California has long been a leader in environmental legislation, often pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in terms of sustainability. One of its most recent initiatives, Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), is designed to tackle one of the state’s most pressing climate issues: the reduction of organic waste in landfills. The law, passed in 2016 and fully implemented in 2022, mandates that cities and counties contract with large waste haulers to collect food scraps and yard waste from residential homes, diverting it to industrial composting facilities. The goal is to cut organic waste in landfills by 75 per cent by 2025, significantly reducing methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

However, while the law has undoubtedly spurred progress in large-scale composting efforts, it has also had unintended consequences. Smaller, community-based composting operations—many of which have long provided environmental, educational, and social benefits—are struggling to survive in the new landscape. As larger waste haulers take over the collection and composting of food waste, local composters are being pushed to the margins, with far-reaching effects on urban agriculture, community education, and local food systems.

SB 1383: A Double-Edged Sword for California’s Composting Industry

Monique Figueiredo, founder of Compostable LA, started her business in 2019 with the mission of turning food scraps into high-quality compost for urban farms and community gardens in Los Angeles. Her small operation quickly grew, servicing over 1,000 customers and diverting tons of food waste from landfills while educating residents on the importance of composting. However, the rollout of SB 1383 in 2022, which required cities to contract with large waste management companies for curbside composting, drastically changed the playing field.

Suddenly, Figueiredo’s customers were faced with a dilemma. The city had bundled composting with garbage and recycling services, meaning residents were automatically charged for all three services, regardless of whether they used them. For many, this made it financially untenable to continue paying for Compostable LA’s services in addition to the city’s new program. Within weeks, hundreds of Figueiredo’s customers cancelled their memberships, and by mid-2024, her company had to cease residential services, laying off much of its staff.

This story is not unique. Across the state, community composting groups have struggled to compete with the large-scale industrial operations brought in by cities to comply with SB 1383. While the law has been successful in expanding the reach of composting services, residential food and yard waste, the collection has jumped from 50 per cent to nearly 80 per cent in just a few years — it has also marginalized the small-scale operations that have long played a vital role in urban farming and local education.

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The Value of Community Composting

Community composting offers distinct benefits that industrial-scale operations simply cannot match. Unlike large waste haulers, which often treat compost as a commodity to be sold to large rural farms, community composters typically operate at a hyper-local level, collecting food scraps from homes, schools, and businesses and turning them into compost for nearby gardens and farms. This compost is often of much higher quality than that produced by industrial facilities, which can be contaminated by herbicides, heavy metals, or PFAS (a group of harmful chemicals found in many food packaging and paper products).

Sarah Boltwala-Mesina, founder of San Diego-based Food2Soil, explains that commercially made compost often needs to be amended with additional materials to make it suitable for growing food. “Commercially made compost is good, but you have to amend it with a whole bunch of other things to bring it to the level where it will grow food for you,” she says. Smaller composting operations, by contrast, often produce what CalRecycle (California’s recycling agency) refers to as a “nutritious superfood” for soil, thanks to the care and attention to detail that community composters bring to the process.

Moreover, community composting operations tend to focus not just on waste diversion but also on education and outreach. By engaging local residents in the composting process, they help people understand the full life cycle of the food they eat. These programs are particularly valuable in urban areas, where residents may not have access to green spaces or educational resources about sustainable food systems. In many cases, community composting is tied to urban agriculture initiatives that provide fresh, healthy food to underserved communities.

Also Read: The Future Of Food Waste Recycling

The Industrial Shift: Winners and Losers

While SB 1383 has brought much-needed attention and funding to composting efforts in California, it has also shifted the focus to industrial-scale operations. According to CalRecycle, there are currently more than 200 organic waste processing facilities in the state, with plans to build 20 more to handle the massive influx of food scraps expected in the coming years. This surge in capacity is helping divert significant amounts of waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions and contributing to the fight against climate change.

But the rise of large waste haulers has come at a cost. Michael Martinez, founder of LA Compost, notes that while the city’s green bin service reaches single-family homes, many Angelenos live in multifamily units that are not yet included in the program. LA Compost has stepped in to fill the gap, operating drop-off hubs in local parks where residents can bring their food scraps. However, Martinez points out that drop-off sites, while valuable, are far less convenient than curbside collections, and they only reach the most dedicated participants.

Nick Lapis, director of advocacy for Californians Against Waste, acknowledges the tension between large haulers and community composters but believes the two can coexist. He suggests that community composters should focus on education and smaller-scale operations in places like schools, where they can compost waste on-site and use it to grow food. However, many community composters argue that their contributions go far beyond education and that they should be recognized as legitimate players in the composting ecosystem rather than being pushed to the margins.

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A Path Forward for Community Composting

Despite the challenges, there are reasons for optimism. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, has directed over $300 billion toward clean energy and environmental projects, and community composting has seen unprecedented investment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also provided millions in funding to support local composting initiatives. With more federal funding expected, community composting has the potential to grow — but only if policies like SB 1383 are implemented in a way that supports both large and small-scale efforts.

Clarissa Libertelli, who runs a national coalition of community composting groups, warns that the growing interest in composting as a climate solution could either help small-scale composters thrive or push them out of the market in favor of larger, industrial operations. The key, she argues, is to ensure that community composters have a seat at the table when decisions about waste management are made.

In places like San Diego, Boltwala-Mesina has seen firsthand the impact that large haulers can have on small businesses. “The bundling of services is basically killing us,” she says, referring to the practice of combining composting with garbage and recycling for a single service fee. For the urban agriculture programs that her compost supports, the loss of a reliable compost source has been devastating. “All these programs that were designed around gardening for disadvantaged and underrepresented sections of society become meaningless without our ability to make healthy soil,” she explains.

Also Read: Why Food’s Methane Emissions Deserve Urgent Attention?

Conclusion: Balancing Large and Small-Scale Efforts

The composting landscape in California is changing rapidly, and while SB 1383 has brought many benefits, it has also created significant challenges for community composters. As the state continues to roll out its ambitious composting law, it is crucial that policymakers recognize the value of small-scale, community-driven operations. These groups not only divert waste from landfills but also play a critical role in educating residents, supporting urban agriculture, and creating high-quality compost that can help regenerate soil in cities.

To create a truly sustainable composting ecosystem, California will need to find a way to balance the efficiencies of industrial-scale operations with the social, environmental, and educational benefits that only community composters can provide. By working together, large and small composters can ensure that the state meets its climate goals while supporting vibrant, resilient communities.

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