Little Hoover Commission report calls for delay of SB 1383 Organics Waste Implementation
Last week, the Little Hoover Commission (LHC) voted 7-1 to approve a report on the implementation of Senate Bill 1383 (Lara of 2016), which required local agencies providing solid waste collection services to separately collect organic waste from all residents and businesses beginning in 2022. The report called for a temporary pause on the program, concluding that, “keeping an unrealistic target could undermine public confidence, increase noncompliance and delay adoption of mid-course policy corrections that are routine in projects of this size.”
In response to the report, CalRecycle director Rachel Wagoner told CalMatters, “Holding and pausing 1383 would be absolutely, absolutely detrimental… We’ve spent nearly half a billion dollars in California to jump start 1383 in organic recycling and a lot of that would be halted.”
The LHC report found that landfills did not achieve the State’s 2020 mandate of reducing the amount of organic waste collected by 50 percent compared to 2014 levels. The report also projected California is unlikely to meet the 2024 requirement of a 75 percent reduction.
Overall, Commissioners expressed support for California’s organics recycling goals but felt more time is needed for proper implementation. The LHC initiated its study to assess how California’s SB 1383 is being implemented, examine what impact it has on the State’s environmental goals, and provide recommendations to the Governor and State Legislature for any changes.
You can learn more about the report overview here: Organic Waste Recycling | Little Hoover Commission (ca.gov) or view the full report here: Commissioner Information 5-23-23.pdf.
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