Los Angeles allows backyard composting at any single-family home under LAMC §66.27, requires rodent-resistant containers, and offers discounted compost and worm bins through LA Sanitation's Backyard Composting Program tied to SB-1383 organics diversion goals.
LAMC §66.27, the city's mandatory organics ordinance, expressly recognizes home composting as an alternative to placing food scraps in the green bin. Compost piles must be enclosed in a rodent-resistant bin or fully turned tumbler, kept at least five feet from property lines, and managed to avoid odors and vector attraction. LA Sanitation runs the Backyard Composting Program, selling subsidized stationary bins and worm composters and hosting free monthly workshops. Multifamily properties may install onsite community composting under best management practices issued by CalRecycle. Finished compost may be used onsite but not sold without a CalRecycle solid waste facility permit.
Open piles attracting rats, compost placed within five feet of a neighbor's wall, or odor complaints can lead to LA Sanitation abatement orders, public-health rodent citations, and removal requirements under LAMC §66.27 and the Health Code.
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles requires every household and business to separate food scraps and yard trimmings into the green bin under California SB-1383 and LAMC §66.27, enf...
Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA
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See how Los Angeles's composting rules stack up against other locations.
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