Under SB 1383, all unincorporated Orange County residents must separate organic waste, recyclables, and landfill-bound trash using a mandatory three-container system with color-coded lids. Opting out is not permitted under state law, and enforcement began January 2024.
California Senate Bill 1383 requires all residents and businesses to sort food scraps, yard debris, and food-soiled paper separately from trash and recyclables. Orange County adopted Ordinance No. 21-011 in 2021 to implement these requirements. The three-container system uses green-lidded bins for organics (food scraps, yard waste, food-soiled paper), blue-lidded bins for traditional recyclables (paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, metals), and black-lidded bins for landfill-bound waste. The state mandate targets reducing organic waste disposal by 75% by 2025 and recovering at least 20% of surplus edible food by 2025. Plastic bags and compostable bags may not be accepted by all haulers for organics collection. Apartment and multifamily residents should contact their property manager for specific procedures. Statewide enforcement commenced January 1, 2024.
Non-compliant residents may receive notices of violation, monetary penalties, and possible denial of service if contamination is found during curbside inspections. Warnings and educational materials are provided before fines are assessed.
Midway City, CA
Midway City is an unincorporated CDP in Orange County, CA, surrounded by Westminster. Because it has no city government, Orange County Codified Ordinances Ti...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County exempts one small detached non-habitable accessory structure - a shed - per 7,200 square feet of building site area from accesso...
Orange County, CA
Carports in unincorporated Orange County are governed by Section 7-9-70.3(d) of the Codified Ordinances, which requires carports to comply with main-building...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County allows the conversion of an existing garage, carport, or accessory structure into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under Section...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County requires every pool/spa deeper than 18 inches to be enclosed by a barrier at least 60 inches (5 ft) high under California Health...
Orange County, CA
Unincorporated Orange County allows ADUs on any residentially zoned lot under OC Zoning Code (Title 7, Division 9) and California Government Code §65852.2 (A...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how other cities in Orange County handle recycling requirements.
See how Midway City's recycling requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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