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The City of Fairfield enforces state and local laws regarding the disposal of solid waste within city limits. These are some of the laws that affect businesses:

AB 341 - Mandatory Commercial and Multi-Family Recycling (2012)

AB 341 is a state law that requires businesses that generate two or more cubic yards of solid waste per week to implement recycling programs. A new ordinance was introduced in the City of Fairfield (Chapter 9, Article I) that requires all businesses to participate in the city's recycling programs regardless of the amount of solid waste generated.

AB 1826 - Mandatory Commercial and Multifamily Recycling (2014)

AB 1826 required businesses that generate two or more cubic yards of solid waste to implement an organic recycling program.

AB 827 - Commercial Organics and Recycling Bins (2020)

AB 827 requires businesses to provide customers with easily accessible recycling and organic collection bins or containers to collect materials generated from products purchased on the premises. All commercial food service establishments that provide food for purchase and immediate consumption on-site must comply with AB 827.

AB 1276 - Single-Use Foodware Accessories and Condiments (2022)

AB 1276 was passed to reduce the amount of waste created from single-use items typically generated in the retail food industry. AB 1276 requires food service establishments to only provide single-use accessories, such as utensils, to consumers upon request.

SB 1383 - Short-lived Climate Pollutants Organic Waste Reductions

SB 1383 is the most significant solid waste mandate to be passed in California in the last 30 years. SB 1383 requires that the jurisdiction provide organics collection services to all residents and businesses, establish an edible food recovery program, conduct education and outreach to the community, procure recyclable and recovered organic products, monitor compliance, and conduct enforcement.

AB 1276 Single-Use Plastics

Assembly Bill (AB) 1276 - Single-Use Foodware Accessories and Standard Condiments was signed into law on October 5th, 2021. The law requires retail food stores to only offer disposable foodware upon customer request. The items covered in this law are the following:

Single-Use Foodware

Utensils (forks, knives, spoons, and chopsticks)
Condiment cups and packets
Straws
Stirrers
Splash sticks
Cocktail Sticks

Drive-thru Restaurants

Drive-thru restaurants may ask if the consumer wants single-use foodware only if it's necessary to consume ready-to-eat food, prevent spills, or safely transport the food.

Food Delivery Platforms

A food facility that uses a third-party delivery platform must customize its menu to give customers the option of what single-use items they want. The customer will choose the options and the food facility must give only those items.

Dine-In

Single-use foodware may be given upon request or at a self-serve station.

Take-Out

Employees may only give single-use foodware accessories and condiments upon request.

utensils

Economic Impact: This law can help businesses save money as they don't need to provide these extra items

Environmental Benefits: Fewer items to give out, and fewer items will end up in landfill, streets, and waterways.

Enforcement: Non-compliance with this mandate may be met with a fine. First and second violations result in a notice of violation and any additional violations carry a $25 fine not to exceed $300 annually.

Exceptions

Full-service restaurants may provide single-use foodware accessories to consumers dining on the premise only under the following conditions:

The restaurant has limited dishwashing capacity;
The single-use food service ware is necessary to accommodate a consumer with a disability;
The single-use food service ware is provided to a consumer upon request to carry out leftover ready-to-eat food after dining onsite;
A public health state of emergency has been declared; or,
If the single-use food service ware is a disposable paper food wrapper, foil wrapper, paper napkin, or paper tray or plate liner that is of a type and form accepted by local municipal recycling and composting programs.

Commercial Recycling

Mandatory Commercial Recycling (AB 341)

Effective July 1, 2012

Starting in July 2012, Assembly Bill 341 mandates that all businesses that subscribe to four cubic yards or more of solid waste services, and all multi-family housing complexes with 5 units or more, must have recycling services. If your business is currently subscribing to recycling services through Republic Services, your business is already in compliance with the new mandate. If you are not currently subscribed to recycling services your business can meet this new mandate in several ways:

Your business may choose to subscribe to recycling services through Republic Services.

There may be an additional cost to subscribe to recycling service
You will not be required to submit an annual Recycling / Diversion to the City or track your recycling.
Your business may choose to have a Recycling Plan, which identifies the items that you sell, donate, reuse, recycle or otherwise divert from entering the landfill.
Businesses that choose to have a Recycling Plan will be required to submit an annual Mandatory Commercial Recycling / Diversion Report to the City, as proof that they are meeting the new state mandate per AB 341.
Businesses that fall within the parameters for organics recycling must include diversion information for organics as applicable per AB 1826.

Annual Mandatory Commercial Recycling & Organics Recycling Reporting

Establish a Recycling Plan for your business. This may be part of your business' Sustainability Plan. Please include all items being diverted from the landfill. The items can be sold, donated, composted, processed, reused, upcycled, or given away on your Diversion Reporting.
Track your annual diversion rate by weight if possible. You can submit sustainability reports for your organization prepared by a vendor or contractor. The City's MCR questionnaire and reporting form are below:

Letter to Businesses - 2018
Mandatory Commercial Recycling & Organics Report (PDF)
Mandatory Commercial Recycling & Organics Report (Download Spreadsheet)

Submit the questionnaire and recycling form annually to the City by e-mail, mail, or fax by February 28 of the following year. These mandates may not impact your business. However, please submit both forms if your business does not generate the minimum amount of trash.

For more information regarding the State's mandatory commercial recycling requirements, contact us on our Recycling Hotline at 707-428-7489 / Fax 707-428-7607.

Construction & Demolition

In California, Construction & Demolition (C&D) material makes up a significant portion of our waste stream. Construction waste can vary from asphalt, metals, concrete, and bricks that have high demand and can be recycled or it can contain hazardous waste that needs to be safely disposed of in the correct facilities. C&D regulations decrease illegal dumping and keep our environment safe.

Check out the C & D Authorized Hauler website for access to the documents below:

Construction and Demolition requirements & Municipal Code

Authorized Haulers

Construction & Demo Franchise Agreements

Construction & Demo Forms

Commercial Organics

Organic Recycling Overview

Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling (AB 1826)
January 2016 – January 2020
What is Organic Waste?
Anything biodegradable that goes into the landfill – (non-toxic) such as landscape debris, grass clippings, food, grains, organic additives, etc.

State's Implementation Timeline

City must have an Organics Recycling Plan - January 2016
Businesses with 8 CY of Organic Waste - July 2016
Businesses with 4 CY of Organic Waste - January 2017
Businesses with 4 CY of commercial Solid Waste - January 2019

CalRecycle may implement 2 CY of commercial Solid Waste, Jan 2020 - if statewide diversion goal rates are not met.

For more information on the state regulations visit CalRecyle: AB 341 Mandatory Commercial Recycling & AB 1826 Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling.

Commercial Hazardous Waste

Commercial and Industrial Rates

For questions and concerns, please contact:

Corey Beavers, Management Analyst II

cbeavers@fairfield.ca.gov | (707) 428-7528