Commercial Recycling

Recycling Services Available Within Merced County


AB 341 - Mandatory Commercial Recycling, and
AB 1826 - Mandatory Organics Recycling (seen below)

Mandatory Commercial Recycling
Information from CalRecycle:

Assembly Bill 341 (Chesbro, AB 341) was signed on October 6, 2011, to enact a statewide program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting commercial solid waste from landfills.

According to a 2008 Statewide Waste Characterization, the commercial sector generates more than half of the solid waste disposed of in California (approximately 68% of disposed waste), with much of the waste being recyclable materials.
With AB 341, eligible businesses are required to recycle, thus resulting in an expansion in commercial recycling activities and recycling manufacturing.

Prior to the passage of AB 341, CalRecycle and the Air Resources Board were engaged in a joint rulemaking process to implement a Mandatory Commercial Recycling Measure within AB 32 (CA Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) to increase commercial waste diversion (recycling/reuse/composting) as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Purpose


  1. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting commercial solid waste to recycling efforts
  2. To expand the opportunity for additional recycling services and recycling manufacturing facilities in California.

Local Jurisdictions


On or after July 1, 1012, each City/County entity shall implement an education, outreach and monitoring program. Efforts may be phased in over time.

Affected Businesses, Public Entity Locations, Multi-Family Dwellings


On and after July 1, 2012 the following will need to implement a recycling program:
  1. A business or public entity location that generates more than four cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week,
  2. A multifamily dwelling of five units, no matter the amount of waste disposed of per week.

How Much You May Be Disposing of Per Week


Your solid waste bins are measured in the amount of cubic yards. Your solid waste service bills/statements may tell you what size bin you have and how often it is serviced. If it is not listed, please contact your solid waste hauler (PDF).

Different Examples of What Equals at Least 4 Cubic Yards (CUYD) of Trash

  • One1-CUYD bin serviced four times a week
  • One 2-CUYD bin serviced twice a week
  • One 4-CUYD bin serviced once a week
  • Two 1-CUYD bins serviced twice a week
Tip for City of Merced customers: the first number on your dumpster is the size of the bin. [Example: Number -1234: the first number (#) would be the size of the bin]

Compliance


Recycling Programs are Any of the Following, or a Combination of the Following
  1. Self-hauling recyclables to a recycling drop off or facility (ex: taking CRV containers to a buyback center, or dropping off recyclables at either of the two regional landfills);
  2. Having a service provider/hauler pick up the materials to have the materials recycled;
  3. Donating recyclables to a non-profit organization
Another Example:
  1. Having shredded paper recycled through a service provider (please check to confirm that the service provider recycles the material and does not dispose of it)

Reporting


Each City and County entity is responsible for monitoring businesses and multi-family dwellings that meet the mandatory commercial recycling criteria.  Please complete this 5-minute survey if you are a business, public entity, or multi-family dwelling location.

Commercial Recycling and Organics Diversion Survey Form

Reference CalRecycle Mandatory Commercial Recycling's webpage at https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/commercial.

AB 1826 requires businesses to recycle their organic waste. This includes both public and private businesses as well as multifamily complexes or apartment buildings of five units or more. The date at which a business is required to begin recycling their organics depends on how much waste the business generates each week.

The key deadlines for beginning organics recycling are:

April 1, 2016: Businesses that generate more than 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2017: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of solid waste per week must recycle organic waste.

December 1, 2020: Businesses that generate more than 2 cubic yards of solid waste per week must recycle organic waste.

The following conversion information will enable faster calculations to convert cubic yards to gallons, or vice versa:

1 gallon = 0.00495 cubic yards
202 gallons = 1 cubic yard
Example: 1 cubic yard of solid waste requires approximately two 96 gallon carts.

Organic waste includes the following materials:

  • food waste
  • green waste and landscaping/wood waste (leaves, grass, trimmings, branches and stumps)
  • food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste (this does not include plastic-coated paper items such as paper cups)

Compliance

 
Organics Recycling Programs are Any of the Following, or a Combination of the Following

  1. Self-hauling organics to a composting facility (the two regional landfills currently accept green waste/wood waste but does not accept food waste);
  2. Having a green cart/bin serviced by a hauler;
  3. Having a landscape contractor transport your yard trimmings to a compost facility,
  4. Composting or having a digestor onsite for the material.


Questions? CalRecycle offers a complete set of answers to Frequently Asked Questions about AB 1826, including information about exemptions, compliance and reporting. Reference CalRecycle Mandatory Organic Recycling's webpage at https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/commercial/organics.








AB 1826 requires businesses to recycle their organic waste. This includes both public and private businesses as well as multifamily complexes or apartment buildings of five units or more. The date at which a business is required to begin recycling their organics depends on how much waste the business generates each week.

The key deadlines for beginning organics recycling are:

April 1, 2016: Businesses that generate more than 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2017: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of solid waste per week must recycle organic waste.

Organic waste includes the following materials:

  • food waste
  • green waste and landscaping waste (leaves, grass, trimmings, branches and stumps)
  • nonhazardous wood waste
  • food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste (this does not include plastic-coated paper items such as paper cups)

Questions? CalRecycle offers a complete set of answers to Frequently Asked Questions about AB 1826, including information about exemptions, compliance and reporting.

AB 1826 requires businesses to recycle their organic waste. This includes both public and private businesses as well as multifamily complexes or apartment buildings of five units or more. The date at which a business is required to begin recycling their organics depends on how much waste the business generates each week.

The key deadlines for beginning organics recycling are:

April 1, 2016: Businesses that generate more than 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2017: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week must recycle organic waste.

January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate more than 4 cubic yards of solid waste per week must recycle organic waste.

Organic waste includes the following materials:

  • food waste
  • green waste and landscaping waste (leaves, grass, trimmings, branches and stumps)
  • nonhazardous wood waste
  • food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste (this does not include plastic-coated paper items such as paper cups)

Questions? CalRecycle offers a complete set of answers to Frequently Asked Questions about AB 1826, including information about exemptions, compliance and reporting.