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1. When can I start placing food scraps in my green cart?

 

Starting July 1, 2022, you may place food scraps in your green cart along with your green/landscaping waste.

2. Will it affect my rate?

Yes, all rates will be affected - residential, multifamily and commercial. These rates cover the costs of yard waste and food waste recycling services and the processing of those materials.

3. Will I be fined if I don’t do this?

 

SB 1383 does require a City fine mechanism for non participating accounts. Fines won't begin until 2024. In accordance to State Law, the fines are adopted into the City of Laguna Hills Municipal Code as follows: first conviction by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00), for a second conviction within a period of one year by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), and for a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one year by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

4. When will I get inspected?

 

The City is required by the new law to conduct residential route reviews annually. The City's hauler CR&R will conduct audits of a random sample of residential homes once per quarter. If recyclable material is found in your trash cart, CR&R will place a hang tag with a reminder on where materials are to be placed.

5. Is everyone required to recycle organic waste?

Yes. All residential and multi-family properties and commercial businesses across the state are required to recycle organic waste generated onsite.

6. What if I don't want to participate in CR&R's organic curbside collection of food waste + yard waste?

Per SB 1383, residents are required to receive food waste cart service.  There are no discounted options at this time. Residents may also utilize backyard, small-scale, and community composting systems to recycle their food scraps.  

7. Regarding changing cart colors, what type of each material should be placed in each container?

 

BROWN (current)/BLUE (future) - Recycling cart: cardboard, plastic and glass containers and bottles, aluminum and tin cans, and paper (place these items loose in cart) GREEN - Organics cart: food scraps, grass clippings, leaves, tree/brush trimmings, weeds, dead plants. Food scraps include fruit/vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds, egg shells, small bones, leftover cooked food, spoiled/rotten food, and plate scrapings.   BLACK - Trash cart: Styrofoam, chip/candy wrappers, bathroom waste, diapers, pet waste, plastic bags, palm fronds/branches, and other non-recyclable garbage (bag these items)

8. Why are cart colors changing?

SB 1383 requires uniformed cart colors across the state for both residential and commercial services. Blue will signify recycling, green or brown for organics, and black for trash.  This consistency will help reduce confusion and contamination of recycling across the state.

9. What will happen to all the food scraps being collected?

 

Under Amendment No. 2 to CR&R's Franchise Agreement, the food scraps, collected with yard waste, will go to a composting facility in Yuma, Arizona to be processed. Finished material will be distributed for use on farms local to the facility area.

10. What if I put my food scraps in the trash?

 

When you don’t put your organics (food scraps and yard waste) and recycling in the correct carts, this is called contamination. If you contaminate, you will be alerted of your contamination via a hang tag. It’s important you don’t contaminate because then we cannot recycle correctly! If you continue to place food scraps and yard waste in the trash cart then City fines can occur. For more information, you may visit https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp/faq/enforcement.

11. Why aren't food scraps collected separately than green waste?

 

SB 1383 allows for 3-cart commingled food scraps and green waste or a 4-cart system to collect food scraps and green waste separately. Locally, 4-cart system has limits in processing, comes at a greater cost, and has a greater environmental footprint (i.e., additional carts, additional pick ups).

12. I was already putting my food scraps in the yard waste, so how is this a change?

 

Starting July 1, 2022, you may place food scraps in your green cart. Please start on this date, as it allows the City's hauler to prepare for collections and processing of increased volume in organic material.

13. Will there be a smell in my kitchen?

 

Current participants in other cities have cited no smelly kitchens! There are many ways to alleviate smells. Some people use kitchen pails with a closed lid, some pails even have carbon/charcoal filters. Keeping the kitchen pail or food scraps in your refrigerator or freezer until collection day is an option to alleviate smell. Dumping your pail out in the green cart and rinsing it out frequently also help.

14. What kind of food scraps can I place in my pail?

Basically, If It Grows, It Goes!

15. Will the City provide kitchen pails for indoor collection?

 

Yes! To help make collection of food scraps in your kitchen easy, the City and CR&R will be distributing complimentary 2-gallon kitchen pails along with educational material beginning in June July 2022 and through the remainder of the year to single-family residential premises.

16. Where do I buy a pail?

Food scrap counter top pails can be purchased at stores like Walmart, Home Depot, and Amazon.  More easily, you can repurpose a container or bowl you have at home to collect food scraps.

17. Can I use a plastic bag? Can I use biodegradable bags?

No plastic bags are accepted.  We prefer you to use no bags at all. If you need to mitigate odor or the "yuck" factor, recycled brown paper bags are acceptable. You can use certified BPI compostable bags as well.

18. What if my green organics cart (exterior) gets really dirty or smelly?

 

We would recommend rinsing your green cart out over your lawn or another yard area to help mitigate a smelly container. Lining the cart with yard waste prior to food scraps is helpful at keeping the carts clean and odor-free. If necessary, CR&R can swap out your cart(s) for free once per year.

19. What about dirty/soiled napkins or towels? Can I place biodegradable cutlery in the green cart?

 

Dirty/soiled paper napkins or paper towels cannot be placed into the green container and must be discarded into the trash container. At this time, Biodegradable cutlery can not be discarded into the green container because throughout the state the exclusion of plastic cutlery is becoming a "best practice" in order to maintain a high quality of compost products.

20. May I continue to place yard waste in my green container?

Yes, all yard/grass clippings, gardening, and tree trimmings should still be placed in your green organics container. Please note that palm fronds and logs/stumps are NOT accepted; place these in your trash cart if they fit.

21. Will there be subsequent community workshops or town halls once the new program is implemented?

 

Yes, the City and CR&R will hold quarterly town halls through 2022 to discuss the new commingled food scraps and yard waste recycling program. Educational material will also be distributed to households and posted online to ensure everyone knows which materials to place into each of their containers.

22. Will the City host classes on home composting?

 

The City intends to provide home composting classes in the near future. Check back on the City's website/social media for updates.

23. Are residents required to donate food?

 

No, the law only requires certain businesses like grocery stores, hotels, large venues, and large restaurants to donate edible food. However, if you would like to donate, Crossline Community Church takes food donations from residents. Please check Crossline Food Pantry's donation list and contact them before donating: http://www.crosslinechurch.com/serve/food-pantry/food-pantry-needs/.