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Compliance with AB 1826

Compliance and Exemption Checklist

Download the Compliance and Exemption Checklist to verify your compliance with California’s Commercial Composting Law, AB 1826.
Click here for English.
Click here for Spanish.

Videos

We’ve created some short videos to assist you with understanding AB 1826 and filling out the checklist below. Note: these links will take you to a YouTube page to view them.
Commercial Business Videos – English   Spanish
Multi-Family Residential (apartment) Videos – English   Spanish

Requirements

The City requires the owner, property manager, or designee to

  1. Read all of the checklist,
  2. Fill out and sign the checklist, and
  3. Attach any necessary documentation to verify your compliance.
  4. When you have completed the checklist, you can email it to sustainability@cityofsanrafael.org or mail it to Sustainability Program, City of San Rafael, 1400 Fifth Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901.

Please reach out if you have questions by emailing or calling 415.485.3407.

Note: The City or Marin Sanitary Service will need to conduct a site visit, usually within 30 days, to verify alternative compliance or exemption status and to answer any questions you may have.

Standard Compliance

Standard Compliance is the simplest method to implement organic composting services and it indicates that you have enrolled with Marin Sanitary Service (MSS).

Marin Sanitary Service offers two organics recycling programs depending on your needs that are often up to 30% less expensive than comparable landfill services.

  • The Food 2 Energy Program is for businesses like restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets that mostly generate pre-consumer food scraps and turn it into electricity.
  • The Commercial Compost Program is for businesses that generate post-consumer food scraps, landscape trimmings, and other organic, compostable materials like pallets and crates.

Click here for more information about the programs, or call Marin Sanitary Service at 415.456.2601 to begin the enrollment process.

Alternative Compliance

If you are not currently enrolled with Marin Sanitary Service, there is the possibility that you might already be compliant if you employ an alternative compliance method that results in your organic waste being composted, like having an onsite composting setup or if you employ a landscaping contractor who hauls it to a composting facility for you. Refer to the checklist for other alternative compliance methods.

Exemption Request

In some rare instances, you may be exempt due to specific criteria under the law such as generating less than 2 cubic yards of all forms of solid waste (recycling + composting + landfill) per week or generating less than ½ cubic yard of organic waste per week.

Note: You will have to provide more details regarding Alternative Compliance or an Exemption Request in the Explain section, and you will be required to provide documentation for the compliance methods you selected.

Local businesses leading by example

Many businesses in San Rafael have already complied with AB 1826, after implementing one or both programs offered by Marin Sanitary Service. Read our Waste Wise Business Spotlights featuring some of the best examples.

If your business has edible leftover food, consider donating it to ExtraFood.org! Diverting edible leftovers from the landfill is crucial to meeting California’s targets for methane emissions reductions.

More information on California’s Mandatory Commercial Organics law AB 1826 can be found here.

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