It's the law: All businesses are required by law to subscribe to weekly organic material collection services.
Organic materials include: Food scraps, food-soiled paper, green waste/landscape trimmings/plant waste and “clean wood" (no paint, no stain, etc.). The Commercial Organics Collection Requirements flyer provides a quick and easy reference.
How to Comply: Business must select one orm ore of the following options to comply with the law.
OPTION 1 (most common and preferred)
Enter into an organics recycling material collection service agreement with a Franchised Waste Hauler to collect and haul your organics material. If your business does not have organics collection service, your Commercial Franchised Solid Waste Hauler will give you advance notice before delivering an organics recycling bin/cart for starting the collection service.
OPTION 2
Alternative Organic Service – Complete and submit the Alternative Service Verification section in the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form if your business utilizes one or more alternative organic collection services:
Landscaper: The business contracts with a landscaper, who collects green waste/landscape trimmings off-site to a facility that recycles the green waste properly into compost/mulch. (Note: A Landscaper" can only collect green waste/landscape trimmings portion of organics, i.e., food scraps and food-soiled paper, and does not constitute full compliance for mandatory organics collection as a stand-alone alternate service).
Third-Party Recycler: The business contracts with a non-franchised third-party hauler for all organic material. Contracts between the business and each third-party hauler must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Self-Haul: The business hauls all its organic material to a composting facility or transfer facility that properly hauls the organic material to a composting facility. Receipts must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Backhaul: The business hauls all its organic material back to a central or corporate location for composting. A current and valid contract or other proof of evidence must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
Onsite Composting: All organic material that is generated at a location is composted on-site. Photos of the onsite composting will be required when submitting the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form and will be verified during inspection. On-site composting inspection will verify that the material is free of vectors and odors.
Shared Container: The business shares an organics container with an adjacent business through a franchised waste hauler. Evidence that all parties agree to sharing the container and a copy of the organic collection service contract must be retained on-site for verification during inspection.
OPTION 3
Waivers:
De Minimis Waiver (10- or 20- Gallons or Less Waiver): If your eligible business generates less than 20-gallons of organic material per week for businesses with 2 cubic yards or more of total waste collection service per week, or generates less than 10-gallons of organic material per week for businesses with less than 2 cubic yards of total waste collection per week, the business may apply for a 10-Gallons/20-Gallons or Less Waiver in the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. Businesses that sell or produce food are ineligible to receive a 10-Gallon/20-Gallon or Less Waiver. These include, but are not limited to, restaurants, theaters, hotels, schools, event centers, gas stations, and coffee shops. Review all ineligible business types in the Sacramento County Policy #2022-01.
Waiver Application Requirement: Before submitting a waiver, for five days, separate your organic material from your garbage into buckets or containers and document how much material is collected for each. Your findings will need to be submitted in the waiver request. A Waste Study Guide has been created to assist you with documentation.
Physical Space Waiver (not commonly approved): Business that s do not have adequate space for the smallest 30-gallon organics collection container, may complete and submit the Physical Space Waiver section on the Organic Material Recycling Compliance Form. Note: Supporting documents are required as evidence that the business does not have space for a 30-gallon cart (23" wide x 23.5" deep x 39" high).
Visit the FAQs for more information or email us at commercialwaste@saccounty.gov.
