Assembly Bill (AB) 1201 (Ting, Chapter 504, Statutes of 2021) requires CalRecycle to determine, through a public process to be completed by January 1, 2024, whether it would be feasible to separate the collection of products that are not acceptable compost feedstocks under the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (NOP) from collection of organic wastes that are acceptable compost feedstocks under the NOP and enable processing that can be done efficiently to recover organic waste in both streams.

CalRecycle conducted a public workshop on November 1, 2023, to solicit public feedback on whether separate collection would be feasible. Specifically, CalRecycle asked interested parties to provide data that demonstrates that bifurcated collection is feasible and would enable efficient processing and recovery of organic waste using the current organic waste processing infrastructure in California. More than 200 individuals participated in the workshop, and staff received oral comments from 22 individuals and written comments from 17 individuals.

This item presents the department’s analysis of the feasibility of bifurcated collection of products to enable efficient processing and recovery of organic waste, including the comments received from the public and whether the comments and data received demonstrate that bifurcated collection would be feasible. 

Supporting documents, including all public comments received, are posted in the “Documents” section.