Recycling & Organic Waste Recycling Collection Services
Businesses must either subscribe to and participate in the City’s recycling and organic waste curbside collection service OR self-haul recyclables and organic waste to a permitted recycling or composting facility accepting those types of materials.
- Businesses must either have recycling and organic waste recycling collection service or they must self-haul their materials. Businesses in Corona that subscribe to trash collection service through Waste Management are required to subscribe to, at a minimum, weekly recycling, and organic waste collection services as well. Businesses can request a site audit with City staff or Waste Management representatives to determine the level of services need based on the amount and type of waste generated. These site audits can be requested by emailing recycle@ci.norco.ca.us or by calling Waste Management directly at (800) 423-9986. Businesses that choose to self-haul their recycling and organic waste will need to meet certain criteria and certify with the City as a self-hauler on a regular basis.
Adequate Access to Recycling & Organic Waste Recycling Containers
Businesses must ensure they provide access to recycling and organic waste recycling containers for their employees, contractors, customers, and tenants, by supplying sufficient number of containers in an adequate and accessible location with either proper labeling or the appropriate color to source separate the materials when generated.
- Businesses must ensure that they are subscribed to a recycling and organic waste recycling service level that is sufficient to allow all recyclables and organic waste to be collected from their business. Business owners must provide the necessary number of containers to collect organic waste and recycling waste placed in and around the businesses for employees, contractors, customers and tenants which must be large enough to collect the type of material and be either clearly labeled or be the appropriate color for the collection of organic waste and recyclable materials.
Containers
- Placement: All businesses, except for multi-family properties, must provide organic waste and recycling containers next to each trash containers (except restrooms) for their customers to use. All businesses must also supply and allow access to an adequate number, size, and location of organic waste and recycling bins for employees, contractors, tenants, and customers to ensure that all organic waste and recyclables are kept out of the trash.
- Businesses may need to purchase sufficient containers in order to ensure that an organic waste and recycling waste container is placed next to each trash container that customers can access. This applies to every trash container available to customers at a business—indoors and outdoors--unless there are no recyclables or organic waste generated in that area. Remember: Paper towels and facial tissue are considered “organic materials,” so businesses must ensure that there are sufficient organic waste containers to be able to collect all these and all other recyclable and organic wastes from employees, contractors, etc. This State law does not apply to trash containers inside restrooms.
- Exception: If a business has a trash bin in an area that does not generate any recycling or organic wastes, then it does not have to provide recycling and/or organic waste containers. For example: An examination room at a doctor’s office may not need an organic waste container since there is no organic waste generated in that room.
- Labeling and Colors: Waste containers provided by a business must conform to certain color or labeling requirements.
- Trash containers must be grey or black, recycling containers must be blue, and organic waste containers must be green, (with either the lid or the body of the waste container being the correct color); OR
- Waste containers must be clearly labeled to show which materials are allowed and prohibited in the container
- Businesses do not need to replace existing containers until they are no longer functional, or until January 1, 2036, whichever comes first.
- All waste containers provided by a business for their employees, customers or contractors must be either clearly labeled with what can and cannot go inside them OR be color-compliant beginning January 1, 2022. However, businesses can continue to use their existing waste containers for customers, regardless of the color, as long as they are clearly labeled to show what can and cannot be placed inside. Any new waste container purchased by a business on or after January 1, 2022, must either have the correct colors or correct labeling.
Education & Sorting Requirements
Businesses shall annually provide information to employees, contractors, and tenants about waste diversion requirements and about the proper sorting of waste. Businesses must prohibit their employees from placing organic waste and recyclables in the wrong bins. Businesses are responsible for educating their employees, contactors, tenants, and customers on properly sorting organic materials into the correct containers. Clear labeling and signage provided by business owners for employees, contractors, tenants, and customers is required to maintain awareness of proper sorting. The City of Corona and Waste Management will provide annual outreach to all businesses and will create employee orientation materials that can be used to satisfy some of this requirement.
Contamination Monitoring
Businesses must periodically inspect recycling and organic waste containers for contamination. If waste containers are found to be contaminated, they need to inform employees how to sort waste properly. Businesses are responsible for making sure that their organic waste and recycling waste materials are sorted properly by performing regular inspection of their recycling and organic waste containers to look for contamination and providing reminders to employees about proper sorting.
Waste Sorting Information for Tenants
Before or within 14 days of occupation of a premise, a landlord shall provide information on proper waste sorting to new tenants. Landlords shall annually provide information to tenants about recycling and organic waste requirements and proper sorting. Landlords need to provide new residential and commercial tenants with information on how to properly sort waste within 2 weeks of moving in and every year thereafter. The City and Waste Management will develop and provide educational materials that can be shared with tenants annually.
Click here for more information on the organic waste collection requirements of SB 1383.
