Effective January 1, 2023, the City of Torrance began providing collection services of organic waste to all single-family and multi-family residential customers serviced by the City. Organic waste includes food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper. To participate, simply place your kitchen food scraps in the green container. Here are some tips to keep your organics container clean and fresh:

• To collect your kitchen food scraps, consider using a portable, reusable pail-like container with a tight-fitting lid. Pail options can be purchased at a retail store or online, or you can choose to reuse what you have available, such as a coffee canister or juice pitcher.
• Sprinkle the bottom of the pail lightly with baking soda to absorb odors.
• Consider lining your organics cart with a layer of green waste before placing your food waste inside.
• Keep your food scraps in the fridge or freezer and empty them directly into the organics carts on your service day to minimize odors.
• Line your organics container with a piece of paper (newspaper, paper grocery bag, etc.) or paper napkin to absorb any liquids or food waste.

Apartments and condominiums serviced by a private hauler must:

• Subscribe to a recycling collection service, and maintain a service of sufficient quantity, size, and pickup frequency for ALL mixed recyclable materials generated onsite, including plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, metal containers, cardboard, and rigid plastics.
• Subscribe to an organic waste collection service that is of sufficient quantity, size, and pickup frequency for ALL organic waste materials generated onsite, including yard trimmings, food waste, and food-soiled paper.
• Provide information on recycling and composting to tenants annually and upon move-in and upon notice of move-out. Your hauler may be able to provide you with recycling and composting outreach material to provide to your tenants. 

Multifamily properties are not eligible for receiving a De Minimis Waiver.

Businesses and institutional facilities must:

• Subscribe to a recycling collection service that is of sufficient quantity, size, and pickup frequency for ALL mixed recyclable materials generated onsite, including plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper, metal containers, cardboard, and rigid plastics.
• Subscribe to an organic waste collection service that is of sufficient quantity, size, and pickup frequency for ALL organic waste materials generated onsite, including yard trimmings, food waste, and food-soiled paper.
• Provide accessible containers for Organic and Recycling Waste
• Sort Waste Materials: Require employees to place organics waste only in organics containers
• Provide yearly information to employees, contractors, customers, and tenants about proper sorting of organic waste
• Periodically inspect organics waste containers for contamination
• Start an Edible Food Recovery Program (applies to large food-generating businesses only)

Commercial businesses may qualify for a waiver for this requirement. There are two types of waiver requests:

1. Waiver for properties with Minimal Organic Waste (i.e., “De Minimis Waiver”)

Commercial businesses that generate a limited amount of organic waste may apply for a low generator “de minimis” waiver if they have:

a) Total solid waste collection of two cubic yards or more per week, and organic waste of less than 20 gallons per week.

b) Total solid waste collection of less than two cubic yards per week and collected organic waste of less than 10 gallons per week.

2. Space Constraint Waiver

Properties lacking space for separate or additional green waste or food waste collection containers may request a space-constraint waiver.

To qualify, you must demonstrate that space constraints cannot be resolved by downsizing containers, using split containers, or other solutions. You must first work with your hauler and/or the City to consider solutions to space constraints.

State regulations allow the City to waive compliance only if the City’s own staff, a licensed architect, or a licensed engineer confirms the lack of adequate container space on premises.

Your hauler will help you determine the capacity you have at your property to add this service and/or verify if your property qualifies for a waiver. Waivers must be submitted to your hauler directly.

Registration is required for all businesses in the City of Torrance that intend to self-haul organic waste (e.g., green materials, yard waste, and food scraps) and/or recyclable material (e.g., paper, aluminum, cardboard, plastics, etc.). Businesses currently subscribing to service from a City of Torrance Commercial Solid Waste Permitted Hauler or a business that has received an approved Organic Waste Collection Service Waiver do not need to register.

Eligibility Criteria and Requirements:

• Self-Hauling is only available for Commercial Businesses located in the City of Torrance.
• Accounts receiving City of Torrance solid waste collection are not eligible for self-hauling.
• Source separate recyclables and/or organics waste on-site and haul the separated materials to a solid waste facility operation, activity, or property that processes or recovers separated organic waste and/or recyclables.
• Keep a record of the amount of organic waste and recyclables delivered to each solid waste facility, operation, activity, or property that processes or recovers organic waste and recyclables. This record shall be subject to inspection by the City and include:
• Delivery receipts and weight tickets from the facility accepting the waste
• The amount of material in cubic yards or tons transported to each facility
• If the organic waste and/or recyclable material is transported to a site that does not have scales or that employs scales incapable of weighing the waste received, the self-hauler is not required to record the weight of material. However, the self-hauler must maintain a record of the entity that received the organic waste.
• If, at any time, an approved self-hauler fails to meet these requirements, they must immediately make arrangements for the collection of this waste by a licensed waste hauler.

Register to be a Self-Hauler. Please allow 3-5 business days for review of your application by City staff.

Submit an alleged violation of SB 1383 online, including but not limited to:

• Failure to provide recycling service
• Failure to provide organics service
• Improper sorting/disposal or contamination of materials
• Failure to provide appropriate containers inside of business customer to comply with regulations

What Goes Where – Residential Collection Program

• The Recycling (Grey or Blue) Bin
• The Organics (Green) Bin
• The Landfill (Black) Bin

Multifamily Requirements flyer

SB 1383 Business Compliance Checklist

Edible Food donation flyer

List of licensed haulers operating in Torrance.

Edible Food Generator Requirements

In addition to the requirements stated above, Edible Food Generators (considered Tier 1 and Tier 2) must:

1. Establish food donations with a food recovery organization or service. Local organizations are available to accept food donations. 
2. Donate all edible food that is fit for human consumption. No edible food may be discarded in the trash and/or organics bin.
3. Keep all necessary records onsite to demonstrate compliance with SB 1383. See more information on the Recordkeeping Requirements checklist.