MANDATORY COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY ORGANICS RECYCLING (RECYCLA)

OrganicsLA is the City of Los Angeles’ organics recycling program for businesses and multifamily properties. It helps keep food waste out of landfills and turns it into compost that supports California agriculture and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Under California law (SB 1383), all businesses, schools, and multifamily properties are required to separate food scraps, food-soiled paper, and green waste from trash and participate in organics recycling service through recycLA.

Who Should Participate?

This program applies to:

  • Restaurants and food service businesses
  • Commercial businesses (all sectors)
  • Multifamily properties (5 or more units)
  • Schools and institutions

All recycLA customers are required to subscribe to and participate in organics recycling services.

Watch our 1-minute video to see how small actions can make a big impact for Los Angeles.

Why participate?

Keeping food waste out of landfills isn’t just required — it makes a measurable impact. Every peel, stem, plate scrap, coffee ground, and food-soiled napkin your business separates helps create compost that nourishes soil and supports California agriculture.

By participating, your business:

  • Complies with California law (SB 1383) and City of Los Angeles requirements
  • Helps reduce methane emissions from landfills
  • Supports food recovery efforts for people in need
  • Contributes to a more sustainable Los Angeles

Failure to comply may result in notices of violation, administrative citations, and penalties.

How Can I Participate?

A kitchen staff member in a commercial kitchen talking on a smartphone while using a tablet.

1. Set up organics recycling service
Contact LASAN’s 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489 to request a waste assessment through your recycLA service provider.

A chef in a commercial kitchen peeling sweet potatoes and placing the peels into a green organics recycling bin.

2. Separate materials correctly
Place all food scraps, food-soiled paper, and green waste in your green organics container.

A close-up of a person scraping food waste from a ceramic plate into a green organics bin.

3. Train staff or tenants
Ensure employees, janitorial teams, and residents understand what belongs in each bin.

A worker outdoors emptying a bag of organic waste from a small green collection bin into a large green industrial organics dumpster.

4. Participate in regular collection
Ensure your organics container is serviced regularly as part of your recycLA service.

A kitchen staff member in a black uniform hands a green crate filled with fresh bread and produce to a person wearing a green safety vest.

5. Comply with food donation requirements (if applicable)
Certain businesses must recover edible food and arrange donation through approved organizations.

What goes in the Green bin?

  • Food waste: Prep waste, plate scrapings, meat, fish, dairy, produce, coffee grounds, baked goods, and more.
  • Food-soiled paper: Napkins, paper towels, coffee filters, pizza boxes, and similar materials.
  • Green waste: Landscaping trimmings, leaves, and untreated wood.

Do not include: plastic, compostable plastics, or non-organic waste

Various food scraps including banana peels, eggshells, and strawberry tops piled on a wooden cutting board.

Downloadable Toolkits

Resources to support organic waste diversion efforts:

OrganicsLA Restaurant Toolkit cover featuring a chef cracking eggs over a green compost bin. Text: Customer Communications and Staff Training Resources.

OrganicsLA Restaurant Toolkit

Practical signage, staff training materials, and customer-facing resources to help restaurants successfully separate food scraps and comply with organics recycling requirements.

Download Restaurant Toolkit (PDF, 2 MB)

OrganicsLA Property Manager Toolkit cover featuring an aerial view of a residential city neighborhood. Text: For Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

OrganicsLA Property Manager Toolkit

Ready-to-use templates, signage, and communication tools to help property managers implement organics service and educate residents.

Download Property Manager Toolkit (PDF, 2 MB)

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the legal requirements for organics recycling?

AB 1826 (2014) requires businesses and multifamily buildings generating 2 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week to arrange for organics recycling services.

SB 1383 (2016) expanded these requirements. As of January 1, 2022:

  • All businesses and multifamily properties must subscribe to organics recycling service
  • All organic waste (food scraps, green waste, food-soiled paper) must be separated into the green container
  • Jurisdictions must reduce landfill disposal of organic waste by 75% from 2014 levels by 2025
  • At least 20% of edible food must be recovered for human consumption

What are the City of Los Angeles requirements?

The City of Los Angeles adopted Ordinance No. 187711, requiring all businesses and residential properties to subscribe to and participate in recycling and organics recycling programs.

Failure to comply may result in enforcement actions, including administrative citations and penalties.

Beginning January 2024, commercial and multifamily properties without organics recycling service are subject to penalties under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 66.07.

Do businesses need to donate edible food?

Yes, certain businesses classified as Tier 1 or Tier 2 Edible Food Generators must:

  • Recover the maximum amount of edible food that would otherwise be disposed
  • Establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations or services
  • Maintain records of food donation activities

For more information, refer to CalRecycle’s SB 1383 Food Recovery requirements.

Can my business receive a waiver?

Depending on your waste make up and site conditions you may be eligible for a waiver from the requirement of mandatory organics collection. If you believe your business/property meets the eligibility conditions, please select the link below and complete the form to submit a SB 1383 Waiver Request. The City will evaluate your request and notify you of your waiver determination.

RecycLA customers may be eligible for waiver if one of the waiver criteria below are met.

  • De minimis Waiver
    1. The commercial business’s total solid waste collection service is two (2) cubic yards or more per week and organic waste subject to collection in a blue container or a green container as specified in Section 18984.1(a) comprises less than 20 gallons per week per applicable container of the business’ total waste.
    2. The commercial business’s total solid waste collection service is less than two (2) cubic yards per week and organic waste subject to collection in a blue container or a green container as specified in Section 18984.1(a) comprises less than 10 gallons per week per applicable container of the business’ total waste.
  • Physical Space Waiver
    1. The City may waive a commercial business’ or property owner’s obligation to comply with the organic waste collection service requirements if the commercial business or property owner provides documentation, or the jurisdiction has evidence from its staff, a hauler, licensed architect, or licensed engineer demonstrating that the premises lack adequate space for any of the organic waste container configurations allowed under the SB 1383 regulations.

How do I request a waiver?

If you believe your business or property qualifies, you may submit a waiver request through LASAN. The City will evaluate your request and notify you of the determination.

Where can I find more information on food recovery?

Need Help?

Call LASAN’s 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489 to:

  • Request a waste assessment
  • Set up organics recycling service
  • Ask questions about compliance or requirements