Commercial Recycling
State Law has required businesses and multi-family housing of five or more units to recycle since 2012. Businesses and multi-family housing that subscribe to service through their franchise hauler or who self-haul to one of the material recovery facilities in Placer County are automatically recycling. Placer County has a mixed waste processing program where recycling and trash go into the same container and are later sorted at the materials recovery facility.
Requirements for businesses vary based on type, size, and location. To find information for your business, select your region below.
Western Placer County
Organic Waste Recycling
Organic waste includes food waste, green waste, landscaping and pruning waste, and non-hazardous wood waste. AB 1826 requires businesses that generate two (2) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, to recycle their organic waste.
Food Waste – If your business generates food waste, separate food waste collection service is required. A pilot program is currently offered by Recology and Placer County at no cost. Businesses separate their food scraps and dispose of them in a separate food waste cart, provided by Recology. The food waste carts are picked up by Recology, on a separate route from your garbage, and hauled to a facility where it is mixed with yard waste and composted.
Green/Wood Waste – Placer County automatically recycles green waste and non-hazardous wood waste that is delivered to the materials recovery facility. If businesses have a garbage collection account or if green/wood waste is being hauled to the materials recovery facility by the business or a landscape service, then it is already in compliance for recycling green/wood waste.
Exemptions – State law allows jurisdictions to exempt businesses from these requirements if the business or group of businesses (e.g., if they share service) does not generate at least one-half of a cubic yard of organic waste per week, and for other very limited circumstances, such as extraordinary and unforeseen events.
SB 1383 introduced additional requirements for businesses that generate food waste. Learn more about these requirements hereOrganic Waste Recycling.
Western County Sorting Guide to assist staff with sorting food waste.
AB 827 requires businesses that generate two (2) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, and have food that is consumed on-site, to place food waste collection bins with signage adjacent to all trash receptacles on the premises. Businesses are required to comply with the following:
Bins/Containers – Businesses must provide customers with food waste collection bins or containers to collect food waste generated on the premises. The bins or containers must be visible and easily accessible to customers, and adjacent to each trash can (restroom waste bins are excluded). CalRecycle does not have funding available for businesses to provide containers. It is the responsibility of the business to acquire internal bins/containers.
Signage – The bins or containers must be clearly marked with labeling, indicating which materials are appropriate for each container. Model signage can be downloaded below.
Exemptions – A full-service restaurant would be exempt from providing containers for customers, if it has implemented a program that provides employees with food waste recycling containers wherever trash containers are located, and it requires its employees to collect food waste generated from customers and deposit this recyclable material into the appropriate solid waste recycling and/or organics bins or containers. Businesses that are exempt from AB 1826 are also exempt from AB 827 requirements.
Staff from Recology and/or Placer County may be making site visits to your business throughout the year to provide guidance and to assist with compliance. You may request a site visit if you have concerns about compliance and would like guidance on setting up containers and signage at your business.
Free site visits from your hauler are available, upon request, to help you determine ways to improve your recycling.
To request a site visit, call:
- Recology Auburn Placer:
- Phone: 530-885-3735
- Visit their website
Western County Sorting Guide to assist staff with sorting food waste.
The SB 1383 regulations also require certain business sectors to donate edible food to food recovery organizations before it is thrown away. The county is developing an edible food recovery program which will connect businesses throughout the county to organizations that ensure this good food is distributed to feed people in need.
Eastern Placer County
Organic waste includes food waste, green waste, landscaping and pruning waste, and non-hazardous wood waste. AB 1826 requires businesses that generate two (2) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, to recycle their organic waste.
Food Waste – If your business generates food waste, separate food waste collection service is required. A pilot program is currently offered by Recology and Placer County at no cost. Businesses separate their food scraps and dispose of them in a separate food waste cart, provided by Recology. The food waste carts are picked up by Recology, on a separate route from your garbage, and hauled to a facility where it is mixed with yard waste and composted.
Green/Wood Waste – Placer County automatically recycles green waste and non-hazardous wood waste that is delivered to the materials recovery facility. If businesses have a garbage collection account or if green/wood waste is being hauled to the materials recovery facility by the business or a landscape service, then it is already in compliance for recycling green/wood waste.
Exemptions – State law allows jurisdictions to exempt businesses from these requirements if the business or group of businesses (e.g., if they share service) does not generate at least one-half of a cubic yard of organic waste per week, and for other very limited circumstances, such as extraordinary and unforeseen events.
SB 1383 introduced additional requirements for businesses that generate food waste. Learn more about these requirements here.7702
Sorting Guide to assist staff with sorting food waste. 7702
AB 827 requires businesses that generate two (2) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week, and have food that is consumed on-site, to place food waste collection bins with signage adjacent to all trash receptacles on the premises. Businesses are required to comply with the following:
Bins/Containers – Businesses must provide customers with food waste collection bins or containers to collect food waste generated on the premises. The bins or containers must be visible and easily accessible to customers, and adjacent to each trash can (restroom waste bins are excluded). CalRecycle does not have funding available for businesses to provide containers. It is the responsibility of the business to acquire internal bins/containers.
Signage – The bins or containers must be clearly marked with labeling, indicating which materials are appropriate for each container. Model signage can be downloaded below.
Exemptions – A full-service restaurant would be exempt from providing containers for customers, if it has implemented a program that provides employees with food waste recycling containers wherever trash containers are located, and it requires its employees to collect food waste generated from customers and deposit this recyclable material into the appropriate solid waste recycling and/or organics bins or containers. Businesses that are exempt from AB 1826 are also exempt from AB 827 requirements.
Staff from TTSD and/or Placer County may be making site visits to your business throughout the year to provide guidance and to assist with compliance. You may request a site visit if you have concerns about compliance and would like guidance on setting up containers and signage at your business.
Free site visits from your hauler are available, upon request, to help you determine ways to improve your recycling.
To request a site visit, call:
- Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal:
- Phone: 530-583-7800
- Visit their website
Eastern County Sorting Guide to assist staff with sorting food waste.
The SB 1383 regulations also require certain business sectors to donate edible food to food recovery organizations before it is thrown away. The county is developing an edible food recovery program which will connect businesses throughout the county to organizations that ensure this good food is distributed to feed people in need.
Regulatory History
AB 341 was adopted in 2012 and established the requirement for businesses to begin recycling their waste as part of the state's 75% recycling goal. In 2014, AB 1826 was adopted and increased the requirements for businesses to also recycle their organic waste, including food waste. These requirements were phased in over several years based on the amount of waste generated by businesses. In 2019, AB 827 introduced the requirement for businesses with food consumed on site to provide recycling and organic waste bins in customer areas - unless recycling is achieved through a mixed waste recycling program. The most recent legislation, SB 1383, targets organic wastes in an effort to reduce methane produced in landfills. It sets statewide targets to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% and to rescue 20% of currently disposed edible food by 2025.