New Law Gives California Green Light to Fine Residents Who Don’t Recycle Food Waste

A box of food scraps that will be composted sits at the Norcal Waste Systems transfer station in San Francisco on April 21, 2009. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A bill that could fine Californians for not recycling food waste took effect on Jan. 1.

A state Senate bill that passed in the 2021-22 legislative season required all local governments to provide organic waste collection services to residents beginning in 2022, according to a state government webpage.