With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Plastic Bags? Really? LAist Readers React To California’s "Compost" Law
Two years after California mandated that food waste could no longer go in landfills, we asked LAist readers to let us know how the "compost" law was going for them.
(
Adriana Pera
/
LAist
)
In 2022, California passed a law requiring that food waste be kept out of landfills. Instead, it had to be composted, donated, or turned into fuel.
Two years later, LAist Climate Emergency Reporter Erin Stone wanted to hear how that’s going for Southern Californians. So we distributed a survey to find out.
We heard from almost 500 of you with the good, the bad, and the “What? Really?”
To be clear: this is not a scientific survey, nor is it a comprehensive picture of how all Angelenos are feeling about California’s compost law. For example, the majority of respondents were homeowners.
Support for LAist comes from
Regardless, the responses paint a useful picture of how separating food waste from other waste is going and some of the challenges holding back adoption. We used people’s experiences and questions to create a guide to following the "compost" law in the Southland.
Below is a snapshot of what we heard in the survey.
Among those who responded, most seem to be having a pretty easy time following the new guidelines.
After a slow start for us, just getting used to separating, it’s turning out to be great! Our family of 3 now generates 1 standard kitchen size bag of trash every 2-3 weeks down from 1 very full bag each week. And without the smell!
— Nisha H., Culver City
Among the people who were not loving it, there were some clear themes in your gripes.
Support for LAist comes from
We’ll address one of your gripes right now: yes, plastic bags. Putting the food waste in plastic bags makes it easier for the waste hauler to separate the food waste from other garbage so it goes into the proper waste stream. The bags themselves – even compostable ones – will be cut open, then sent to the landfill. You can read more about the process in our guide to composting.
My biggest challenge is my husband. He is an old dog that doesn't want to learn new tricks. If the special container for the waste isn't directly in front of him, he won't use it. After dinner I have to grab the container quick before he throws his chicken bones in the trash. It has become a joke with us. 'Catch Me if You Can.' HAHA.
— Peggy N., Pasadena
Most respondents are already required to follow the law.
And if they’re not, they at least know about the law.
For context, the law puts the responsibility on each city and county to decide how to comply, so what exactly happens to your food waste depends on where you live.
I love it. The container I got works great. Fits well on my counter. And I love how my dogs don’t try to get into the trash as much anymore because the food scraps are no longer in my regular garbage. It’s been a great change. And that it’s better for the environment is a great bonus!
— Karen D., Castaic
Support for LAist comes from
For the people who responded “No,” we wanted to know if they had at least heard about it – 88% had.
We also wanted to know about how you're experiencing the law and its effects.
Well, what you don’t know can’t hurt you?
We also asked you: Have you gotten any communication from your local government about the composting law?
If you got the information, was it helpful? For most of you, it seemed to be.
Support for LAist comes from
Finally, we wanted to know what questions you still had about composting.
Below are the most common, grouped into two themes. The number in parentheses indicates how often some variation of that question came up.
Impact and enforcement of the law
- Is this actually happening? Is the law having a positive impact on the environment? (37)
- Who enforces the law, and will there be consequences for not complying? (34)
- How can I get my landlord or large building to comply and provide a communal compost receptacle? Are apartments required to comply? (32)
- Why is there no awareness around this? We need more educational materials. (24)
How to compost
- What is considered compost? What can I actually put in my compost bin? (45)
- How does this process work, and where does the compost actually go? (22)
- Can we use compostable or biodegradable bags? Are there certain kinds we should use? (17)
- Will there be designated containers for composting? (11)
- How can I solve the issue of insects and maggots? (6)
- What happens when someone mixes non compostable items with compostable items? Is the compost contaminated/unusable? (5)
We used these questions to shape our guide to separating food waste and composting.
I would like to see frequent progress reports on how it’s working and also Q&A on people’s concerns. It needs to be fresh in our minds for it to work well.
— Suzanne G., Garvanza
Who responded to the survey?
Reminder: this is not a scientific survey, nor is it a comprehensive picture of how all Angelenos are feeling about California’s compost law. For transparency, this is who we heard from.
What questions did we ask?
Which of the following describes you? (Multiple-choice question shown to all respondents. They could check multiple answers.)
a. Homeowner
b. Renter
c. Restaurant owner or employee
d. Grocery store owner or employee
e. Other
Have you been required to start separating your food scraps? (Multiple-choice question shown to all respondents.)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not sure
How has the process been for you? (Open-ended question shown to respondents who answered "Yes" to being required to separate their food scraps)
Have you heard about the new law to compost food scraps (SB 1383)? (Multiple-choice question shown to respondents who replied "No" or "Not sure" to the question about whether they are required to separate their food scraps)
a. Yes
b. No
Have you gotten any communication from your local government about the composting law? (Multiple-choice question shown to respondents that replied "Yes" to knowing about the law)
a. Yes
b. No
Has the government communication been helpful? (Open-ended question shown to respondents who replied "Yes" to having received information from their local government)
How easy has it been to follow the law? (Open-ended question shown to respondents who replied "Yes" to being required to separate their food scraps)
Do you have any questions about the composting law? (Open-ended question shown to all respondents)
Have you seen your trash bill go up in recent years? If so, by how much? (Open-ended question shown to all respondents)
Where do you live or where is your business located? (Open-ended question shown to all respondents)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
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.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist