Solano County, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Composting at home in unincorporated Solano County is permitted - there is no ordinance prohibiting a residential backyard compost pile or bin, and onsite composting of yard and food scraps is an encouraged way to divert organics. Overlaying this is California Senate Bill 1383 (the Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Reduction Act), which since 2022 requires every California jurisdiction to provide and require organic-waste recycling. In Solano County's unincorporated areas, subscribing to organics collection service is mandatory unless the generator is granted an exemption or waiver from the County's Environmental Health Division of the Department of Resource Management; the County established its Organic Waste Reduction Program in 2021 and administers SB 1383 through hauling contracts for trash, organics, and recycling in the unincorporated county (contact SB1383@solanocounty.gov). The County also operates the SB 1383-required Edible Food Recovery Program, under which Tier 1 and Tier 2 commercial food generators must arrange to donate surplus edible food. Households that compost or self-haul may qualify for a green-cart waiver but should confirm eligibility with the County, since backyard composting alone does not automatically exempt a property from the organics-subscription requirement. Generated compost and mulch use also supports the County's adopted water-efficient landscape goals.