california environmental regulations

New California Environmental Regulations May Change the Way You Recycle

On January 1, 2022, new environmental regulations went into effect in California that will require many businesses to change the way they dispose of organic waste. Service By Medallion is ready to work with you to understand the impact that these regulations will have on your facilities and ensure that you’re always in compliance.

The California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) developed these regulations to help achieve the goals of SB 1383, which is designed to reduce methane emissions throughout the state. Landfills are currently the third-largest source of methane in California.

In a landfill, as organic waste decays over time, it begins to emit methane, a climate super pollutant that is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Organic waste such as food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of the volume of disposable materials Californians send to landfills.

Putting organics in landfills also increases the amount of particulate matter, or PM2.5, which reduces air quality and endangers people with breathing problems such as asthma.

SB 1383 has set a goal of reducing the amount of organic waste disposed of in landfills by 75% by 2025. Another goal is reduce the amount of edible food that is thrown away by at least 20% and give that food to people in need.

Making small changes in the way we dispose of unwanted materials can make an enormous difference in improving air quality and combating climate change.

 

Have Questions? Medallion Can Help

SB 1383 requires that a sufficient number of organics bins be made available to collect organic materials and other types of recyclable and organic waste from employees and visitors to your facility. Although the law does not apply to trash cans inside restrooms, many cities and counties may also require paper towels to be separated from trash that is headed for landfills.

We can work with you to ensure that the placement of your recycling bins is in compliance with the law and help create signage customized for your facilities that are in full compliance with the regulations in your local city or county.

Service By Medallion is continually seeking to improve our environmental performance as an integral part of our business strategy and operating method. Our Cleaning for Health Program (CHP) combines the use of certified cleaning solutions, ergonomic tools, equipment, training, and processes to reduce the environmental footprint of operations and create a healthy work environment for all your occupants.

We also work to prevent waste generation by our facilities and Operations.

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