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New State Rules Say LA Has To Spend Millions Collecting Food Waste. But Who Will Pay For That?
Food Cycle Collective in Pomona composts an average of 1,300 pounds of food waste each week. Californians throw out nearly 6 million tons of food waste each year.
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Jessica Langlois for LAist
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Rotting food in landfills produces a lot of methane — a nasty greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
To help combat that, a new law, SB 1383, went into effect on Jan. 1, requiring a massive 75% statewide reduction in organic waste by 2025.
Los Angeles plans to do its part by expanding local residential food waste collection from 18,000 customers to 750,000 by the end of the year.
But that's going to cost money, and Councilmember Paul Krekorian says that could mean "significant unfunded mandates on local governments."
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"We need to be mindful of the costs that this city is going to be assuming very soon because of these mandates," he said. "Either in the form of additional investments that need to be made for compliance or penalties that will be payable for non-compliance."
He's pushing for state financial support and says without it, either customers will see bigger bills or the city will take a substantial hit, in the $10s of millions or more, which might mean cuts to municipal services.
He adds: "Neither of those is a happy outcome."
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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