Monterey County, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Composting and organic-waste handling in unincorporated Monterey County is driven by California Senate Bill 1383 (the Short-Lived Climate Pollutants organic-waste law), administered by CalRecycle, rather than by a unique county aesthetic ordinance. Effective January 1, 2022, SB 1383 requires all residents, businesses, and multifamily properties to separate organic materials (food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard and plant debris) from trash and to subscribe to the required organic-waste collection service. The County and local haulers provide green-cart organics collection, and in much of the county materials are processed through programs such as Salinas Valley Recycles. Backyard composting is still allowed and is encouraged: residents already composting at home can keep doing so, but the new law means items that break down poorly in a home bin (for example, eggshells and bones) should go in the green curbside cart for industrial composting instead of the trash. Backyard composting can reduce reliance on collection but does not automatically exempt a property from subscribing to the organics service unless the jurisdiction specifically allows it. Statewide SB 1383 targets are a 50 percent reduction in organic-waste disposal by 2020 and 75 percent by 2025, plus recovery of at least 20 percent of edible surplus food by 2025. Residents should follow their hauler's green-cart guidance for accepted materials.