To maintain compliance with the State, on September 14, 2021, the La Puente City Council passed the City’s Mandatory Organic Waste Disposal Reduction Ordinance (Ordinance No. 21-976) requiring all residential, commercial and multi-family premises in the City to participate in the City’s Organic Waste Reduction Program. The City of La Puente will be implementing various measures to achieve the state-mandated waste diversion goals. Included in this Ordinance, are mandatory requirements and penalties for non-compliance. The State will also fine the City if they are not providing all required recycling and organic waste recycling programs. It is the City’s intent to implement the regulations as efficiently as possible in order to minimize any additional impacts to the business community. More information on SB 1383 can be found at the State website https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp.

Reason for Changes

In 2016 Senate Bill (SB) 1383 established a goal of reducing the volume of organic waste disposed in California landfills by 75% by 2025. As defined by the law, organic waste includes lawn and landscaping debris, wood and lumber, food, food-soiled paper and other paper and cardboard products. Currently, two-thirds of this material is landfilled. As organics break down in landfills, they create methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which the state of California has identified as a factor in climate change. In addition, SB 1383 establishes a goal of increasing edible food recovery by 20% by 2025.

The regulations also specify that certain food-related businesses must donate the FOOD INSECURE maximum amount of edible food they would otherwise dispose of to food recovery organizations. Starting January, 2022, wholesale food vendors, food service providers, food distributors, grocery stores and supermarkets, must donate surplus edible food to food recovery organizations. Starting in 2024 this will include hotels, restaurant facilities, health facilities, state agency cafeterias, large venues, events and educational facilities. California is working towards a 2025 goal to redirect and donate 20% of edible food to those in need.

Collection and Recycling

Starting in 2022, the City and the Franchised Waste Hauler will expand organic waste collection services for residents and businesses. Food and yard waste collected in green carts will be recycled using:

• Composting facilities that make soil amendments, materials that are added to soil to change and improve it.
• Anaerobic digestion facilities, technology and microorganisms break down organic waste in closed spaces where there is no oxygen and create renewable natural gas.

Who is Affected?

The new organic waste law affects all Californians, including single family residences, multi-family complexes, commercial entities, and schools. The City of La Puente is expecting to launch its organic recycling program in December, 2021 through March, 2022. Residents and businesses will be notified prior to implementation of the new recycling rules through mailed notifications.

Residential and Multi-Family (1-4 units)

By March, 2022, Green carts will be used for all “organics,” including lawn and garden debris, food scraps and food-soiled paper, such as pizza boxes and paper plates. Instead of putting food into your trash cart, you will now separate it in the kitchen and place it into the green cart. Kitchen scrap pails along with an initial supply of compostable plastic bags will be made available to help you separate food scraps from miscellaneous trash in the kitchen. As soon as you receive your new kitchen pails, begin placing bagged food scraps and food-soiled paper into the green cart with your yard waste. You can use this pail with the bags to collect fruit, vegetables, bones, coffee grounds, dairy products, eggshells, fish, meat, grain products, baked goods, spoiled food, uneaten leftovers and similar items. The pail helps reduce odor and keeps your kitchen tidy before you empty the scraps into your green cart.”

Commercial and Multi-Family (5+ Units)

If you operate a business in the City of La Puente, you are required to participate in the organics (including food waste) collection service via Valley Vista Services or self-haul organic waste (including food waste) to a specified composting facility, community composting program, or other collection activity or program. Please note that Self-Haulers must keep a record of the amount of Organic Waste delivered to each Solid Waste facility, operation, activity, or property that processes or recovers Organic Waste. This record along with delivery receipts/weight tickets must be submitted to the City quarterly. Starting in December. 2021, the City and the Valley Vista Services will expand Organic Waste Collection Services for businesses. Valley Vista Services will be automatically delivering Green Carts to all businesses generating two cubic yards or more of waste and used for all “organics,” including landscaping, food scraps and food-soiled paper. To assist with assessing your organics volume, please go the VVS website link, https://www.vallevvistaservices.com/la-puente-survev/, and fill out the short survey, If you have space constraints or produce less than 20 gallons of organic material you may apply for a waiver. Assistance with on-site food scraps recycling and setting up a food recovery program is available. Get more information by contacting Valley Vista Services at (800) 442-6454.

Commercial Edible Food Generators

To reduce food waste and help address food insecurity, SB 1383 requires that by 2025 California will recover 20 percent of edible food that would otherwise be sent to landfills, to feed people in need. The law directs that Food Generators must arrange to recover the maximum amount of their edible food that would otherwise go to landfills and to maintain records of their food donation activities. SB 1383 places mandated food donors into two tiers. This tier system allows businesses and jurisdictions more time to prepare to expand or build new food recovery infrastructure and capacity to donate foods that are harder to safely store and distribute.  If you are a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Generator, this applies to your business,  please click on the link or QR code shown below and fill out fill out the SB 1383 Survey for Food Generators.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 Edible Food Generators are require to file an Annual Report with the City every April 1st for the previous calendar year. Below are the items that must be contained in the annual report.

• (i)         The name, address and contact information of the Food Recovery Service or Food Recovery Organization and if you have a contract with them
• (ii)        The types of food that will be collected by or self-hauled to the Food Recovery Service or Food Recovery Organization.
• (iii)       The established frequency that food will be collected or self-hauled.
• (iv)       The quantity of food, measured in pounds recovered per month, collected or self-hauled to a Food Recovery Service or Food Recovery Organization for Food Recovery.
• (v)        A copy of Donation Receipts

Please scan the QR code for access to the report.   

Click here for the Google Form