Today, a focus on recycling organic materials is central to California's efforts to combat climate change. When landfilled, organic waste (leaves, grass, agricultural crop residues, and food scraps) generates methane, which has a heat-trapping effect about 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeline. Reducing methane emissions within 20 years is necessary to avert the worse impacts of climate change.
California law (SB 1383) targets a 50 percent reduction in the landfilling of organic waste in 2022. By 2025, that reduction target is 75 percent. The City of Imperial Beach is implementing additional organics collection programs to meet these goals.
Calrecycle - Frequently Asked Questions about Implementing SB 1383