Palo Alto, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Composting is supported in unincorporated Santa Clara County. The County's Sustainable Landscape Ordinance specifically lists encouraging the use of compost as one of its purposes, and amending soil with compost is part of the County's water-efficient landscape approach. Backyard composting of yard trimmings and vegetable scraps is a normal, permitted residential activity. The bigger legal driver is California state law: Senate Bill 1383, the statewide Short-Lived Climate Pollutants organics law, took effect for residents and businesses in January 2022 and requires that organic waste - including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and landscape and pruning debris - be kept out of the landfill. Under SB 1383, every jurisdiction must provide organic-waste collection, and residents must either subscribe to the organics collection service or otherwise divert their organics (for example, by composting yard waste and food scraps at home or self-hauling to an appropriate facility). The statewide goals include cutting landfilled organic waste 75 percent and recovering 20 percent of edible food by 2025. So in practice, a homeowner in unincorporated Santa Clara County is encouraged to compost, and is required by state law to keep organic waste out of the trash by using the green/organics cart or an equivalent diversion method. Home composting that meets normal nuisance and vector standards is allowed and counts as on-site diversion.