Under SB 1383, all residents and businesses in California are required to divert their organic waste from landfills and properly dispose of it.

To comply, businesses and residents must either:

• subscribe to an organics curbside collection service (organics service is included in residential trash/recycling service)

OR

• self-haul organic waste to a compost or organics waste facility

For information on submitting a self-haul application, email recycling@encinitasca.gov.

For more specific information on organics recycling and disposal requirements for businesses, residents, and multi-family units, visit CalRecycle's website.

Curbside Program

The City has an exclusive franchise agreement with EDCO to provide waste collections for businesses and residents in Encinitas. 

EDCO provides residents with trash, recycling, and organics bins for collections. These bins come in 35-gallon and 95-gallon sizes.

The guide below provides specific information and instruction on how to properly sort your organic waste from landfill waste. Additional information and resources are available on EDCO's website. 

Organic recycling compliance for all regulated businesses, events, construction projects and residences has been in effect since January 1, 2022, with enforcement beginning January 1, 2024. 

Jurisdictions are required to implement an inspection and enforcement program to ensure organic waste generators comply with requirements of SB1383. Effective January 1, 2022, Encinitas adopted municipal code to ensure that organic waste generators comply with these requirements. Compliance assessments may include any or all of the following:

• Three-stream container systems: Commercial businesses, including multi-family dwellings, are required to provide adequate access to trash, recycling, and organics containers for use by employees, contractors, tenants, and customers. While specific number, location, and type of container may vary significantly by business (e.g., restaurant vs. office building), all businesses are required to provide a level of bins and signage that will ensure that waste, recyclables, and organic materials can be properly placed and sorted in their respective bins. Businesses found to not be providing adequate access (or no access) to recycling and/or organics bins are subject to enforcement under E.M.C. 11.23.040 

• Service enrollment: Annual audits are conducted to ensure that all commercial businesses and residential dwellings (single and multi-family) are enrolled in recycling and organics services. Businesses or residences that do not subscribe to service or self-haul their organic waste will be subject to enforcement under E.M.C. 11.23.030 (single-family residential) and E.M.C. 11.23.040 (commercial and multi-family residential)

• Route audits: Route audits are conducted by EDCO, the City's franchise waste hauler, wherein the contents of trash, recycling, and organics bins on all residential and commercial routes are assessed for contamination to ensure that contents are being properly sorted into their respective bins (e.g., minimal recyclables/organics in the trash bin and vice-versa). Regular tracking of container contamination and feedback (guidance postcards) will be provided to residents and businesses with contamination. Severe, persistent contamination may result in enforcement under E.M.C.11.23.030  (single-family residential) and E.M.C. 11.23.040 (commercial and multi-family residential)

• Edible Food Recovery: Commercial businesses and special events which meet the threshold for Edible Food Recovery requirements under SB1383 are required to establish donation agreements with local Food Recovery Organizations, maintain records of donation totals, and ensure that they are donating the maximum amount of recoverable food from their operations that would otherwise be placed in the organics bin. Applicable businesses found to be out of compliance with these requirements are subject to enforcement under E.M.C. 11.23.060

• Construction and Landscaping: SB1383 updated CalGreen building code and MWELO to require that applicable construction projects divert a minimum of 65% of Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris from landfill. Covered building permits are required to submit a Waste Management Plan as part of permit application, and applicants are required to maintain recycling receipts as proof of compliance with these provisions. Projects found to be out of compliance with these provisions are subject to enforcement under E.M.C. 11.22

To report non-compliance with Organic Recycling or Edible Food Recovery requirements, use one of the following options:

• Report violations through the MyEncinitas App
• Email recycling@encinitasca.gov

Complaints may be submitted anonymously. If contact information is provided, reporting party will receive notification of the results of the complaint response within 30 days of resolution. 

• Submit a complaint through the CalRecycle complaints portal.

SB1383 sets a statewide target to recover at least 20% of currently disposed edible food for human consumption. Businesses, events, and other entities that generate large amounts of recoverable food are subject to food donation recordkeeping and programmatic requirements. Please see the City's Edible Food Recovery Page for resources and information on how these requirements are implemented locally.

General Compliance 

• Sorting guidance

Assistance

• To request technical assistance or general inquiries on SB 1383 compliance:
  • please contact recycling@encinitasca.gov