Sacramento County Launches Food Waste Collection In July

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Starting in July, thousands of people in Sacramento County will have to think twice before dumping their leftovers in the trash — actually, any food for that matter.

County residents are now required to put food waste in what many people consider the green waste cart. Collections start Monday, July 4.

The statewide law actually went into effect in January, but Sacramento County was not ready until now.

The cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento are also launching their own food scrap collections next month.

"I know that food scraps are supposed to go in there," said Allison Hopkins of College Greens. "Yard trimmings and then paper waste that has had food on them."

She's right. It's part of a plan to expand landfill capacity.

But those are not the only items allowed, according to a demonstration by Jennifer Claiborne, program manager of the Sacramento County Department of Waste Management and Recycling.

"Even at dinner, you're going to open up your pail, and just scrape it in," said Claiborne. "Even your soiled napkins."

The list also includes meat scraps, rotten food and produce peelings – just leave off the twist ties and stickers.

It does not matter if the waste is raw or cooked.

Food-soiled paper can include anything as long as there is no shiny coat including pizza boxes. Why? Grease and food fragments mean the box can't go in the recycling bin but has a home in the organics cart.

What can't go inside? Pet waste, grease and liquids.

"I don't understand why we have to have three bins," said Lowell Yost.

Claiborne says the collection is meant to capture the methane that would otherwise be released and will be used to make compost.

The county also says the compost will be used to create nutrient-rich soil for California's agriculture.

The next question: are Californians ready to adjust?

"Yeah, sort of," Yost said.