Organic Materials Management

Organic Waste Definitions

Agricultural Material means material of plant or animal origin, which result from the production and processing of farm, ranch agricultural, horticultural, aquacultural, silvicultural, floricultural, vermicultural, or viticultural products, including manures, orchard and vineyard prunings, and crop residues.

Construction and Demolition Debris, is solid waste that is a portion of the waste stream and means source separated or separated for reuse solid waste and recyclable materials, including commingled and separated materials, that result from construction work, that are not hazardous, as defined in CCR, Title 22, section 66261.3 et seq., and that contain no more than 1% purtrescible wastes by volume and the putrescible wastes do not constitute a nuisance, as determined by the EA.

Sewage Sludge or Biosolids means solid, semisolid, or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works. Biosolids includes, but is not limited to, treated domestic septage and scum or solids removed in primary, secondary, or advanced wastewater treatment processes. Biosolids does not include ash generated during the firing of sewage sludge in a sewage sludge incinerator or grit and screenings generated during the preliminary treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works.

Feedstock means any compostable material used in the production of compost or chipped and ground material including, but not limited to, agricultural material, green material, food material, biosolids, and mixed solid waste. Feedstocks shall not be considered as either additives or amendments.

Food Material means any material that was acquired for animal or human consumption, is separated from the municipal solid waste stream, and that does not meet the definition of "agricultural material." Food material may include material from food facilities as defined in Health and Safety Code section 113785, grocery stores, institutional cafeterias (such as, prisons, schools and hospitals) or residential food scrap collection.

Green Material means any plant material that is separated at the point of generation contains no greater than 1.0 percent of physical contaminants by weight, and meets the requirements of section 17868.5. Green material includes, but is not limited to, yard trimmings, untreated wood wastes, natural fiber products, and construction and demolition wood waste. Green material does not include food material, biosolids, mixed solid waste, material processes from commingled collection, wood containing lead-based paint or wood preservative, mixed construction or mixed demolition debris. "Yard Trimmings" means any wastes generated from the maintenance or alteration of public, commercial or residential landscapes including, but not limited to, yard clippings, leaves, tree trimmings, prunings, brush, and weeds.

Industrial Sludge means sludge from factories, manufacturing facilities, and refineries. This type does not include any subtypes. Examples: This type includes paper pulp sludge, and water treatment filter cake sludge.

Manure is an agricultural material and means accumulated herbivore or avian excrement. This definition shall include feces and urine, and any bedding material, spilled feed, or soil that is mixed with feces or urine.

Mixed Solid Waste means any material that is part of the municipal solid waste stream, and is mixed with or contains nonorganics, processed industrial materials, or plastics. A feedstock that is not separated or contains 1.0 percent or more physical contaminants by weight is mixed solid waste. Compostable material that contains mixed demolition or mixed construction debris shall be considered mixed solid waste.

Textiles means items made of thread, yarn, fabric, or cloth. Examples: This subtype includes clothes, fabric trimmings, draperies, and all natural and synthetic cloth fibers. This subtype does not include cloth covered furniture, mattresses, leather shoes, leather bags, or leather belts.

Tire means a pneumatic tire or solid tire manufactured for use on any type of motor vehicle.

Wood Waste means solid waste consisting of wood pieces or particles which are generated from the manufacturing or production of wood products, harvesting, processing or storage of raw wood materials, or construction and demolition activities.

Yard Trimmings means any wastes generated from the maintenance or alteration of public, commercial or residential landscapes including, but not limited to, yard clippings, leaves, tree trimmings, prunings, brush, and weeds.

Contact: Brian Larimore