Amador County – The Amador Integrated Waste Authority recently released its plan to help businesses meet new mandatory recycling law requirements for certain commercial and multi-unit housing businesses.

Amador County Solid Waste Program Manager Jim McHargue said in late May that the new Mandatory Commercial Recycling law takes effect on July 1. He said the new law requires businesses and multifamily complexes to recycle, if they meet certain criteria.

Assembly Bill 341, authored by Assembly Member Wesley Chesbro of Arcata, will require all businesses that generate four cubic yards or more of garbage per week to recycle. AB341 will also require all multifamily complexes of 5 units or more, such as apartments, to also recycle.

McHargue said the Amador County Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency, a joint powers authority consisting of all five incorporated cities and Amador County, formed an ad hoc committee more than a year ago to work on developing a program to comply with the new state mandate.

He said the “ad hoc committee has worked hard to strike a balance between enabling businesses and multifamily complexes to meet the requirements of the new law, while at the same time not burdening them with the excessive costs of a new unfunded state mandate.”

All businesses and multifamily complexes that meet the threshold for the Mandatory Commercial Recycling will receive a letter from ACES Waste Services with information on how to comply with the new regulation. These businesses will receive a 96 gallon recycling cart at no additional cost on their garbage bill. If a business or complex desires more recycling services beyond the base level, additional services will be made available upon request at additional cost.

A second component to AB 341 is a statewide recycling goal of 75%. Currently all cities and counties in California are required to meet the 50% diversion goal established in AB 939, the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989. McHargue said the new law, AB 341, sets a new diversion goal of 75% to be achieved by January 1, 2020.

He said the Amador County Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency currently has a diversion rate equivalent to 70%.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.