Assembly Bill 341 (AB 341), commonly referred to as “The Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law”, set forth mandatory statewide commercial recycling requirements that became effective on July 1, 2012.  This law requires businesses and multi-family residential dwellings (five or more units)  to arrange for recycling services. Common mixed recyclables include, but are not limited to the following materials: plastic containers, cardboard products, paper products, metal products, glass, and other items.

A property owner of a commercial business or multi-family residential dwelling may require tenants to source separate their recyclable materials to aid in compliance with this section.

• Source separate recyclable and/or compostable material from solid waste they are discarding and either self-haul, subscribe to a recycling program through a waste hauler, and/or otherwise arrange for the pick-up of the recyclable and/or compostable materials separately from the solid waste to divert them from disposal.

• Subscribe to a service that includes mixed waste processing alone or in combination with other programs, activities or processes that divert recyclable and/or compostable materials from disposal, and yield diversion results comparable to source separation.

• Property owners of commercial or multi-family residential dwellings may require tenants to source separate their recyclable materials. Tenants must source separate their recyclable materials if required to by property owners of commercial or multi-family residential dwellings.

Organic wastes are recyclable through composting and mulching, and through anaerobic digestion, which can produce renewable energy. In an effort to achieve California's recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals, in 2016, the State began implementing AB 1826 Legislation (Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling) in a tiered approach..

As of January 1, 2019, any business or multi-family residential dwellings of five units or more that generate four cubic yards or more of solid waste per week (total for trash, recycling and organics) must recycle their organic waste.

As of December 31, 2020, any business or multi-family residential dwellings of five units or more that generate two cubic yards or more of solid waste per week (total for trash, recycling and organics) must recycle their organic waste.

For detailed information on the requirements go to CalRecycle's website.

In September 2016, Governor Brown signed into law SB 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016), establishing methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) in various sectors of California's economy. The following are the goals of SB 1383:

1. Achieve a 50 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020

2. Achieve a 75 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025

The law also requires the state to increase edible food recovery by 20 percent by 2025.

The SB 1383 regulations go into effect on January 1, 2022. Please review the following dates:

• January 1, 2020: The state must achieve a 50 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level no later than this date

• January 1, 2022: CalRecycle's regulations to meet the organic waste reduction targets for 2020 and 2025 take effect and are enforceable on this date

• January 1, 2024: Effective on this date, the regulations may require local jurisdictions to impose penalties for non-compliance on generators within their jurisdiction

• January 1, 2025: By this date, the state must achieve a 75 percent reduction in the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level. Also, not less than 20 percent of currently disposed of edible food must be recovered for human consumption

For details information on the requirements go to CalRecycle's Website.

To assist multi-family residential dwellings in proper separation and disposal of recyclables, the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources (RCDWR) has a program to help your residents be successful in your recycling program by providing reusable recycling tote bags for your residents.

An important component to a successful recycling program and to initiate source separating of recyclables, is setting up a “two-bin” in-home system, one bin for trash and one bin for recycling. Residents can use the recycling tote bag provided by the RCDWR program in place of a recycling “bin.”

These tote bags can be set next to the trash can in resident’s apartments to easily create the “two-bin” in-home system. Once the tote bag is full, or when tenants are ready to empty their bag, transporting their household recyclables to the outdoor recycling container is made easier and more convenient by the tote bag’s multi-handle design. Each unit at your complex qualifies for one reusable recycling tote bag at no cost. The tote bag lists the commonly accepted recycling materials for your area.

To qualify for the program, you must: 

• Be a multi-family residential dwelling property with 5 or more units located in unincorporated Riverside County,
• Be subscribed to a recycling collection service through your waste hauler, and;
• Complete the application: Multi-Family Residential Dwelling Recycle Bag Program Application (jotform.com)

If you have any questions about the Multi-Family Dwelling Recycle Bag Program, please call 951-486-3200 or email Waste-CompostingRecycling@rivco.org to speak to a Recycling Specialist.

1. Identify who your Waste Hauler is – this will help determine what can and cannot be recycled. If you are unsure of who your waste hauler is, you can find out here.  
2. Utilize the tote to hold your recyclables..
3. Pick a convenient spot to keep your tote bag. Many people find it helpful to keep it in the place that generates the most waste, like the kitchen. 
4. Start filling your tote bag with your paper, plastic, metal and glass recyclables! If you are unsure about the recyclability of a certain item, check with your waste hauler.   
5. Once the tote bag is full, empty it into your apartment’s recycle bin.  
6. Repeat!  

Recycling is a great way to help reduce waste. By reducing waste, we are not only saving energy and natural resources, but we are also conserving space in the landfills. Here are some easy ways you can reduce waste at home:

• Take reusable bags to the store when shopping
• Reduce or eliminate the use of single use items, e.g., plates and cups
• Store leftover foods in reusable containers instead of single use plastic bags or Polystyrene foam containers
• Reduce or minimize use of plastic bags and Polystyrene foam
• Donate unwanted, slightly used clothing, furniture and other household items to local non-profit organizations
• Take advantage of the many curbside and drop-off recycling opportunities
• Compost yard waste which also helps enrich the soil and reduces water run-off
• Purchase foods in bulk or those which use less packaging
• Purchase fruits and vegetables that are not pre-packaged in containers and plastics

Avoiding contamination begins with "Recycling Right," or knowing how to recycle as well as what to recycle. 

Follow these simple tips to ensure you are always “Recycling Right”:  

• Empty - recycle clean bottles, cans, paper and cardboard 
• Dry – keep food and liquids out of the recycle bin  
• Loose – no bagged recyclables, keep everything loose  
• No tangling items – including ropes, strings, chains and even plastic bags  
• No HHW – including batteries, car parts, paint and sharps  
• No greasy bags or wax-coated cups 

Visit our Waste Guide for additional information on how to dispose or recycle specific items.