Though Sacramento County made a big announcement about rolling out their mandated Mixed Organic Waste Recycling Program earlier this summer, Nevada County and other rural counties are not yet ready to make the leap. Waste Management Public Sector Service Manger Shavati Karki-Pearl says the transfer facility and waste management stream are not yet capable of handling the new state mandate, but when it does become operational, food waste will be added to the greenwaste bins.

She says the timeline to implement mixed organic waste has been pushed out until the middle or end of 2023. She says people should continue to compost, feeding food waste to animals, and providing it to local farmers for composting or feed. Ideally, the company can start picking up commercial waste from restaurants and grocery stores before residential pick up begins.

Solid Waste Program Manager David Garcia says they planned to begin upgrades at the Transfer Station sooner, but costs keep increasing.

He also says the improvements are necessary and required in order to stay in compliance with the state Law AB 1883 which requires increased organic waste recycling programs. But the issues in Nevada County and other smaller counties are different than those in larger urban areas.