A new, eight-year waste and recycling collection contract that will meet new state mandates, including organic waste recycling, was approved by the City Council. The agreement with the City’s trash and recycling contractor, CR&R Environmental Services, updates Newport Beach’s residential waste and recycling program to meet changes in state law that took effect January 1.
The new program will use three separate carts: one for solid waste, one for mixed recyclables, and a third for organic waste recycling, which includes food waste and landscaping waste items. Beginning in February, residents will begin receiving new, green-top recycling containers for organic waste, an optional two-gallon bucket for kitchen scraps, and educational materials on how to recycle properly.
The new state law, Senate Bill 1383, requires all California residents and businesses to recycle organic waste, including food waste and green waste, in addition to standard recycling materials. The rules aim to reduce organic waste sent to landfills by 75 percent by 2025, as a strategy to address climate change and reduce the impacts on landfills. As organic waste decomposes in landfills it emits methane, a highly polluting greenhouse gas.