Del Norte County, CA Trash & Recycling: Mandatory Organics Recycling (2026)

California's SB 1383 generally requires jurisdictions to provide organic (food and yard waste) collection and to divert organics from landfills statewide. However, Public Resources Code section 42649.8 defines a 'rural county' as one with a total population of less than 70,000 persons and lets a rural county's board of supervisors adopt a resolution exempting it from the organic waste collection requirements. Del Norte County (population roughly 28,000) qualifies, and the county's Board of Supervisors adopted a rural-jurisdiction resolution waiving its obligation to provide organic waste collection. Reporting indicates the original waiver ran through December 31, 2026 (a five-year exemption), and Del Norte County is among the roughly 19 California counties under 70,000 residents whose rural exemption was extended by later legislation (AB 2902), pushing the rural organics-collection compliance horizon out by an additional period. CalRecycle's published exemption list includes Del Norte County as a rural jurisdiction with an SB 1383 organics exemption. Importantly, the exemption covers only the organic waste collection mandate; the county still adopted ordinances addressing edible food recovery (tier-one commercial edible food generators such as large grocers must contract with food recovery organizations), recycled-paper and SB 1383-compliant product procurement, use of compost and mulch, and monitoring of solid waste facilities. Recology's optional brush/green cart remains available to residents. Residents should not assume mandatory residential food-scrap collection currently applies in unincorporated Del Norte County.