3, and 3 Plus, Container Collection Systems Explained

Explanation

• Organic waste §18192(a)(46), which is any food (& food soiled paper), green material, landscape and pruning waste, lumber, manure, organic textiles and carpets, paper products, printing and writing paper, or wood generated, needs to be collected and transported to a facility that recovers source separated organic waste.

• Without waivers, or transporting organic waste to a §18192(a)(33) high diversion organic waste processing facility, a generator is required to have 3 or 3+ container collection system.

• A §18984.1(a)(1), (2), and (3) 3 container system consists of a green, blue, and gray container.

• A §18984.1(a)(1), (2), (3), and (6) 3+ container system consists of a green, blue, and gray container, plus an additional container, for additional source separation of organic waste, for example a brown container for food waste.

• The green §18984.1(a)(1) container is required for the collection of any generated organic waste material types not collected in the blue container.

• The blue §18984.1(a)(2) container is required for the collection of non-organic recyclables.

• The gray §18984.1(a)(2) container is required for the collection of non-organic waste only

Referenced Regulations

C.C.R Title 14, Division 7

Chapter 12: Short-lived Climate Pollutants

Article 1. Definitions

Section 18982. Definitions.

(a) Except as otherwise provided, the following definitions shall govern the provisions of this chapter:

(33) “High diversion organic waste processing facility” means a facility that is in compliance with the reporting requirements of Section 18815.5(d) and meets or exceeds an annual average mixed waste organic content recovery rate of 50 percent between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, and 75 percent after January 1, 2025 as calculated pursuant to Section 18815.5(e) for organic waste received from the “Mixed Waste Organic Collection Stream” as defined in Section 17402 (a)(11.5).

(46) “Organic waste” means solid wastes containing material originated from living organisms and their metabolic waste products including, but not limited to, food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate, and sludges.

Article 3. Organic Waste Collection Services

Section 18984.1. Three-container Organic Waste Collection Services.

(a) A jurisdiction may comply with the requirements of this article by implementing a three-container organic waste collection service and providing a green container, a blue container, and a gray container to each generator in the following manner:

(1) The green container shall be provided for the collection of organic waste. The green container shall be intended for the collection of organic waste only and not non-organic waste. The contents of the green container shall be transported to a facility that recovers source separated organic waste.

(2) The blue container shall be provided for the collection of non-organic recyclables only but may include the following types of organic wastes: paper products, printing and writing paper, wood and dry lumber and textiles. The contents of the blue container shall be transported to a facility that recovers the materials designated for collection in the blue container.

(3) The gray container shall be for the collection of non-organic waste only.

(6) A jurisdiction may require additional segregation of source separated organic waste by providing additional containers or additional sections of split containers in addition to the green container and blue container. The following types of additional containers can be provided pursuant to this paragraph.

(A) A brown container, or a brown section of a split container that is limited to the collection of separated food waste.