Bill > A5745

Introduced Session

This bill would amend current law to require large organic waste generators that are located within 25 road miles of an authorized organic waste recycling facility and generate an average projected volume of 52 or more tons per year of organic waste within 25 road miles of an authorized organic waste recycling facility to: (1) source separate its organic waste from other solid waste; and (2) send the source separated organic waste to an authorized organic waste recycling facility that has available capacity and will accept it. This bill would amend current law that establishes requirements for certain large food waste generators to source separate its food waste and deliver the source separated food waste to an authorized food waste recycling facility and, instead, provide that the requirements would apply to certain large organic waste generators. As defined in the bill, "organic waste" means any material that derives from a plant or animal and is biodegradable, including, but not limited to, food waste, yard trimmings, branches, leaves, crop residues, and animal manure. The bill would update all references under the current law to "large food waste generator," "food waste," and "authorized food waste recycling facility" and replaces those terms with "large organic waste generator," "organic waste," and "authorized organic waste recycling facility," respectively, to extend the requirements under current law for large food waste generators to large organic waste generators. The bill would also add golf courses, farms, and landscaping service providers to the list of entities defined as "large organic waste generators." Specifically, the bill would amend current law to provide that if a large organic waste generator is not located within 25 road miles of an authorized organic waste recycling facility, or the facility will not accept the generator's organic waste, the generator may send the organic waste for final disposal at a solid waste facility as provided in the approved district solid waste management plan for the solid waste management district in which the generator is located. In addition, a large organic waste generator would be deemed in compliance with the bill if the generator: (1) performs enclosed on-site composting, or anaerobic or aerobic digestion of its source separated organic waste in accordance with standards adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); or (2) recycles organic waste using an alternative authorized organic waste recycling method. In addition, the bill would amend current law to authorize a large organic waste generator to petition the DEP for a waiver of the recycling requirement if the cost of transporting the organic waste plus the fee charged by an authorized organic waste recycling facility located within 25 road miles of the large organic waste generator is at least 10 percent more than the cost of transporting the organic waste for disposal as solid waste plus the disposal fee charged for solid waste disposal in the State for noncontract commercial waste by a properly licensed transfer station, sanitary landfill facility, incinerator, or resource recovery facility located within 25 road miles of the large organic waste generator. Finally, the bill would require the DEP to update the rules and regulations adopted under the current law as necessary to implement the provisions of this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Jessica Ramirez (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee (on 06/12/2025)

Official Document