Fighting Climate Change Through Recycling Organic Waste
To reduce methane pollution and other short-lived climate pollutants, California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016). The law set targets for 2025: 75% less organic waste sent to landfills. 20% of unsold, still-edible food sent to food recovery organizations. These regulations require jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences of all sizes and businesses that generate organic waste beginning January 1, 2022. Single-family and multifamily complexes are required to recycle both green waste and food waste, as well as other organic waste materials, beginning January 1, 2022.
Tulare County has officially implemented our SB 1383 Organics Recycling Program as of April 1, 2025.
Landfills Are Third Largest Source of Methane in California
Organic waste in landfills emits: 20% of the state’s methane, a climate super pollutant that heats 84 times more than carbon dioxide. Air pollutants like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma. Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills. Cutting short-lived climate pollutants can have the fastest impact on the climate.
-CalRecycle (2025)
Organics Recycling Opt-out & Self-Hauling
SB 1383 regulations allow generators (residents and business that generate organic waste on their property) to opt-out of required Organic Waste Collection Services by applying to be a 'Self-Hauler'. A Self-Hauler is any generator who separates their organic waste from other trash and recyclables and hauls their organic waste to a organic waste processing facility, composts their organic waste through community composting, or composts their organic waste on their own property.
Organics Self-Hauler Waiver Process
Residents of the unincorporated areas of Tulare County can become a Self-Hauler by filling out the Self-Hauler Waiver Application Form that is linked on this page. If you are interested in applying for a waiver, please fill out the form linked below. Please make sure to fill out the application form as completely as possible, and make sure to include the name of your trash hauler (the company who provides your curbside trash service) so that your application can be processed in a timely manner.
Please e-mail your completed and signed application to: [email protected]
If you have questions about the Self-Haul Waiver or waiver processing please contact Paige Vandegrift at 559-624-7209, or you can reach out to the email above.