the City.

 

NEW Kitchen Pail

Complimentary kitchen pail

A complimentary 1-gallon indoor kitchen pail is available for pick up from the Lompoc Library located at 501 E North Ave (on the corner of North Ave and D St) or at City Hall (100 Civic Center Plaza). It's first come, first served basis as we have a limited quantity available. The kitchen pail provides a convenient way to collect your food scraps before depositing them in your green lidded organics container.

 ORBIS Compost Bin

Backyard Composting

Backyard Composting allows you to convert your vegetable food waste and yard clippings into a high-quality soil amendment for your lawn, garden and landscaping. The City offers Backyard Composting Kits for $30. Call the Solid Waste Office at (805) 875-8024 for more information.

 

  

 

Alternative Diversion Methods

Self-Hauling and Back-Hauling

Self-hauling is transporting your waste (in this case, organic waste and/or recyclable materials) off your property yourself instead of using City of Lompoc collection services. Self-hauling also includes business back-hauling, when a business transports organic waste and/or recyclable materials to a destination owned and operated by the business using the business’s own employees and equipment.

Per State law and Lompoc Municipal Code 8.04.480 customers that wish to self-haul their recyclable and/or organic waste must ensure that recyclables and organic wastes are kept out of the landfill. Customers can either sort the materials onsite and bring them to a recycling center or composting facility (as applicable) OR may bring the mixed materials to a high diversion processing facility, as required under SB 1383. 

Self-Haulers are required to fill out this application and submit documentation to the Solid Waste Division annually.

 

De Minimis and Physical Space Waivers

California State Law requires all commercial and residential properties to have refuse containers for trash, recycling, and organic waste. If you are a business that does not produce recyclables and/or organic waste and would like to be exempt from State requirements, you may apply for a De Minimis Waiver.

Residential and commercial properties that do not have the space for refuse containers may apply for a Physical Space Waiver.  

Upon inspection and approval of the waiver, the applicable containers will be removed from your property. Please find the waiver here (Spanish)

 

Edible Food Recovery

SB 1383 is a California bill aimed at reducing methane emissions through the increased recycling of organic waste. The regulations require a 50% reduction statewide in the disposal of organic waste by 2020 and a 75% reduction by 2025. Additionally, SB 1383 mandates that 20% of currently disposed edible food be recovered for human consumption by 2025.

 CEFG

SB 1383 states that edible food waste generators must donate surplus food to food recovery organizations. Edible food waste generators are separated into two tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 generators must donate starting January 1, 2022, and Tier 2 generators must donate beginning January 1, 2024. Click here to learn more about what Santa Barbara County is doing to promote food recovery in our region. You do not need to be a Tier 1 or 2 business to donate! Help us keep all edible food out of the landfill and in the hands of people who need it. Find a map of food recovery organizations below. Once you enter the food donation portal, click on the "Donation Match Tool" to access the map. A list view is available here.

There are two requirements for edible food donors:

Establishing Contracts and Written Agreements with Food Recovery Organizations and Services

To ensure that the maximum amount of edible food is recovered, the regulations require that mandated food donors establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations and services. Food recovery organizations and services vary in the amount and types of food they can receive, so mandated food donors may need to establish contracts or written agreements with multiple food recovery organizations and services to be in compliance.

Click here for a step-by-step guide on establishing a food recovery program for your business.

Recordkeeping

The law requires mandated food donors to maintain records on-site of their food donation activities. Jurisdictions will monitor compliance by requesting the following types of records:

  • Contract or written agreement for food recovery organizations and services
  • Schedules for food donation deliveries or collections
  • Quantity of food donated in pounds per month
  • Types of food each food recovery organization will receive or collect

FREE recordkeeping software is available for all businesses (regardless of Tier 1 or 2 status) and food recovery organizations. This tool can also be used for record keeping of other items such as meals provided or individuals served. Email sw_admin@ci.lompoc.ca.us to set up an account.

Food Recovery Tools:

Schools & Food Recovery 

K-12 schools are considered Tier 2 food generators and must meet the food donation requirements by 2024. Child Nutrition Programs are monitored by various governmental agencies and have separate waste reduction procedures to follow outside of SB 1383. Guidance from the California Department of Education can be found here:

Guidance on Donation of Leftover Food in CNPs - School Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Wondering how food recovery will be enforced?

  • Santa Barbara County Public Health and your jurisdiction's solid waste representatives will be making at least annual inspections to your business to check for SB 1383 compliance which includes being on an organic waste collection program, having adequate signage (available for free from the County), and having an edible food donation procedure in place (for Tier 1 and Tier 2 businesses only). Please note that during our visits we are here to help and answer questions.

 

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