October 20, 2021 — Santa Monica residents and businesses will soon need to sort organic waste from their garbage, while large food-related businesses will also need to recover and donate edible leftovers.
The new requirements are part of a “Mandatory Recycling Ordinance” the City Council is expected to approve Tuesday in order to comply with a 2016 State law that requires jurisdictions to approve measures to recycle organics.
The proposed ordinance “would dramatically increase recycling rates of food and green waste materials normally destined for the landfill,” according to City staff.