California's SB 1383 mandates organic-waste recycling statewide, but Inyo County qualifies as a low-population rural jurisdiction (under 70,000 residents) and is on CalRecycle's exemption list. It is exempt from organic-waste collection and procurement mandates until January 1, 2037, while other SB 1383 duties still apply.
SB 1383 (2016) requires California jurisdictions to provide organic-waste (food scraps, yard trimmings) collection and recovery and to procure recovered organic products. However, CalRecycle grants a rural exemption to counties with populations under 70,000 based on the 2010 Census. Inyo County is one of the 19 rural counties on CalRecycle's published 'List of Rural Jurisdictions with Exemptions,' so unincorporated Inyo County is not required to roll out mandatory residential organic-waste collection or to meet the recovered-organics procurement targets. Per CalRecycle guidance, this rural exemption from the organic-waste collection and procurement requirements continues until January 1, 2037. Importantly, the exemption is not a full pass: rural jurisdictions must still implement SB 1383's edible-food recovery program, recycled-paper procurement, and model water-efficient landscape (WELO) requirements, and must provide education and outreach. Practically, this means most unincorporated Inyo County residents will not see a separate green/organics cart mandated by the County, even though SB 1383 applies statewide — the County's rural status is the controlling factor here, not a local ordinance overriding state law.
Because Inyo County holds the rural exemption, there is no County-imposed penalty for the absence of curbside organics collection. The County remains responsible for the non-exempt SB 1383 components (edible-food recovery, paper procurement, WELO), which CalRecycle oversees. Generators should follow any organics guidance the County issues as programs evolve.
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Bishop, CA
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Inyo County, CA
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Inyo County, CA
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See how Bishop's mandatory organics recycling rules stack up against other locations.
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