If you are a business owner
Businesses must sort their waste properly and train their staff annually on proper sorting. Organics recycling training is extremely important to ensure the proper participation and compliance of your business. The misuse or contamination of your organics cart may result in citations and/or fines.
If the business sells/provides organic waste or recyclables, they must provide the appropriate bins in the front of the house for customer sorting.
Commercial businesses may qualify for a waiver for this requirement if the organic waste generated falls below certain thresholds. Contact Athens Services at 888-336-6100 to arrange for free organics recycling assessment for your business.
- less than 20 gallons of organic waste per week with a total waste collection service of 2 cubic yards or more
- less than 10 gallons of organic waste per week with a total waste collection service of less than 2 cubic yards
In order to help customers comply with SB 1383, Athens will be phasing the cost of organics to commercial rate payers. Customers will receive a discount on their bill through June 2025, as outlined below.
- July 1, 2022- June 30, 2023:
75% Organics Rate Discount - July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024:
50% Organics Rate Discount - July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025:
25% Organics Rate Discount - July 1, 2025 and beyond:
0% Organics Rate Discount
Other Commercial Recycling Mandates
AB 341: Mandatory Commercial Recycling
As of July 1, 2012, the State's AB 341 established mandatory commercial recycling and a Statewide goal to source reduce, recycle or compost no less than 75% of the solid waste generated by 2020 and annually thereafter. All businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of solid waste per week and multi-family properties with 5 units or more must arrange for recycling services.
AB 1826: Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law
Businesses, public entities, including multi-family complexes with 5 units or more that general four or more cubic yards of solid waste must arrange for organics recycling services effective on or before January 1, 2016. For the purposes of AB 1826, means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. Multi-family dwellings are not required to arrange for collection of food scraps and food-soiled paper at this time.
AB 827: Commercial Organics and Recycling Bins
As of July 1, 2020, AB 827 commercial food establishments must provide organic waste and recycling bins to customers alongside trash to collect products purchased and consumed by customers on the premises. All three bins must be accessible, visible, and clearly marked with signage on what can or cannot be disposed of. The bins must be properly serviced.
This law targets businesses that sell products meant for immediate consumption. *Full-service restaurants do not have to provide properly labeled containers for customers but must provide properly labeled containers next to trash containers for employees to separate post-consumer recyclables and organics.
*A "full-service" restaurant is defined as the employee escorts/assigns the customer to an assigned eating area, takes the food and beverage orders at the assigned seating area, delivers the food and beverage to the customer, and collects all trash from the customer.
Business Recycling Resources
