Law Requiring California Cities To Collect Organic Waste To Reduce Methane Emissions Goes Into Effect On New Year's Day
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Composting is a concentrated effort that many Californians don't bother with, but as of New Year's Day, they may have to think twice about whether to throw a banana peel or coffee grinds in the trash.
A law aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in landfills and food waste was signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown back in 2016. It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, but many of the state's major cities – including San Diego, Sacramento, and Los Angeles – won't be ready to comply by next month.
The law requires all jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all residents, businesses, and recycle these materials using composting or anaerobic digestion facilities that can create biofuel and electricity.
According to CalRecycle, organic materials like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump into landfills. The "Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy" law is aimed at reducing 75% of the state's organic waste disposal and rescue at least 20% of the edible food that's thrown away by 2025.
Organic waste – which includes food, food waste, yard trimmings, cardboard, and paper -- in landfills emits about 20% of the state's methane, a pollutant 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to CalRecycle.