Tanya Garcia, Upland’s solid-waste management analyst, updated the Public Works Committee on July 8 about City implementation of SB 1383, California’s organic waste reduction and food-recovery law. Garcia said the city has rolled out residential and commercial programs, expanded outreach, and is tracking procurement of compost and mulch needed under the statute.

Why it matters: SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to reduce organic waste to landfills and to procure recovered-organics products. Noncompliance can result in state audits and fines; jurisdictions are subject to a jurisdictional compliance evaluation process administered by CalRecycle.

Implementation status and highlights

Garcia described a multi-pronged approach: residential outreach and distribution of free food-waste pails (nearly 4,000 distributed to date), a bagged-food-waste program (residents place food scraps in bags and deposit them in the green organics container), and expanded education (print materials, social media, workshops and planned digital placements at community locations).

On the commercial side, staff said tier 1 and tier 2 generators are implemented on a four-bin collection system where applicable, and waivers are processed for qualifying businesses. The city partners with certified food‑recovery organizations; KidCare International was named as 1 partner. Vert (hauler/contractor name appears in presentation in varying spellings) conducts route inspections and lid flips; staff emphasized an “education first” approach before enforcement.

Procurement and compliance measures

SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to procure recovered organic products (compost, mulch) to a jurisdiction‑specific annual target. Garcia reported the city’s procurement compliance as: 30% of the annual procurement target met in 2023, 65% in 2024, and 54.57% of the 2025 annual target achieved by July 1, 2025. The city supports procurement by distributing free compost and mulch to residents, applying materials in public medians and parks, and donating to schools and agricultural partners.

Jurisdictional compliance review and enforcement

Garcia said the city submitted its SB 1383 implementation records and entered the jurisdictional compliance evaluation (JACE) process on June 27; an in-person JACE visit is anticipated in August. Committee members and the consultant representative described enforcement as typically proceeding from education and outreach to code‑enforcement notices and, if needed, fines. The implementation timeline in the regulations includes staged enforcement, and staff said the city is preparing to add an environmental compliance inspector to support documentation, inspections and any required enforcement actions.

Consultant/hauler role and community outreach

Representatives from the city’s contract hauler explained they perform mandatory route reviews and lid flips to monitor contamination levels and to provide resident education at the point of collection. Committee members discussed outreach strategies and welcomed a children’s education packet and kids’ book the contractor created for classroom use. Garcia said staff coordinate with the school district and have reviewed pilot activity at Sycamore Elementary and other sites.

What was directed or scheduled

- The city will continue inspections, outreach, donation-tracking with certified food-recovery organizations and submit annual reports to CalRecycle.
- Staff will onboard an environmental compliance inspector to support routine inspections and documentation.

Speakers

Tanya Garcia, solid waste management analyst, City of Upland; Damien Arul, assistant city manager and public works director; Michael Eppman (representative of the hauler/contractor; name appears in transcript as Michael Heffman/Eppman/Vertek/Vertac and was identified in discussion as a company representative); Council members and committee participants.

Clarifying details

- Residential program: nearly 4,000 free food-waste pails distributed for in‑home collection.
- Procurement progress: 30% (2023), 65% (2024), and 54.57% of 2025 target achieved as of July 1, 2025.
- Regulatory process: city entered CalRecycle’s jurisdictional compliance evaluation (JACE) on June 27; staff expect an on‑site JACE visit in August.

Quotes

“We're going to provide a quick update on the city's continued implementation of Senate Bill 1383,” Tanya Garcia said, opening the presentation.

“We are required to go out and lift lids... that we have to actually go out and do that to make sure that every route that we haul material from is actually has a lid flip on it,” a contractor representative said, describing the route-review requirement.

Context and outlook

Committee members urged continued public education, recommended school-based outreach (teachers and younger students are effective conduits for household behavior change) and asked staff to provide sufficient lead time before any fines or escalated enforcement. Staff said the city is preparing internal compliance procedures, and that code enforcement would be the mechanism to issue fines if the city moves to monetary penalties after education and warnings.

Speakers

Tanya Garcia (City of Upland, solid waste management analyst); Damien Arul (assistant city manager and public works director); hauler/contractor representative (identified in transcript as Michael Heffman/Eppman and various spellings); Council members and committee participants.

Searchable_tags:["SB1383","organics","compost","procurement","food recovery","Upland"]

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