Zero Waste Marin (ZWM) is a governmental Joint Powers Authority that represents the County of Marin and their 11 cities and towns, including the City of Sausalito. They serve as the conduit between State regulation and Marin County city and town implementation for complex regulations such as SB 1383.
Their mission is to protect natural resources by promoting source reduction of waste through reuse, repair, and more mindful purchasing. To make recycling and composting easy, ZWM offers a variety of programs including: the Household Hazardous Waste Program, the Zero Waste Schools Program, and public outreach and education programs. These programs align with County-wide goals to act on climate change and promote healthy, safe, and sustainable communities.
Senate Bill (SB) 1383
New statewide organic waste regulations (SB 1383) became effective January 1, 2022 in California. SB 1383 regulations are being implemented in the City of Sausalito under the Organics Reduction & Recycling Ordinance, currently in effect. The ordinance requirements will be implemented through a partnership between the City, Bay Cities Refuse Service and the County. You can find the full ordinance here.
The ordinance requires residents (including Single family and Multi-family residents) and businesses to recycle their organic waste – things like all food scraps (vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, grains, and coffee grounds), food-soiled paper products (paper towels, pizza boxes, egg cartons, coffee filters, and tea bags), and yard waste in their compost container and unsoiled paper, and cardboard in their recycling container. Materials that Bay Cities Refuse Service collects as recyclables and organic waste must be placed in those containers and not in the garbage container.
Recycling & Organics Collection
The blue cart is to be used for your “commingled” recycling. All glass, aluminum, tin, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, etc. is to be placed in this cart and placed at the curb every week. No need to separate, place it all in the cart.
The green cart is to be used for your household “green waste” and compostable food scraps. See below for guidelines on what is compostable and what is garbage. We encourage you to utilize the cart weekly on your regular collection day.
Edible food is defined as food that is safe for human consumption. SB 1383 includes goals to get more edible food that would have otherwise been landfilled, to humans for consumption.
SB 1383 regulates two “tiers” of commercial businesses that generate edible food. Beginning January 1, 2022, Tier 1 generators must arrange for recovery of surplus edible food by establishing a contract or written agreement with a food recovery organization(s) or service. Beginning January 1, 2024, Tier 2 generators will be required to do the same.
To comply with SB 1383 regulations, businesses must contract with a food recovery organization or service. Visit Zero Waste Marin's Food Recovery Organizations page to find organizations to collect edible food.
The mission of the Sustainability Commission is to support the City of Sausalito in its goal to improve our environment and minimize our ecological footprint.
Mission areas include waste reduction, recycling, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
