Throwing Food Scraps in California Could Bring a Fine in 2024, According to New Law

Sometimes it's against the law in California to throw away food scraps in the trash. As of 2024, SB 1383 says towns could fine people who don't recycle their food waste. But the city of Sacramento is putting teaching ahead of enforcement.

It doesn't want to be in charge of trash. "I don't know if I'm breaking the law, but I need to be a little more diligent and keep in the (bin) instead of putting it in the trash or my garbage disposal," stated resident Lisa Banuelos. "They don't want that?"

You shouldn't throw away food scraps because the city and state don't want them. In Sacramento, the trash should go in the green bin with yard waste and leaves.

Food ScrapsPhoto byvoiceofsandiego

"You have an apple core and some chips left over. Put the chips in the organic waste and throw away the bag." "It's not that hard," said Jesa David from the Salvation and Waste Division of the city of Sacramento.

The city started processing organic waste in July 2022 to follow the state law. Free bins for organic waste were given out to people to keep on their kitchen counters. "It's not about punishment or penalizing anybody," he said. "We just want to make sure everybody has the right tools."

The bill requires city and county governments to recycle organic trash so that landfills don't release as much methane, a greenhouse gas. The head of CalRecycle, Rachel Machi Wagoner, said, "I'm not out there with my ticket book checking everyone's trash can."

CalRecycle makes sure that local governments follow the rules and run the program. People in Placer County are told to put their organic waste in trash cans because it will also be sorted later at a county center. It's a different system.

Wagoner said that the state is well on its way because 75% of all cities have began recycling programs for their people. "I really see 2024, like 2023, as a growth opportunity," Wagoner stated. "Yes, we are going to start enforcement, but really enforcement is an eye towards compliance and enforcement as an eye towards culture change."

The state wants to recycle 75% of all organic trash. "When we reach our 75% goal, it will be like taking 3 million cars off of the road," said Wagoner. Everything you throw away in Sacramento is already known to the city because all the cars have cameras on them.

David said that after four months of pick-ups, they saw a 14% rise in organic recycling and a 10% drop in trash going to the dump.

David said that the city is working on teaching people instead of enforcing the law so that the city doesn't get a fine from the state. The city knows that people still have questions.

"It's more about getting people to comply with the law to help recycle organics and do the right thing, other than trying to punish anybody," she stated.

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