In 1989, the State of California passed the California Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939) that requires jurisdictions to divert at least 50 percent of their solid waste from California landfills by 2000. The members of the Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority (SWA), the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento, currently meet this diversion mandate. In order to maintain and increase the 50 percent diversion rate, the SWA adopted and implemented a Business Recycling Ordinance requiring businesses to recycle in 2007.
On June 17, 2009 the Business Recycling Ordinance was amended to incorporate multi-family recycling requirements for multi-family dwellings with five (5) or more dwelling units and who subscribe to ten (10) cubic yards a week or greater of garbage collection service in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County and the City of Sacramento. Along with single family dwelling residents who have been active participants in a residential recycling program for over 15 years, multi-family residents now have the opportunity to actively participate in helping the SWA members meet and exceed their recycling goals. Our entire community will be working together to help recycle valuable resources while significantly reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfills.
The Business and Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance
requires owners, managers or whomever contracts or pays for the garbage collection service of multi-family dwellings to separate their recyclables from the garbage. Multi-family dwelling facilities include:
- Apartments
- Condominiums
- Mobile Home Parks
- Senior Housing/Care Facilities
The Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD), who has been responsible for implementing and enforcing the Business Recycling Ordinance, will also implement and enforce the new Business and Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance. EMD staff will be conducting on-site inspections throughout the SWA region, beginning in August 2009. Compliance with this ordinance will avoid possible enforcement action.
For more information about the Multi-Family Recycling Program, email SWAMulti-familyRecyc@SacCounty.net.