State Law Would Close Recycling Loophole

Assemblymember Das Williams said his “favorite” bill this legislative session would eliminate a major loophole in California’s recycling law, preventing cities and counties from claiming in their diversion tabulations green waste and organic materials that they had chipped, composted, and landfilled. “You can’t just bury the stuff and claim you recycled it,” Williams exclaimed. State recycling law mandates local government agencies divert 75 percent of their waste streams from landfills. Williams said 14 cities will no longer meet state standards with the passage of this new rule. Santa Barbara’s landfill operation at Tajiguas Canyon won’t be affected, he said, because it hasn’t used such accounting practices for 10 years.