The Woodland City Council received an update on Senate Bill 1383 — a 2016 law that established methane emissions reduction targets to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants — and considered an ordinance that must be adopted and in place by January to be in compliance with the state’s requirements.
The bill established a target of 50% reduction in the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020, a 75% reduction by 2025 and requires CalRecycle and the Air Resources Board to adopt regulations to achieve the organic waste reduction targets, according to the bill.
“The SB 1383 ordinance will require all residents and businesses, including multi-family properties, to subscribe to recycling and organic waste collection services and source separate organic waste and recyclables from solid waste,” the city’s staff report stated. “The ordinance requires education and outreach to individuals and businesses who generate waste on how they can properly sort materials for collection, the implementation of an edible food recovery program, inspections to ensure compliance with the regulations and enforcement of non-compliance.”
Rosie Ledesma, Woodland’s environmental analyst, delivered a presentation to the council last week explaining the ordinance’s impact on the city.
“This requires businesses to set up a three-bin system for employees as well as patrons if there is food involved in their establishments,” Ledesma noted. “This includes things like restaurants and cafeterias. They’ll have to have three bins for trash, recycling and organics in their lobby or available for employees and patrons.”
Ledesma added that the ordinance also includes commercial waivers based on space constraints and for low-volume producers of organic waste.
“Those will be on a case-by-case basis but the waiver language is in the ordinance so that they are able to opt-out of the organics recycling,” she said in regards to any business or multi-family complex that is looking for exemption.
The ordinance includes inspections and enforcement elements required by the bill such as inspection requirements for waste generators and for food recovery organizations to ensure safe handling of food and that they’re compliant with contractual elements of the contamination monitoring requirements for all containers both commercial and residential, according to Ledesma.
Read more: Mandatory recycling and organic waste services subscription to be required in Woodland