In September 2016, Senate Bill (SB) 1383 of:
- Reduce organic waste disposal by 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025
- Recover at least 20% of currently disposed of surplus edible food by 2025
Why? 
- Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians throw away in landfills.
- Organic waste can be recycled through various methods of composting, such as vermicomposting and windrow composting, to create nutrient-rich soil.
- Diverting organic material, as well as other recyclable materials, from landfills is key to preserving landfill capacity.
How
Organic waste is recyclable through composting and mulching, and through anaerobic digestion, which can produce renewable energy. To achieve California's recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals, the State has enacted Mandatory Organics Recycling regulations. You can still compost at home for your garden!
Self-Haulers
Self-haulers that are commercial businesses, including landscapers, are required to maintain certain records if they comply with the organic waste collection service requirement by self-hauling their generated organic waste. CalRecycle developed the Recordkeeping Tool for Self-haulers to assist self-haulers in meeting the recordkeeping requirements.
Organics Recycling Facilities
For the West Slope of El Dorado, please visit the page for El Dorado Disposal.
For South Lake Tahoe, please visit South Tahoe Refuse or Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal.
Food recovery means collecting edible food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to feed people in need. To reduce food waste and address food insecurity, the County of El Dorado will be developing an edible food recovery program to support local businesses and suppliers to manage their surplus of edible food – ensuring it will go to food banks, soup kitchens, and other food recovery organizations and services to help feed local community members in need. Click the header above to learn more about the programs and different tiers that commercial food generators fall under.
County Ordinance
On August 30, 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance 5164 which establishes the regulations and requirements for the County, generators, and other entities to comply with SB 1383.
Complaints
If you believe that a commercial food generator is not complying with the County Ordinance and SB 1383, you can fill out an online complaint to let us know.
California Senate Bill (SB) 1383 requires all businesses (defined as commercial businesses and multi-family dwellings) to arrange for organic waste recycling services (i.e. food waste and green waste). Certain commercial businesses and multifamily dwellings of five or more units may qualify for waivers from organic waste requirements. If a waiver is not approved by EMD, your business will be required to comply with all SB 1383 mandates. The types of waivers available are: