Long Beach Recycles

Business Recycling, Organics, and Waste Diversion

Business Requirements

Business waste accounts for almost 65% of waste disposed of in California. State law and the City's municipal code require all businesses in Long Beach to have recycling, organics, and trash services. 

• State Law AB 341 makes it mandatory for businesses to recycle if they generate 4 yards or more of solid waste each week.
• State Law AB 1826 also requires businesses with the 4 yards or more of solid waste per week to have organics recycling service as of January 2019.
• Businesses subject to AB341 and AB1826 must have recycling and organics containers available in both the back of house and front-facing containers for customers with signage clearly stating what can go into each container.  
•  State Law SB 1383 made it a requirement for all accounts to have organics service with proper signage as of January 1, 2022.

Implementing a Successful Recycling and Organics Program at Work

1. Place recycling, organics, and trash containers together, not separated throughout a space.
   
   • Containers for organic waste should be placed in areas where that material is concentrated such as kitchens and coffee stations.
2. Have signs on or above all containers that are easy to see and indicate what can go into them.
   • Recycling and Trash (Refuse) Signage (Spanish, Tagalog, Khmer) 
   • Organics Signage (Spanish, Tagalog, Khmer) 
3. Train staff about the program and encourage participation. 
4. Communicate with your custodial staff to ensure they know the proper disposal locations and how to properly collect material from different bins. 
5. Contact your waste hauler to do a waste sort to help you better understand what is going into the trash that could be diverted.
6. Monitor the containers for contamination and provide feedback to employees and/or custodial staff as needed.