Solid Waste
Solid waste emissions are driven primarily by the landfilling of organic materials, which decompose and produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Organic waste is food waste, landscape and pruning waste, non-hazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper that is mixed in with food waste. California laws require local waste reduction, recycling, organics collection, and edible food recovery.
Status summary
The City is exploring ways to increase outreach and education for commercial businesses and residences. Additionally, the City is working with non-profit food recovery organizations to increase edible food recovery capacity.
Project Highlight
In March 2026, the City entered into an agreement with a nonprofit food recovery organization to create a local food recovery hub to expand edible organic capacity. View the City’s food recovery program.
What’s Next
- The food recovery hub will open in fall 2026.
- The City’s exclusive hauler will continue to offer annual repair clinics (e.g., in March 2026, Athens hosted a bicycle repair workshop) to reduce waste sent to landfills.
- The City and Athens will continue to conduct in-person and online outreach and education on organic waste diversion.
To address solid waste emissions, we need to reduce overall waste volume and the amount of organic waste sent to the landfill. Select the drop-down under each measure to view the status.
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Goal SW1: Reduce Volume of Landfilled Waste
Because about 95% of the City’s solid waste greenhouse gas emissions come from landfilled organic waste, continued waste reduction, recycling, composting, and diversion are the most effective strategies for lowering emissions and maintaining compliance. Under California law SB 1383, jurisdictions are required to provide organic waste collection to all businesses and residents and to establish a food recovery program for edible food waste. The State’s goal is to reduce the landfilling of organic waste (from 2014 level) by 75% by 2025. Residential and commercial organics collection is provided by the City’s franchise waste hauler, Athens Services. Click HERE to learn more about the City’s solid waste program.