Businesses

Mandatory Commercial Recycling (MCR) & Composting Laws (AB 341, AB 1826, AB 827)

AB 341 – MCR

This regulation was adopted into law in 2012. AB 341 requires business (including public entities) that generate four cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week and multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more arrange for recycling services. Businesses can take one or any combination of the following in order to reuse, recycle, compost or otherwise divert solid waste from disposal: Self-haul, Subscribe to a hauler(s), Arrange for the pickup of recyclable materials or Subscribe to a recycling service that may include mixed waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation. AB 341 also established a new statewide goal of 75 percent recycling through source reduction, recycling, and composting by 2020. You may find more information on AB 341 on CalRecycle’s website.

AB 1826 – Mandatory Commercial Organics (MORe)

This regulation was adopted into law in 2014. AB 1826 requires businesses to separate organic waste materials for composting on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week. Organic waste includes food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, clean wood waste and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. The law phases in the requirements for businesses, including multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five or more units (multifamily dwellings are not required to have a food waste diversion program), over time based on the amount and type of waste the business produces on a weekly basis, with full implementation realized in 2019. Additionally, the law contains a 2020 trigger that will increase the scope of affected businesses if waste reduction targets are not met. You may find more information on AB 1826 on CalRecycle’s website.  

AB 1826 Implementation Schedule

AB 827 

AB 827 requirements were added to existing AB 341 and AB 1826 requirements. The new law, passed in 2019, builds off existing requirements under these two laws.

Effective July 1, 2020 MCR and MORe covered businesses must provide recycling and organics containers at front-of-house to collect waste generated by customers from products they purchase and consume on the premises. These containers must be placed adjacent to trash and be visible, easily accessible, and clearly marked.

AB 827 is intended to educate and involve consumers in achieving the state’s recycling goals by requiring businesses subject to MCR and/or MORe to make recycling and/or organic recycling bins available to customers.