California has long been a national leader in environmental policy, and one of its most ambitious initiatives is Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383). Passed in 2016, this new state law requires cities and counties across the state to dramatically cut the amount of organic waste in landfills. This is a critical step in a larger strategy to tackle climate change. For cities like Long Beach, this change is about more than swapping out your trash cans—it’s about transforming how we think of “waste” and contributing to global sustainability.
To meet SB 1383’s goals, cities like Long Beach are rolling out new organics recycling bins for residents and businesses. This change is about much more than swapping out your trash cans—it’s about transforming how we think of “waste” and how local actions can contribute to global climate solutions.
What SB 1383 Requires
SB 1383 sets some clear and ambitious targets:
- 75% reduction in organic waste disposal by 2025 (compared to 2014 levels).
- 20% of edible food that would otherwise go to landfills must be redirected to food recovery organizations and services.
To meet these goals, every city in California must provide residents and businesses with a system for collecting organic waste, which is then composted, converted into renewable energy, or redistributed as food donations.
That second target highlights the role of food recovery organizations, which collect surplus edible food from businesses and redirect it to food banks, shelters, and community groups. Together with organics recycling, these efforts create a system where less waste goes to landfills, more food reaches people in need, and methane emissions are reduced.
For Long Beach, that means a citywide rollout of green compost bins alongside the familiar trash and recycling carts.
Long Beach’s Organic Waste Bin Rollout
Long Beach began introducing its compost program in phases to make the transition manageable for both residents and city staff:
- Commercial Start: Businesses and institutions, which generate the most food waste, began compliance as early as 2021.
- Residential Expansion: A pilot began in October 2024, with phased rollouts continuing throughout 2025. Service has been staggered by collection day—Monday households first, then Tuesday/Wednesday, and finally Thursday/Friday routes.
- Citywide Goal: By the end of 2025, more than 112,000 residential accounts will have compost bins and access to organics collection.
Each household receives a green cart, multilingual educational materials, and access to city workshops and events designed to answer questions and reduce confusion. Importantly, the program is funded through a small service fee added to waste collection bills, which began in August 2025 for homes already receiving service.
What Goes In (and What Stays Out)
One of the most important pieces of this transition is knowing what belongs in the green bin.
Yes, Please: Food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, bones); Yard trimmings (grass, leaves, branches); Paper bags and paper towels
Not Allowed: Plastic bags (including compostable or biodegradable labeled bags); Glass, metal, or other recyclables; Liquids and hazardous waste
This focus on clean streams is essential—contamination can spoil entire loads and reduce the effectiveness of composting. To make it easier, the city recommends freezing food scraps to reduce odor, using paper liners, or going “bagless” with just a paper towel at the bottom of the bin.
From Waste to Resource: The Circular Economy in Action
Even in its early stages, the program has shown significant results. In the first phase alone, over 900 tons of organic material were collected from nearly 8,000 homes. Once fully implemented, Long Beach’s compost program is expected to divert tens of thousands of tons of organic waste each year.
Why does that matter? Because organic waste is California’s largest single solid waste stream, making up nearly 50% of what goes into landfills. Every ton diverted represents methane emissions avoided, cleaner air, and compost that can be put to work enriching soil on farms across the state.
Long Beach’s program sends collected organics to regional facilities in Kern, Riverside, and Victorville, where it is transformed into compost and soil amendments for agricultural use. This creates a circular economy where yesterday’s food scraps help grow tomorrow’s crops.
Recycling and Food Rescue: Hitting Senate Bill 1383’s Dual Targets
While composting is the most visible part of SB 1383, the law also sets ambitious food rescue targets that go hand-in-hand with recycling. By 2025, California requires that 20% of edible food that would otherwise end up in landfills be recovered and redirected to people in need. For Long Beach, this means building stronger partnerships between grocery stores, restaurants, food distributors, and local nonprofits. Food recovery organizations act as the bridge—collecting surplus items that are still safe to eat and ensuring they reach food banks, shelters, and community groups instead of going to waste.
Recycling efforts also play a crucial role in reaching SB 1383’s 75% organic waste reduction target. By expanding the green bin program and ensuring clean separation of food scraps, yard trimmings, and recyclables, the city is creating a more efficient waste management system that keeps valuable materials in use. Together, recycling and food rescue represent the dual strategy at the heart of SB 1383: cutting greenhouse gas emissions while also strengthening community resilience and addressing food insecurity.
More Than Just Methane: The Power of Short-Lived Climate Solutions
While carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key focus of climate policy, it’s not the only gas contributing to global warming. Scientists have identified a category of pollutants known as Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. These include substances like methane, black carbon (soot), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
What makes them so significant? Unlike CO2, which can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, SLCSs have a much shorter lifespan—from a few days to about a decade. However, during their time in the atmosphere, they are far more potent, trapping heat at a rate that is tens or even thousands of times greater than CO2. This means that reducing them can have a rapid and substantial effect on slowing the pace of near-term global warming.
SB 1383’s focus on organic waste is a prime example of a short-lived climate pollutant reduction strategy. By tackling the largest source of methane in California, the law isn’t just a long-term goal; it’s a strategic move to achieve immediate, tangible climate benefits and buy us time to address the long-term challenge of CO2.
Community Engagement and Education
The city has also recognized that rolling out new bins isn’t enough—residents need tools and information to use them correctly. Long Beach has invested in multilingual mailers, digital outreach, neighborhood events, and a MapIt tool that helps residents track when their new service will begin.
This emphasis on education is designed to reduce contamination and build long-term buy-in, ensuring the program’s success well beyond its initial rollout.
Looking Ahead: Composting as Climate Action
With California Senate Bill 1383’s 2025 deadline approaching, Long Beach’s compost bin program represents an important step toward meeting statewide climate goals. By keeping organics out of landfills, the city is not only reducing methane emissions but also creating compost that improves soil health, conserves water, and supports local agriculture.
In other words, what once was “waste” is now part of the solution. The green bin in your driveway connects to a bigger story of climate action, community resilience, and a healthier future for California.
As Long Beach residents adjust to their new bins, they’re participating in one of the most significant statewide environmental programs in decades. Composting may feel like a small daily habit—but multiplied across thousands of households, it has the power to change the way we manage resources, reduce pollution, and tackle climate change.
