GHG-14: Increase Organic Waste Diversion and Landfill Gas Capture
Measure Description
In Progress
This measure is the County’s initiative aimed at reducing emissions generated by organic waste disposal and promoting more sustainable waste management practices. The County will enhance existing efforts and adopt new methods for diverting organic waste away from landfills, for both residential and commercial waste, by developing programs and encouraging residents and businesses to adopt sustainable waste management practices. The County will also explore the potential for increasing the effectiveness of existing landfill gas collection systems at County-owned landfills.
Implementation Status
Updated 08/24/2026
The County has implemented a 3-stream organics, recycling, and garbage waste collection system for all residential customers. The Department of Waste Management and Recycling (DWMR) conducts residential waste audits to inspect bins for contamination and leaves notices to provide waste diversion education. DWMR works with the County’s franchised commercial haulers to ensure all customers are subscribed to the appropriate level of service to meet Senate Bill (SB) 1383 requirements.
DWMR has developed a one-stop webpage where residents can obtain service guides, watch educational videos, and run a “How do I get rid of….” search, as well as download a free SacGreenTeam mobile app. The County partners with schools to provide waste diversion outreach and education, including quarterly newsletters, waste diversion toolkits, assemblies, and Touch-a-Truck events. The County also offers free waste diversion toolkits for small businesses.
DWMR promotes the Backyard Composting program by holding multiple composting workshops a year, supplying free kitchen pails while supplies last, supply free GeoBin hoop style compost bins, and providing educational resources on its webpage. The County provides free self-serve compost to Sacramento County residents every March-October at four sites (the compost is generated from locally recovered organic waste). In 2025 the Self-Serve Compost program provided approximately 3,500 tons free to residents and nonprofits. The County also provides free compost deliveries to local community gardens and obtained an SB 1383 grant to implement new organic waste diversion programs.
County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the lead agency for the Edible Food Recovery Working Group (EFRWG), a collaborative effort between the County and six cities to meet the edible food recovery (EFR) requirements of SB 1383. DHS has contracted with Abound Food Care to manage and administer the local EFR program, develop a capacity grant program, implement an annual work plan, and other program related tasks. During FY 2024–2025, the EFRWG (branded the Capital Food Access Alliance) awarded a total of $2,047,769 in grant money to 29 nonprofit organizations to significantly expand the regional food recovery network. The Alliance, alongside the incorporated cities, maintains a publicly available list of Food Recovery Organizations at: https://capfoodaccess.org/resources/
The County Environmental Management Department (EMD) continually collaborates with the local food bank and other food recovery organizations and delivers educational and outreach workshops for Tier 1 and Tier 2 food generators throughout the county. In 2026, EMD hosted a workshop for various school districts, including San Juan, Twin Rivers, Folsom and Galt. This informative session helped foster ongoing partnerships and strengthened collaboration with school districts in food recovery and waste reduction management.
The County operates Kiefer Landfill, which currently converts landfill gas to electricity that is utilized by SMUD. The County continues to work on improvements to the gas collection system and the best use for the landfill gas, including conversion to pipeline grade methane. The County is actively increasing landfill gas capture by improving vacuum conditions, sealing cracks in the landfill, and other methods
Actions
Action GHG-14-a
Action Description: Conduct a regional organics capacity planning study to better understand the future needs of composting facility capacity and identify opportunities for expansion of regional compost capacity.
Action GHG-14-b
Action Description: Amend the Zoning Code to clarify and streamline the permitting process for the construction and operation of composting facilities within the unincorporated county.
Action GHG-14-c
Action Description: Continue to implement and enforce organics diversion ordinances associated with SB 1383 (enacted in 2016) by working with the County’s franchised commercial haulers to ensure all customers are subscribed to the appropriate level of service and that audits are completed and enforced on the appropriate schedule.
Action GHG-14-d
Action Description: Provide Backyard Composting Program information flyers, and include information about the program in County emails or social media communications at least twice per year, with the following information for increasing participation in the Backyard Composting Program:
- How to start a compost bin.
- What materials to add.
- How to maintain your compost.
- Benefits of using compost in gardens for soil and garden health.
Action GHG-14-e
Action Description: Continue to host workshops at least once every year and host educational materials on the County's website to raise awareness on the type of waste that can go in garbage carts, organics carts, and recyclable carts with an aim to increase the diversion of organic waste. Also, provide information to commercial waste generators on how to comply with SB 1383 requirements.
Action GHG-14-f
Action Description: Partner with county school districts to educate students about:
- sustainable behaviors,
- waste types,
- how to dispose of waste in appropriate containers, and
- how to compost at home.
Action GHG-14-g
Action Description: Continue collaborating with local Sacramento food banks to continue food recovery services and educate residents and food-generating businesses about the requirements, local food banks, and food protection. Maintain a list of food recovery organizations in Sacramento County on the County’s website.
Action GHG-14-h
Action Description: Apply for available grants to further education and implementation of organics diversion.
Action GHG-14-i
Action Description: Conduct a waste characterization study every five years to determine the materials comprising the unincorporated county’s waste stream, the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, and the amount of organic waste diverted from landfills.
Action GHG-14-j
Action Description: Annually collect organics diversion tonnage and landfilled waste tonnage from waste haulers operating within the unincorporated County to track organics diversion rates over time.
Action GHG-14-k
Action Description: Perform an engineering study to determine the feasibility and cost of increasing landfill gas capture at County-owned landfills.
Action GHG-14-l
Action Description: Extend financial and regulatory support to food recovery banks and organizations that deliver food to the elderly, disabled, or others who are unable to leave home. Reassess the efficiency of support provided every five years.
Objectives
Increase diversion of organic waste deposited into landfills from both commercial and residential sources to achieve a 75% diversion rate in countywide organic waste by 2030, 90% by 2045, and increase landfill gas capture at County-owned landfills.