Top Composting & Food Waste in Chino, California Ranked

For restaurant owners and food service operators in Chino, managing organic waste is no longer just an environmental consideration-it's a legal requirement. California's landmark SB 1383 mandates that all businesses, including restaurants, separate their food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings for recycling. This organics recycling program is designed to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills by turning waste into valuable compost or renewable energy. In Chino, this state law is implemented through a partnership with the city and your franchised waste hauler, making compliance a key part of daily operations. Understanding the rules for containers, collection, and contamination is essential to avoid service disruptions and potential penalties while contributing to California's climate goals.

TAWA compost green waste food recycling

4002 Drysdale Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032

TAWA Compost Green Waste Food Recycling is based in Los Angeles, CA, providing food waste and composting services primarily for restaurants and commercial clients. They offer drop-off options for commercial food waste, green waste, and residential waste, as well as onsite waste management and emergency food waste pickup available 24/7. Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, TAWA Compost began as a food rescue initiative to address food insecurity and now focuses on turning inedible food into nutrient-rich compost. They also conduct workshops to educate the community on reducing waste and maximizing resources.

5.0

7 Reviews

CR & R Inc

12739 Lakeland Rd, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

CR & R Inc provides food waste and composting services for restaurants in La Mirada, CA. The company focuses on sustainable solid waste and recycling solutions, operating advanced materials processing centers and using alternative fuel vehicles to reduce environmental impact. With over three decades of experience, CR & R Inc has developed a state-of-the-art anaerobic digester to process organic waste and produce renewable natural gas, supporting cleaner air and greener practices in the region.

3.1

14 Reviews

See more providers in Chino, CA

Understanding SB 1383: A Mandate for Chino Restaurants

California's Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, known as SB 1383, sets ambitious targets to reduce organic waste disposal statewide. For your Chino restaurant, this translates to a mandatory subscription to organics recycling service ^{1 2}. The law aims to cut methane emissions-a potent greenhouse gas-from decomposing food in landfills by 75% by 2025. This isn't a voluntary green initiative; it's a enforceable regulation that applies to virtually all businesses generating organic waste ^{3 4}. The mandate also includes a food recovery requirement, urging businesses to donate excess edible food to local recovery organizations before it becomes waste ^{1 5}. While waivers exist for de minimis generators producing very small amounts of waste, they are rare, and most restaurants will need to participate fully ³.

Your Organics Recycling Service Provider in Chino

In the City of Chino, Waste Management (WM) is the franchised hauler responsible for providing commercial organics collection services in coordination with the city ^{6 2}. This means your restaurant will work directly with WM or through the city to set up the appropriate service level. The program officially rolled out for Chino businesses starting July 1, 2023, giving local establishments a structured framework for compliance ⁶. It's crucial to contact WM or the City of Chino's Public Works Department to get a specific quote, determine the correct bin sizes for your volume, and obtain official training materials for your staff ^{6 2}. They are your primary resources for ensuring your setup meets all local and state requirements.

The Three-Stream System: Color-Coded Containers

Compliance hinges on properly separating waste into three distinct streams. Your restaurant will need designated containers for each:

• Green Containers (Organics): This bin is for all compostable material. Acceptable items include food scraps (fruit, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, coffee grounds), food-soiled paper (napkins, paper towels, uncoated paper plates, pizza boxes, coffee filters), and yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, small branches under 3 inches in diameter) ^{1 2 7}.
• Blue Containers (Recyclables): This stream is for clean, dry recyclables like cans, bottles, plastics, and cardboard. It's important to keep these materials free from food residue.
• Gray or Black Containers (Trash/Landfill): This is for everything that cannot go into the green or blue bins-primarily non-recyclable, non-compostable waste.

Containers must be correctly labeled and placed in both back-of-house (BOH) areas for staff and front-of-house (FOH) areas for customers, with the exception of restrooms ^{2 8}. Clear signage helps prevent contamination at the source.

Collection Schedules and Logistics

For most Chino restaurants, organics collection occurs on a weekly basis, often on the same day as your trash and recycling pickup ². The frequency and bin size (e.g., 32-gallon, 64-gallon, 96-gallon wheeled carts) are determined by the volume of organic waste your kitchen generates. Working with WM to right-size your service is a key step-too large a bin wastes money, while too small leads to overflow and operational headaches. Consistent, weekly pickup helps manage odor and pest concerns associated with food waste.

Critical Rules: Contamination and Employee Training

Contamination-placing the wrong item in a stream-is a major focus of the program. Strict rules prohibit non-organics like rocks, dirt, soil, plastics, and glass from being placed in the green organics bin ^{9 7}. Haulers conduct inspections, and contaminated bins may be left un-emptied, with your business notified of the issue ⁹. Repeated contamination can lead to escalated enforcement actions.

Therefore, annual employee training is not just recommended; it's a required component of compliance ⁹. Every staff member, from dishwashers to servers to managers, must understand what goes into each colored bin. Creating simple guides, posting signs above bins, and holding brief training sessions can ensure your team diverts waste correctly, keeping service running smoothly.

The Cost of Compliance and Potential Savings

Implementing organics recycling is a required cost of doing business under SB 1383 ^{1 3}. Your overall waste bill will likely increase as you add a third service stream (organics) to your existing trash and recycling pickup. The final cost depends on factors like your chosen bin size and pickup frequency ¹⁰. However, there is a significant potential for cost savings. By diverting heavy, wet food scraps from your trash bin, you may be able to reduce the size or frequency of your landfill service. The goal is to shift the bulk of your waste stream from expensive landfill-bound trash to organics and recycling, which can ultimately stabilize or even lower your long-term waste management expenses ¹⁰.

Beyond the Bin: Food Donation and Community Benefits

SB 1383 emphasizes a hierarchy: the first goal is to reduce food waste, the second is to recover edible food for people, and the third is to recycle the remaining scraps. Restaurants are encouraged to partner with local food banks or recovery organizations to donate surplus edible food ^{1 5}. This not only fulfills a component of the law but also builds positive community relations. Furthermore, the organics collected from Chino businesses are processed into compost or mulch, which can sometimes be obtained for free or at low cost for landscaping, creating a circular economy right in your community ¹⁰.

Getting Started and Maintaining Compliance

Taking the first step is straightforward. Reach out to Waste Management or the City of Chino's Public Works Department to initiate service, request containers, and get compliant signage ^{6 7}. Audit your current waste to estimate volume, train your team thoroughly, and set up clearly marked stations. Remember, this is an ongoing process. Regularly check bins for contamination, refresh training for new hires, and communicate with your hauler if your waste volume changes. Proactive management turns a state mandate into an efficient, normalized part of your restaurant's daily routine.

Frequently asked questions

Sources