Starting in January, California’s new state law SB 1383 will require Santa Barbara County businesses and residents to recycle green waste and food waste. The county’s longstanding organics recycling programs and new ReSource Center will ensure the community achieves compliance with the new requirements, Santa Barbara County Public Works reports.

Commercial and residential waste that is thrown into a trash cart or bin in Buellton, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Solvang, and the unincorporated areas of the Cuyama Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and South Coast is processed at the county’s ReSource Center.

Recyclable materials are recovered and sold; and organics, including food waste, are separated from trash and transformed into compost and energy that powers up to 3,000 homes per year. With the new facility, about 60% of additional waste from trash cans is diverted from the landfill, bringing the region’s diversion rate to above 85% while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This means people who live or work in the above mentioned areas are following the new state law by continuing to throw waste into the same bins they have been using.

Other ways for the community to recover and recycle organics include the following:

» Yard waste collection: Yard waste collected in green containers is converted into mulch. The county produces some 40,000 tons of high-quality mulch annually, which goes back to the community and local agriculture. Food scraps should not be mixed with yard waste as it interferes with the mulching process. Visit www.LessIsMore.org/mulch to learn more about the county’s Mulch Program.

» Backyard composting: To learn about the Backyard Composting Program, visit www.LessIsMore.org/compost to access a free “Composting ABC’s” booklet, and learn about the discounted composting bin program.

» Commercial food scraps collection and processing: The county’s Commercial Food Scraps Collection Program is available to large food scraps generators, such as schools, restaurants, and grocery stores. Collected food scraps are processed at the ReSource Center, increasing the overall quality of the finished compost.

For those living in the ReSource Center “wasteshed,” there’s no change in how to manage your waste. Residents should continue using their green waste, recycling and trash containers in the same way they always have. Direct questions to the county Public Works Department, 805-882-3600 or recycling@countyofsb.org.