City of Palm Desert
Home MenuMandatory Commercial Waste Diversion
AB 341 Mandatory Commercial Recycling (MCR)
In 2011, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 341 into law, requiring that businesses that generate four cubic yards or more of solid waste per week and multifamily dwellings of five units or more arrange for recycling services by July 1, 2012.
AB 1826 Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling (MORe)
In 2014, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 1826 into law, which requires businesses to recycle their organic waste as of April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week. Organic waste means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. AB 1826 phased in the mandatory recycling of commercial organics over time, and as of September 2020 the State extended their requirements to include businesses that generate two cubic yards of solid waste per week.
SB 1383 Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP)
In September 2016, Governor Brown signed into law Senate Bill 1383, which requires reductions of organic waste in landfills as part of a greater plan to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP). In accordance with SB 1383, the City has passed an enforceable ordinance to make these waste diversion programs mandatory for all waste generators that meet the specifications.
How to Comply
If your business is not currently participating in recycling and/or organics collection services, please contact Burrtec Waste and Recycling Services at (760) 340-2113 to subscribe to the City's mandatory waste diversion services.
Not sure what you need?
Contact Renado Gouldlock, Burrtec's District Environmental Coordinator, at (760) 674-1026 to schedule a free site evaluation for help determining which service will be most cost effective and appropriate for your business or multi-family property. The City can also provide free internal recycling containers upon request.
Landscaper Requirements
SB 1826 states that all businesses that contract for gardening or landscaping services must require that the contractor recycle the resulting gardening or landscaping waste. To meet this requirement all landscapers should either contact Burrtec to arrange for a green waste bin or haul organic material to an approved green waste facility. Organic waste material should never be placed in trash bins. For more information, please view this helpful handout.
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