Under California SB-1383 and the city's Environmental Services Department program, every San Diego resident and business must separate food scraps and yard waste from trash, using the green curbside organics cart or hauler-provided service.
Senate Bill 1383 (Lara, 2016) requires California to cut organic waste disposal 75 percent and recover 20 percent of edible food. San Diego's Environmental Services Department rolled out citywide curbside organics in 2022-2023, providing every house and most multifamily property a green cart for food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings. Businesses arrange equivalent service with their hauler. SDMC §66.0801 and related sections codify mandatory participation. Edible food generators (large grocers, restaurants, hotels) must additionally donate surplus food to recovery organizations under SB-1383 Tier 1 and Tier 2 deadlines now in force.
After warnings the city imposes escalating administrative fines starting at $50-$100 for failure to subscribe or for contaminated loads. Edible food generators that fail to contract with recovery organizations face CalRecycle penalties up to $10,000 per day.
See how San Diego's mandatory organics recycling rules stack up against other locations.
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