Jackie Krentzman is a Bay Area-based writer and editor.

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California is in the middle of an ambitious effort to overhaul its waste systems — chief among them a 2016 law that would dramatically reduce organic waste. That’s because leftovers and even pizza boxes can create methane — a potent greenhouse gas that is 84 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over 20 years.

CalRecycle estimates that statewide compliance with SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) would eliminate gas emissions equal to that produced by three million cars. But reducing the 20 to 30 million tons of organic waste Californians throw away each year has proven challenging.

In Napa, words matter as much as policy

Napa has both the usual challenges all cities face with SB 1383 and some unique ones. The city’s economy is dominated by the hospitality industry, which poses difficulties for recycling efforts.

“The wine industry brings in a more transient community, both tourists and a workforce that might not live in the city for long,” says Kevin Miller, Napa’s materials diversion administrator. “That makes it hard to educate visitors and hospitality workers on how to deal with organics and recycling correctly.”

Fortunately, Napa had a great deal of experience reducing organic waste when SB 1383 became mandatory in 2022. It had launched a residential and commercial organic waste recycling program in 2015.

“We recognized early that while carbon dioxide contributes to climate change, methane release in landfills has a more dramatic impact,” says Miller. “So, in terms of bang for your buck, we focused on getting organic waste out of the landfill and into a composting system.”

The city accelerated its outreach efforts when SB 1383 took full effect. “Sometimes it’s hard to realize businesses are juggling a lot, so we need to make it as easy as possible for them to succeed,” says Tim Dewey-Mattia, an education manager for Napa Recycling & Waste Services. “Everyone on our team and at the city helps educate, even our truck drivers.”

Compliance has shot up. Commercial organic waste recycling increased from 2,444 tons in 2021, to 3,807 tons in 2024. The number of commercial businesses participating in the composting program increased by 70% over the same three-year period.

City officials attribute their success to their attention to detail. For example, the city has moved away from using the term “waste” because that implies materials that will be thrown away. Instead, it prefers “yard trimmings” and “food scraps.”

“Words matter,” Miller says. “These are materials we want to recover. We want people to understand that yes, these are wasted materials, if you will, but they still have value. If we can recycle or compost it, it’s a win-win for the city and in the fight against climate change.”

Redding leaves no nutrient unused

When SB 1383 went into effect, Redding focused on expanding its composting and food waste program. Among other things, SB 1383 requires food-generating businesses to donate food instead of tossing it out. This helps reduce food insecurity and keeps organic waste out of landfill sites. Food waste accounts for about 30% of what is thrown away in Redding.

“Our first goal was simply getting the word out [and educating],” says Redding Deputy Director of Public Works Paul Clemens. “Most folks already knew about glass, plastic, and paper recycling, but how to handle food waste was new to many.”

Redding taught local businesses how to salvage food waste and connected them to one of several local food recovery organizations. Last year, Redding composted 703 tons of food waste, a nearly 90% increase since 2022.

Redding is planning to take its organic waste recycling one step further. In 2023, the city received a $10 million state grant to add a new digester facility. The facility will transform food waste and biosolids into usable products starting this summer.

“This biogas will be cleaned and burned to power our wastewater treatment plant, establishing a closed-loop system,” says Leo Coleman, the city’s assistant project coordinator of solid waste.

The digestion process also leaves behind a nutrient-rich material. This material will get converted into a charcoal-like substance the city can sell or give to gardeners as a soil enrichment or sell to companies that produce plastic, ink, or paint dye.

“Residents are already seeing the benefits,” Clemens says. “Last spring the city opened a compost donation site where people can grab small volumes for free. We anticipate that when we have more products to offer, combined with continued education about the uses, it will be even more popular.” 

Fullerton works to fulfill circular economy pledge

Fullerton, a city in Orange County, has vowed to exceed its SB 1383 mandates. The city worked with CalRecycle to develop a 73-step implementation plan and has completed 60 of 73 tasks to date. The city also created two new positions and an educational outreach program to help with the program. 

“We want to create a circular economy that minimizes waste and serves a variety of needs,” says Michelle Duron, the city’s solid waste & recycling specialist.

The cornerstone of Fullerton’s efforts is a three-bin waste collection system (organic materials, recyclables, and nonorganic waste) that has already rolled out at city hall, Fullerton Public Library, and the public works yard, and will go out citywide in the coming years.

SB 1383 also requires cities to procure recovered organic waste products, such as compost, mulch, and renewable energy. The city purchased compost from the nonprofit Zero Foodprint to meet its procurement goals and gifted it to regenerative farmers in the Central and San Joaquin Valleys. The city also acquired compost from Orange County Waste and Recycling greeneries to use within city-owned green spaces and give to the community.

This procurement process feeds into the city’s goal of participating in a circular economy — one that keeps products and materials in circulation as long as possible to eliminate waste. That “waste” can be turned into nutrients for farms and gardens or used to create renewable natural gas and electricity.

Fullerton also established a robust educational outreach program, particularly in the local schools. It partners with nonprofits like The EcoHero Show — which puts on interactive hip-hop performances — to teach students about recycling and environmental sustainability.

“It is so great to see that these educational initiatives are leading to engagement with both adults and children — taken together, we feel confident that Fullerton’s environmental stewardship will be in good hands,” says Olivia Martinez, the city’s environmental services coordinator.

A bumpy road to full compliance

Despite this progress, Napa, Redding, and Fullerton face plenty of challenges when it comes to implementing SB 1383. All three cited budgetary challenges when implementing the different facets of the regulations within the allotted time frame. For Fullerton, meeting future procurement target goals will take careful consideration and planning. 

“Every city is unique, and a multifaceted procurement strategy offers flexibility to comply with the regulations in a manner that best suits the individual jurisdiction,” Duron said. ”With the recent adoption of Assembly Bill 2902, jurisdictions now have additional options available to fulfill the recovered organic waste product procurement requirement.” 

According to Miller, Napa’s biggest hurdles are the cost of enforcement compliance and how to motivate and educate people — particularly when it comes to keeping contaminants out of multifamily building’s compost bins. But he’s still positive about the program’s overall prospects.

“It is difficult when ‘one bad apple’ (irony intended!) can ruin it for everyone else doing it right,” he says. “But all in all, we have found that most people want to help the city meet its organic waste targets. The majority of Napa residents and business owners appreciate the purpose and intent of SB 1383 and understand we all have a part to play in protecting our city and environment.”