AB 341 - Mandatory Commercial Recycling (MCR)
With the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 341, commonly known as Mandatory Commercial Recycling (MCR), most businesses and many multi-family properties are required to recycle beginning July 1, 2012.
Who Must Recycle?
Businesses which must comply with the MCR include:
- Businesses that generate four (4) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week.
"Business" means any commercial or public entity, including but not limited to: a firm, company, corporation or association organized as a for-profit or non-profit entity, an industrial facility, a school or school district, or a government agency or facility.
- Multi-family residential properties that have five or more units, regardless of the amount of waste generated.
"Multi-family residential property" means any multi-family dwelling, building, or group of buildings that contain(s) five (5) or more individual dwelling units on a single tax lot, including but not limited to: apartment or condominium complexes, mobile home parks, senior housing/care facilities.
This is burdensome. Can I ignore this law?
Although this may seem like another regulation that makes business in California more burdensome, having a recycling component for you business makes sense both from a production and economic standpoint. Implementation of MCR has resulted in overall cost savings to California businesses. Previous studies on the economic impact of recycling versus disposal have found significant positive economic effects in California. The benefits from increased recycling will not only generate new jobs, but will also result in additional goods and services. The implementation of MCR will increase the availability of recyclable materials which provide increased feedstock for recycled-content product manufacturers, and expand the opportunity for recycling manufacturing facilities and associated job creation in Fresno County. Businesses are required to make a good-faith effort to comply with MCR. If the business is found by the County of Fresno or the Exclusive Service Area Program (ESAP) Hauler to be in non-compliance or bad faith, a notice of non-compliance may be issued. Fines and penalties may result in continued non-compliance or refusal to subscribe to a commercial recycling service.
How Can Businesses Comply with the Law?
Each business or multi-family property subject to MCR is responsible for ensuring and demonstrating its compliance.
To comply with MCR, businesses must select one or any combination of the following actions in order to reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert commercial solid waste from disposal:
- Subscribe to a recycling service with a hauler authorized to provide services for the area in which it is located; or
- Make other arrangements for the sale or donation of recyclables, including self-hauling materials to recycling facilities.
If your business or multi-family property is located within the Unincorporated Areas of Fresno County and subscribes to recycling services from the Exclusive Service Area Program (ESAP) Hauler authorized to provide services in your area, your business is automatically in compliance with the Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law.
Where can I find more information about the MCR?
Recycling Flyers for Businesses and Apartment Complexes in English and Spanish
Mandatory Commercial Recycling information from CalRecycle, the State agency charged with regulating and monitoring all of California's solid waste facilities, recycling and related programs.
Where can I find more information about recycling services and options in the County of Fresno?
Check out the County of Fresno's Turning It Around Guide to Recycling Options and Services(PDF, 4MB) online at the Recycling and Solid Waste Disposal web page, or by looking in your current phone book under R for Recycling.
Waste Hauler Map
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Your ESAP Hauler is available to set up services or answer questions about recycling for your company. If you're not sure which ESAP Hauler serves your area, click here. For more information, please call the Resources Division of the Fresno County Public Works & Planning Department at (559) 600-4259.
For more information, you may contact the Resources Division of Public Works and Planning by email atrecycling@fresnocountyca.govor by phone at (559) 600-4259.
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AB 1826 - Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling (MOR)
In October 2014 Governor Brown signed AB 1826 Chesbro (Chapter 727, Statutes of 2014), requiring businesses to recycle their organic and green waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.
Who Must Recycle?
Businesses which must comply with the MOR include:
- Businesses that generate four (4) or more cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week.
"Business" means any commercial or public entity, including but not limited to: a firm, company, corporation or association organized as a for-profit or non-profit entity, an industrial facility, a school or school district, a government agency or facility. In regards to MOR, multi-family dwellings are not required to arrange for recycling services for food/organic waste. However, multi-family dwellings are required to subscribe to green waste services.
"Organic waste" (also referred to as "organics") means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste.
"Green Waste" means landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, brush, and tree debris.
MOR phases in the mandatory recycling of commercial organics over time. In particular, the minimum threshold of organic waste generation by businesses decreases over time, which means that an increasingly greater proportion of the commercial sector will be required to comply.
MOR phases in the requirements on businesses over time, based on the amount and type of waste the business produces on a weekly basis, with full implementation realized in 2019. Additionally, MOR contains a 2020 trigger that will increase the scope of affected businesses if waste reduction targets are not met. The implementation schedule is as follows:
Fall 2018: CalRecycle shall conduct its formal review of those jurisdictions that are on a two-year review cycle.
January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate four (4) cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services.
How Can Businesses Comply with the Law?
Each business subject to MOR is responsible for ensuring and demonstrating its compliance.
To comply with MOR, businesses must select one or any combination of the following actions in order to reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert commercial organic waste from disposal:
- Subscribe to an organics service with a hauler authorized to provide services for the area in which it is located; or
- Make other arrangements for the sale or donation of organic waste, including self-hauling materials to recycling facilities or composting on site.
If your business or multi-family property is located within the Unincorporated Areas of Fresno County and subscribes to organics services from the Exclusive Service Area Program (ESAP) Hauler authorized to provide services in your area, your business is already in compliance with the Mandatory Commercial Organic Recycling Law.
Business Programs
Two programs that businesses might be interested in include free Business Waste Assessments and low interest loans through the Fresno County Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ).
Business Waste Assessments
County staff will conduct free business waste assessments at businesses throughout Fresno County. For more information contact us at
recycling@fresnocountyca.gov. For businesses within the CITY of Fresno, such assessments are performed by the City's recycling contractor. To request information regarding a waste assessment from the CITY of Fresno, email
SolidWaste@fresno.gov. A business waste assessment can help to identify solid waste reduction programs that may save a business money by reducing disposal costs. Companies that receive garbage collection from a city government or private waste hauler may receive similar assistance from their service provider.
Recyling Market Development Zone (RMDZ)
The Fresno County Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) includes all of the unincorporated areas of the county and the incorporated cities of Clovis, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fresno, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, San Joaquin, Sanger, and Selma. The county is geographically central to the rest of the California Central Valley. As the Central Valley's largest population center and the most productive agricultural area, the Fresno County RMDZ will stimulate the growth of start-up recycling-based businesses, and encourage existing recycling-based businesses to expand their operations into the county.
Incentives
Incentives available in various parts of the zone include one-stop permitting assistance, waiver or reduction of development/permit fees, a database on land, buildings, markets, and feedstock, a micro revolving loan fund, and installment payment of fees.
Target Materials
The Fresno County RMDZ is currently targeting plastics, paper, glass, concrete, wood, and green waste for manufacturing development. We are also available and willing to add other recycling streams and feed stocks for manufacturing facilities interested in locating to Fresno County.
Infrastructure
Currently, there are two operating landfills and eight transfer stations in the Fresno RMDZ. Two interstate railroads, Union Pacific and the BNSF Railway, provide excellent freight transportation. The San Joaquin Valley Railroad (SJVR) operated by Genesee and Wyoming Inc. have available short line spur track that intersect with both railroads in Fresno. SJVR connects the cities of Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Reedley, San Joaquin, Sanger and Selma with Fresno. In addition, passenger rail service is available with Amtrak San Joaquin's service of 7 daily trains. Both the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) have hubs located in Fresno that allows all major population areas in California to be serviced with one-day delivery. Passenger and freight air service are available through the Fresno Yosemite International Airport located in Fresno. For more information regarding air service in and out of Fresno Yosemite International Airport, please refer to the City of Fresno's website here. State Highway 99 and Interstate 5 are two major north-south road connections from Los Angeles to Sacramento and San Francisco. State Highway 41 is another major north-south road connection from the Central California Coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Fresno County RMDZ is working directly with the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Resources for the EDC can be found at: http://www.fresnoedc.com/ The cities of Fowler, Parlier, Reedley, Sanger, and Selma have formed "a joint powers authority", the Five Cities Economic Development Authority on the east side of Fresno County. The purpose of the authority is to work collaboratively and cooperatively to expand each city's local economy through job creation and economic development, incorporating essential agencies. By pooling these resources, there are more opportunities for development with a variety of industrial sites and land available.
Companies that manufacture have found that making recycled content products can be less expensive and just as high quality, if not higher, than when using raw materials. Depending on your needs and where located, there are many ways that the RMDZ program can assist your business:
- Locating manufacturing materials (feedstock).
- Permitting referral.
- Siting.
- Offering an attractive loan program.
- Finding markets for products.
- Providing current market conditions/trends.
- Evaluating technology and equipment.
- Providing geographical data on demographics, waste streams, and economics.
- Marketing products for free via the RecycleStore.
On the California Business Portal site, you can also learn about establishing a business in California, including matters related to business permits, licensing, and registration.
For more information regarding RMDZ or to schedule an appointment, contact the Fresno County RMDZ Coordinator:
Craig Nickel
Senior Staff Analyst
County of Fresno
2220 Tulare Street, 6th Floor, Suite 600
Fresno, CA 93721
Phone: (559) 600-4259
FAX: (559) 600-4552
Email: cnickel@fresnocountyca.gov
What's In The Bins? - Ready, Set, Sort!
The following is a simple list of what goes in each type of bin or cart for your business needs. Service may vary depending on location however each business should have at least one solid waste bin and one recycling bin.
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Organics/Green Waste
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Recyclables/Blue Waste
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Solid Waste
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Plants (Potted or in flower beds, living or dead)
Grass Trimmings
Branches
Shrubs, Bushes & Brush
Wood & Wood Chips (untreated, uncoated)
Interest in organics, green waste or composting?
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Mixed waste paper (including office/ computer paper, egg cartons, grocery bags, shoe boxes, cereal or food boxes, magazines, junk mail, catalogs, phone books, envelopes).
Newspaper
Aluminum beverage containers
Glass Containers
Plastic bottles and bags
Cardboard
Milk, Juice & Soy Cartons
Scrap Metal
Steel or Tin Cans
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Non-Recyclable Garbage
Styrofoam
Textiles (carpet, clothing, fabrics)
Dried Paint Cans
Empty Aerosol Spray Cans
DO NOT PLACE IN TRASH!
Batteries, Tires, Oil, Fluorescent Lights, Toxic or Caustic Chemicals, Fuel, Drugs, Sharps, Paint
For information on disposal of these Hazardous Waste items, click here.
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Business Hazardous Waste
For businesses looking to quickly and conveniently dispose of their hazardous waste, you are able to dispose of these items safely and legally at the Fresno County Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility (HHW Facility). You may be eligible as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG). Your business will only pay for the cost of disposal at our Fresno County HHW Facility. For a quote and to sign up, call
(877) 235-3005
or email FresnoHHWFacility@gmail.com.
| If you are unsure if this product is considered hazardous waste, refer to the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) for these products or click the image at right for MSDS information. |
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Below you will find additional information and requirements, about your business' eligibility for CESQG:
Businesses must be located in one of the 15 Cities (Clovis, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Fresno, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, San Joaquin, Sanger, Selma) or unincorporated Fresno County, and
All Hazardous Waste generated is less than 220 pounds or 27 gallons in a month, and
Generate less than 2.2 pounds of acutely hazardous waste (approximately 1 quart).
| For those that don't qualify for CESQG, you would need to contact a hazardous waste disposal company. For a listing of companies, refer to our Turning It Around directory. |
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Please call the Resources Division at (559) 600-4259 if you have any questions or need information about Recycling. You can also email staff at
recycling@fresnocountyca.gov.