Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) A jurisdiction may comply with the requirements of this article by implementing a two-container organic waste collection service as provided below:
(1) A two container system where a green container and a gray container are provided and:
(A) The green container is limited to the collection of organic waste only. The contents of the green container shall be transported to a facility that specifically recovers source separated organic waste.
(B) The gray container allows for intentional comingling of all collected wastes, including organic waste that is not designated for collection in the green container, provided that the contents of the gray container are transported to a facility that meets or exceeds the organic waste content recovery requirements specified in Section 18984.3.
(C) Compostable plastics may be placed in the green container if the material meets the ASTM D6400 sections 5.1 through 6.4.2 standard for compostability as published May, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and contents of the green containers are transported to compostable material handling operations or facilities or in-vessel digestion operations or facilities that have provided written notification annually to the jurisdiction stating that the facility can process and recover that material; or
(2) A two container system where a blue container and a gray container are provided and:
(A) The blue container is limited to the collection of non-organic recyclables only, but may include the following types of organic wastes: paper products, printing and writing paper, wood and dry lumber, and textiles. The contents of the blue container shall be transported to a facility that recovers the materials designated for collection in the blue container.
(B) The gray container allows for intentional comingling of all collected wastes, including organic waste that is not designated for collection in the blue container, provided that the contents of the gray container are transported to a facility that meets or exceeds the organic waste content recovery requirements specified in Section 18984.3.
(b) A jurisdiction shall, consistent with Section 18984.8 of this article, clearly identify the types of wastes accepted in each container and which container shall be used for the collection of any unidentified materials.
(c) Materials specified in this Subdivision shall be subject to the following restrictions:
(1) Carpets, non-compostable paper, and hazardous wood waste shall not be collected in the green container.
(2) Hazardous wood waste shall not be collected in the blue or gray container.
(d) A jurisdiction may comply with this section by providing a container or containers that are split or divided into segregated sections, instead of an entire container, as long as the lids of the separate sections of a split container comply with the container color requirements and material limitations specified in this section.
(1) If a jurisdiction segregates the contents of a blue container into an additional container or additional section of a split container in order to separate organic wastes specified in Subdivision (a)(2) from non-organic recyclables, the jurisdiction may use a darker shade of blue for the container or section of the container designated for the collection of organic waste, and a lighter shade of blue, or any color not already designated for other materials specified in this section, for the collection of non-organic recyclables.
(e) A jurisdiction may allow organic waste to be collected in plastic bags and placed in the green container provided that allowing the use of bags does not inhibit the ability of the jurisdiction to comply with the requirements of Section 18984.5, and the facilities that recover source separated organic waste for the jurisdiction annually provide written notice to the jurisdiction indicating that the facility can process and remove plastic bags when it recovers source separated organic waste.
(f) Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit a jurisdiction from providing an uncontainerized green waste and yard waste collection service to its generators, provided that the two container service complies with the following:
(1) If an uncontainerized green waste and yard waste collection service is provided intermittently or on a seasonal basis, a container is still provided for collection of organic waste as required in Subdivision (a) whenever the uncontainerized service is not provided.
(2) If an uncontainerized green waste and yard waste collection service is provided year-round, generators receiving that service must be provided a collection service for the collection of other organic waste in a manner that complies with this section.
(g) Notwithstanding Subdivision (a), the contents of containers may be initially transported to a consolidation site as defined in Section 17402 that complies with the requirements of Section 17409.5.10.
1. New section filed 11-3-2020; operative 1-1-2022 pursuant to Public Resources Code section 42652.2(a)(6) (Register 2020, No. 45).
Note: Authority cited: Sections 40502, 43020, 43021 and 42652.5, Public Resources Code. Reference: Section 42652.5, Public Resources Code; and Section 39730.6, Health and Safety Code.
