Organic Waste

• Organic Waste, commonly referred to as “Organics”, is defined by CalRecycle to include food waste, paper, and landscaping debris/cuttings. Organics are a huge focus of materials sustainability and must be addressed to meet the diversion goals outlined by the State of California.

  California generates approximately 20 to 30 million tons of organic waste every year; it represents two-thirds of our waste stream, making it by far the biggest category of waste produced in our state.

Senate Bill 1383

• ­­In September 2016, Governor Edmund Brown Jr. set methane emissions reduction targets for California in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP). The targets that were established include
  • Reduce organic waste disposal 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025
  • Rescue 20% of currently disposed surplus food by 2025.
• In November 2020, CalRecycle released the final regulation text for SB1383 that mandates a variety of local jurisdiction responsibilities to help achieve the goals outlined above. The mandates include:
  • Provide Organics Collection Services To All Residents and Businesses
  • Establish Edible Food Recovery Program
  • Conduct Education And Outreach To Community
  • Procure Recyclable And Recovered Organic Products
  • Secure Access To Recycling And Edible Food Recovery Capacity
  • Monitor Compliance And Conduct Enforcement
• If you would like to learn more about SB1383 and Organics, please see the resources below:
  • CalRecycle:
    • California's Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy
    • SB1383 Final Regulations Text
    • SB1383 Final Regulations Text (Accessible Version)
  • County of Santa Barbara:
    • Less Is More "Organics"
    • Less Is More "Resource Center"

Program Highlights

The City is developing several programs to reduce greenhouse gases and comply with SB1383. Three momentous programs include Edible Food Recovery, City-wide Organics Recycling, and participation in the ReSource Center.

Edible Food Recovery Network: The City, County of Santa Barbara (County), and other jurisdictions are implementing a County-wide program to recover edible food that would otherwise be landfilled and distribute it to those in need. The Edible Food Recovery program requirements apply primarily to the commercial food serving businesses, such as grocery stores, food distributors, and restaurants that meet certain criteria under two categories for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Generators. Learn more about Tier 1 and Tier 2 Generator Criteria. The City will be reaching out to identified local businesses that should participate in order to provide guidance, tools and resources. Learn more about Food Recovery in California. Additionally, through the Edible Food Recovery Network the City has identified Food Recovery Agencies that can help with food distribution to those in need.

Organics Recycling: In addition to edible food recovery, SB1383 requires all residents and commercial entities to recycle non-edible food waste like food scraps. This is being achieved comprehensively through the innovative County ReSource Center. In addition to the organics recycling achieved by the ReSource Center, some commercial businesses are required to source-separate food scraps (i.e., register for yellow bin food scraps service). Learn more about Commercial Food Scraps Collection; requirements are described below.

The ReSource Center: In addition to food recovery and organics recycling, the City must also meet requirements for greenhouse gas reduction and procurement of renewable energy, compost, or mulch. Most of these requirements will be met comprehensively through the County ReSource Center. Recyclables and organics are separated from trash, and organics are transformed into compost and energy that powers up to 3,000 homes per year. With this new facility, approximately 60% of additional waste from our trash is diverted from the landfill, bringing our region’s waste diversion rate to above 85% while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This means that residents who live or work in these areas are following the new state law without the need for additional yellow bin service. For more information, please review this informative video about the ReSource Center and check out this informative flowchart about how the ReSource Center operates.

Edible Food Recovery Network

The City, County of Santa Barbara (County), and other jurisdictions are implementing a County-wide program to recover edible food that would otherwise be landfilled and distribute it to those in need. The Edible Food Recovery program requirements apply primarily to the commercial food serving businesses, such as grocery stores, food distributors, and restaurants that meet certain criteria under two categories for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Generators. Learn more about Tier 1 and Tier 2 Generator Criteria. The City will be reaching out to identified local businesses that should participate in order to provide guidance, tools and resources. Learn more about Food Recovery in California.

Food Recovery Agencies

The Edible Food Recovery Network has identified Food Recovery Agencies that can help with food distribution to those in need. Below is a list of agencies in Goleta, and a master list is linked above.

Assembly Bill 827: Commercial Organics and Recycling Bins

• English Flyer (Spanish Flyer)
• Effective July 1, 2020, a new State of California recycling law (AB 827) now requires restaurants and all other food service providers to supply food and recycling containers front-of-house for customers to use.
• Restaurants and all other food service providers where customers bus their own tables must provide food and recycling containers next to trash containers front-of-house.
• Restaurants and all other food service providers that have table service are required to supply food and recycling containers back-of-house.
• Both front-of-house and back-of-house should be visible, easily accessible, and clearly marked.