On January 1, a bill that may penalize Californians for not recycling food waste went into force.
According to a state government portal, a state Senate measure that was approved during the 2021–22 parliamentary session mandated that all local governments offer organic waste collection services to citizens starting in 2022.
To assist the state in achieving its target of recycling 75% of organic waste by 2025, the measure was passed.
“Organic waste” is defined on the website as “food, green material, landscape, and pruning waste,” but it also includes “manure, biosolids, and sludges; organic textiles and carpets; lumber, wood; paper products; printing and writing paper.”
Additionally, the measure mandated that beginning on January 1, 2024, local governments impose fines on those who fail to recycle organic trash.
According to the website of California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, or CalRecycle, residents should dispose of food waste following the policies of their local government.