Senate Bill 1383 is a statewide organic waste recycling mandate which was passed in 2016 and is intended to divert short-lived climate pollutants from landfills, reducing organic waste, food waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. SB 1383 went into effect on January 1, 2022. Visit CalRecycle for more SB 1383 information.

SB 1383 requires all single-family homes, businesses, multifamily complexes, and apartment buildings of five or more units to recycle their organic waste.

Organic waste includes the following materials:

• food waste (examples: vegetable/fruit scraps including pits and shells, eggshells and eggs, meat including bones, seafood including shellfish, dairy products [no liquids], coffee grounds, and grain products)
• green waste and landscaping waste (examples: houseplants, leaves, grass, small tree and brush trimmings, weeds, and flowers)
• nonhazardous wood waste (examples: untreated wood)
• food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste (examples: greasy pizza boxes and paper bags, paper coffee filters, and paper napkins, tissues, and towels). This does not include plastic-coated paper items such as paper cups)

What does this mean for residents?

All residents are required to have an organic waste cart to dispose of their food waste to comply with the law. Fortunately, Stockton residents have had a convenient, commingled yard and food waste (organics) collection included in their monthly service rate since 2004!

Your service provider, Republic Services or Waste Management, provides each household with 90-gallon organics carts for this service. Residential customers who need more than one 90-gallon organics cart can contact their service provider to receive one additional organics cart at no additional charge. Additional organics service beyond (2) 90-gallon carts is available at a reduced monthly rate. For additonal details, visit the City of Stockton’s Garbage Rates & Discounts page.

What does this mean for businesses, multifamily complexes, and apartment buildings of five or more units?

Businesses, multifamily complexes, and apartment buildings are required to have an organic waste container to dispose of their food waste to comply with the law. Stockton businesses, multifamily complexes, and apartment buildings of four or more units receive “commercial” services. Commercial customers have also had commingled organic waste collection since 2004!

Commercial organic waste collection differs depending on the type of service a customer subscribes to.

• Commercial cart customers receive one 90-gallon wheeled cart for organic waste collection included in their monthly service rate. Additional organics service beyond one 90-gallon cart is available at a reduced monthly rate. Visit the City of Stockton’s Garbage Rates & Discounts page to view the full rate schedule.
• Commercial bin customers receive one 1-yard bin for organic waste collection included in their monthly service rate. Additional organics service beyond one 1-yard bin is available at a reduced monthly rate. Visit the City of Stockton’s Garbage Rates & Discounts page to view the full rate schedule.

Commercial customers who do not currently have an organics cart or bin should contact their service provider to receive a cart or bin for organic waste services.

Why are my container lids different colors?

Stockton’s Trash containers have gray lids, Organics containers have green lids, and Recycling containers currently have yellow lids. As recycling containers are replaced, residents and commercial customers will see the yellow lid replaced by a blue lid, the SB 1383 required color.

Questions?
Submit a question or comment using the City of Stockton’s Ask Stockton system. Or, call the City’s Recycling Hotline at 209-937-8831. (This is a message line. Messages and information requests will be addressed within one business day.)