Commercial Recycling

Mixed Recycling and Organics Recycling Requirements

Businesses must meet state mandates for diverting recyclables and organic content from landfill disposal in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. All businesses must separate their recycling, garbage, and organic waste (food scraps and green waste) into three separate containers. This means property managers must provide a separate organics container to tenants in addition to trash and recycling containers.

What Are the Requirements for the New Law SB 1383?

All businesses and commercial properties must divert their organic waste (food scraps, food-soiled paper, and green waste) from out of their garbage bin. This means businesses and property managers must provide a separate organics container to employees/staff/tenants in addition to garbage and recycling containers. This three-bin system will allow everyone to properly dispose of organic materials separately from garbage and mixed recyclables. State law SB1383 applies to all business types, even if they don't serve or sell food.

Businesses are required to have adequate recycling and composting services to help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Businesses are required to sort material into the appropriate bins. Businesses can be cited and fined for lack of adequate service or contamination. Businesses are also required to educate staff, contractors, and tenants about the recycling and composting program annually. Some businesses must also donate edible surplus food to food recovery organizations. Learn more about our Edible Food Recovery Program.

The Commercial Mandatory Organics Recycling Law (AB) 1826 requires that business arrange for recycling services for the following types of organic waste: food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper.

Please refer to the Laguna Beach Commercial Recycling Guide for more information about all the services available to businesses.

A two-page organics and recycling guide is also available with Do's and Don'ts of Recycling.

Is My Business Impacted?

If you are unsure of the amount of solid waste that you generate per week, you can check your monthly disposal invoice from Waste Management or call Waste Management for assistance at (949) 642-1191. Recycling services are offered to any Laguna Beach businesses and multi-family complexes with a commercial trash account at no additional charge. Contact Waste Management to help you start a recycling program or expand an existing program. If you have space challenges, Waste Management will help you find a solution that will meet your needs. In many cases, recycling programs can save you money.

Commercial Rates

Waiver

A De Minimus waiver may be approved for businesses that generate very small amounts of recyclable and/or organic wastes. This may be the case if a business has a small number of employees and generate very little waste overall.

1. Minimal generation waivers (De Minimis)

Total solid waste collection is more than 2 cubic yards per week, and the amount of organics generated is less than 20 gallons per week.
Total solid waste collection is less than 2 cubic yards per week, and the amount of organics generated is less than 10 gallons per week.

2. Physical space waivers

Physical space constraints prohibit the addition of compost and recycling containers.

Customers with an approved waiver will not be required to subscribe to compost and recycling service for a 5-year period.

Being In Compliance

Everyone is now required to correctly sort their waste into the appropriate container - recycle, compost, landfill.

Subscribe to recycle, compost and garbage service. Contact Waste Management at (949) 642-1191 to set up collection service.
Set up color-coded and labeled containers in convenient locations for patrons, employees and residents. Dining areas of take-out restaurants, building lobbies and other common areas also must have color-coded and labeled bins.
Train and educate tenants, residents, employees, contractors and janitors about how to properly sort their waste and to ensure requirements are met.
Sort waste into proper containers. Compliance includes using containers correctly. Use our Laguna Beach Commercial Recycling Guide to learn how to sort properly. Enforcement will be based on contamination, which happens when items are not placed in the designated container.
Fees and fines may be incurred in cases of non-compliance.

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Commercial Recycling

Mixed Recycling and Organics Recycling Requirements

What Are the Requirements for the New Law SB 1383?