Palm Desert’s new food waste composting program starts July 1
There's a new law in California that will change how you throw out your trash – and it starts for some here in the valley Friday.
In Palm Desert, the first phase of new composting rules are being rolled out ahead of a July 1 start date – bringing changes people's trash bins, and even new food waste containers to go inside homes.
"You're not just throwing it into a landfill now, it's actually being created into compost, which can be used again," said Trisha Stull, a management analyst for environmental programs with the city of Palm Desert.
Stull said almost all residents will now have green, blue, and gray/black bins, which have been color coordinated statewide.
Regular trash now goes in the gray or black bin, which was previously used for recycling, Stull said.
A new blue bin is to be used for recyclables.
And a green bin is for yard waste, with the new addition of food waste too.
"This (green bin) had yard waste in it, if you were used to that," Stull said. "Now, you'll be bagging your food waste and placing it in with your yard waste."
Burrtec, the valley's largest trash hauler, has been delivering smaller kitchen pails to residents in Palm Desert this week with instructions on how to store and dispose of food waste.
"They were already putting their food waste in their trash can. So this is just putting it in a separate location," Stull said.
It's all to comply with Senate Bill 1383, which passed earlier this year in California, aimed at reducing 75 percent of organic waste in landfills by 2025. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing food.
The next phase of the rollout in Palm Desert continues this fall. Palm Desert is the first valley city to begin its composting collection program, but all other valley cities will deploy programs later this year as well.
A Burrtec spokesperson said changes to trash collection are being implemented city by city, and customers will receive a mailed notice in advance of any updates.
State officials say fines will be imposed on those not participating correctly by 2024.
