Top Composting & Food Waste in Irvine, California Ranked

For restaurants and food service businesses in Irvine, managing organic waste is no longer just an environmental best practice-it's a legal requirement. California's landmark SB 1383 mandates that all businesses, including restaurants, separate their food scraps and other compostable materials for recycling. This organics recycling program is designed to dramatically reduce landfill methane emissions by turning food waste into valuable compost or renewable energy. In Irvine, compliance is managed through a partnership with the city's franchise hauler, requiring specific bins, clear signage, and staff training to ensure food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste are properly diverted from the trash.

Navigating these commercial food waste regulations can streamline your operations, potentially lower your waste disposal costs, and position your business as a leader in Irvine's sustainability efforts. This guide provides the essential information you need to set up and maintain an effective organics diversion system.

Royal Pumping and Jetting

los angeles

Royal Pumping and Jetting provides a comprehensive range of pumping and jetting services for restaurants and hospitality businesses in Los Angeles, CA. Their offerings include grease trap and interceptor cleaning, waste kitchen oil removal, hydro jetting, grease trap repair, high-pressure washing, and complete plumbing services. The company has been serving Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Bernardino since 2008, with a team of certified experts skilled in handling various pump and blast operations. They also offer 24/7 availability to meet urgent service needs.

5.0

3 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

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Understanding SB 1383: Irvine's Mandatory Organics Recycling Law

California's Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Law (SB 1383) sets statewide targets to reduce organic waste in landfills by 75% by 2025. For Irvine businesses, this translates into a local ordinance requiring the separation of organic materials. The law defines "organic waste" broadly, encompassing all food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings. Every restaurant, regardless of size, must participate in an organics recycling service, typically by subscribing to a green bin collection service from the city's authorized hauler ^{1 2}.

The mandate is enforced, and non-compliance can result in penalties. The city's Environmental Programs team oversees implementation, offering resources and guidance to help businesses meet their obligations. The goal is to create a circular system where food waste is recovered and recycled, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to a healthier local environment ^{2 3}.

Setting Up Your Commercial Organics Collection System

Implementing a successful food scrap recycling program starts with the right infrastructure. In Irvine, commercial waste collection is provided by a franchise hauler, such as Waste Management. Your first step is to contact them to establish service tailored to your business's volume and needs.

Containers and Colors: California uses a standardized color-coded system:

• Green Container: For Organics. This includes all food waste and food-soiled paper.
• Blue Container: For Recycling like cans, bottles, and clean cardboard.
• Gray Container: For Landfill trash that cannot be recycled or composted ⁴.

You will need to assess your waste streams to determine the appropriate size and collection frequency for each type of bin. Many restaurants find they can downsize their more expensive gray landfill bin by effectively diverting organics and recyclables, which can lead to cost savings ⁵.

Using Compostable Bags: To keep green bins clean and manage odors, the use of certified compostable bags for collecting food scraps in kitchen prep areas is allowed and encouraged. These bags can be placed directly into the green organics cart. Traditional plastic bags are not allowed in the green bin as they contaminate the composting process ^{1 6}.

What Goes In the Green Organics Bin?

Knowing what materials are accepted is crucial for a contamination-free stream. The green bin is for anything that was once alive and can be broken down through composting or anaerobic digestion.

YES - Place these in the Green Organics Bin:

• All food scraps: fruits, vegetables, meat, bones, seafood, dairy, bread, pasta, coffee grounds, and eggshells.
• Food-soiled paper: napkins, paper towels, paper plates, pizza boxes (without wax coating), and uncoated paper food containers.
• Yard trimmings: leaves, grass, and small branches ^{4 7}.

NO - Keep these out of the Green Organics Bin:

• Plastic bags (unless they are certified compostable).
• Styrofoam or plastic utensils.
• Glass, metal, or plastic packaging.
• Liquids, oils, or grease.
• Any form of plastic wrap or film ⁷.

Clear, consistent signage posted above your bins is one of the most effective tools to ensure both staff and customers sort waste correctly.

The Role of Waste Management Plans and Food Recovery

For new construction or significant renovation projects, the City of Irvine requires a Waste Management Plan (WMP) as part of the building permit process. This plan must detail how the project will provide adequate space and infrastructure for the separation and collection of recyclables and organics, ensuring compliance from day one ^{1 8}.

A critical component of SB 1383 is its emphasis on food recovery. The law requires commercial edible food generators, which include large restaurants and food service providers (classified as Tier 1 or Tier 2), to donate maximum edible food to recovery organizations. This involves establishing a written agreement or contract with a local food bank or recovery service. By prioritizing food donation, businesses can help address food insecurity while reducing the volume of waste needing processing ^{1 9}.

Potential Costs and Savings of Food Waste Diversion

Waste service pricing is typically based on container size and collection frequency. A key financial incentive for effective organics recycling is tiered pricing. Smaller landfill (gray) bins cost significantly less than larger ones. For example, a 1-yard gray bin may cost around $82 per month, while a 3-yard bin could be approximately $208 per month (prices are illustrative and can vary) ⁵.

By aggressively diverting food scraps to the green bin and recyclables like cardboard to the blue bin, a restaurant can often reduce the size of its gray trash bin or decrease how often it needs to be emptied. This direct reduction in landfill service can lead to noticeable monthly savings on your waste hauling bill. The initial effort to train staff and set up a proper sorting system can yield a strong return on investment through lower operational costs.

Steps to Achieve Compliance in Your Irvine Restaurant

1. Assess Your Waste: Conduct a brief waste audit to understand the volume of organics, recyclables, and landfill trash your business generates.
2. Contact Your Hauler: Reach out to Waste Management (or the city's current franchise hauler) to order the necessary green, blue, and gray containers in sizes that match your needs. Discuss collection schedules ⁶.
3. Implement Internal Collection: Place small, labeled containers for organics and recycling in all food prep and dishwashing areas. Use compostable liners in food scrap containers.
4. Train Your Team: Educate every employee on what goes in each bin. Make training part of the onboarding process for new hires. Clear signage is essential ¹⁰.
5. Promote Food Donation: If you are a large food generator, connect with organizations like the OC Food Bank to establish a food recovery program ⁹.
6. Check for Waivers: In limited circumstances, such as lack of space or de minimis waste generation, a business may apply for a waiver from the city, which must be renewed every five years ⁹.
7. Display Signs: Post the required recycling and organics signage provided by your hauler or the city near all customer and staff waste collection areas ¹.

Frequently asked questions

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