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California is 'nowhere near' emissions goals. It's still sending organic waste to landfills

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  California is 'nowhere near' emissions goals. It's still sending organic waste to landfills useapen <yourdime@outlook.com> - 2026-02-26 09:07 +0000
    Re: California is 'nowhere near' emissions goals. It's still sending organic waste to landfills JTEM <jtem01@gmail.com> - 2026-02-26 14:26 -0500

#6431 — California is 'nowhere near' emissions goals. It's still sending organic waste to landfills

As someone who has spent years working in the waste management sector,
I’ve watched California make bold climate commitments while
simultaneously maintaining policies that undermine our state’s ability
to deliver on them. 

It’s frustrating and, frankly, it’s hurting our credibility as a climate
leader. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent pledge at a United Nations climate conference
to cut methane emissions and accelerate “circular economy” systems was
inspiring. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: We’re nowhere near
meeting our targets, particularly when it comes to organic waste
management. 

California needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 259 million
metric tons of CO2 by 2030 — that’s 40% below 1990 levels. 

We’ve made some progress, with 2022 emissions sitting 14% below 1990
levels, but we still face a staggering 112 million metric ton gap.
That’s an enormous reduction to achieve in just six years. 

What’s even more troubling is our track record on organic waste
diversion. 

Backtracking on organic waste
Senate Bill 1383, which passed in 2016, required us to reduce landfilled
organic waste by 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025, compared to 2014 levels. 

But we’ve gone backward: Organic waste going to landfills increased by a
million tons from 2014 to 2020. The 2025 goal? It’s not happening. 

This isn’t a technology problem. California has the circular processing
capacity we need. The real problem is our policies are preventing this
infrastructure from being used effectively. 

The root cause is California’s exclusive franchise hauling system, which
is rigidly enforced through state law and municipal contracts. This
system forces waste generators to use specific haulers, but their
logistics often conflict with circular processing goals. 

The result: pre-consumer food waste that could be diverted to recycling
facilities gets routed to landfills instead. 

Cities and counties are complying with collection service requirements
yet continue falling far short of state organic-waste reduction targets.
Proven circular solutions like RE:CIRCLE exist, yet hundreds of
thousands of tons of high-value, pre-consumer food waste remain
systematically excluded from these pathways and are landfilled each
year. 

Think about the climate impact we’re missing. 

If we divert just one million tons of organic food waste from landfills,
we could prevent 330,000 to 540,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions in
California. 

If we had achieved that 75% organic waste reduction goal, we could have
cut carbon emissions by 5 million to 15 million metric tons. 

We’re creating a fundamental contradiction in our environmental policy.
We set aggressive climate targets and talk about promoting circular
economy principles then maintain regulatory structures that prioritize
existing business models over environmental outcomes. 

Local enforcement agencies make this worse through permitting practices
that don’t align with statewide climate priorities. I’ve seen
high-performing circular processors face regulatory barriers that
prevent them from expanding capacity. 

This isn’t just about missing numbers; it’s about credibility. 

California’s international climate leadership depends on our ability to
deliver on what we promise at home. When we fail to implement our own
legislation, it weakens our position when we try to push other states
toward more aggressive climate action. 

The solution starts with recognizing that sustainable transformation
requires ecosystem collaboration, not exclusionary licensing. We need
policy reforms that put environmental outcomes first. 

That means establishing a pre-consumer food waste carve-out that allows
generators of organic waste to send it directly to high-diversion
processors, bypassing franchise restrictions when environmental benefits
can be proven. 

No sabotaging climate commitments
Also, communities should align local permitting practices with statewide
climate priorities through better coordination between CalRecycle and
local authorities. And California should recognize high-performing
circular processors as climate-critical infrastructure, making it easier
to expand when they meet strict performance standards. 

California has the technology, infrastructure and expertise to become a
circular economy leader. What we’re missing is policy alignment that
allows our existing capabilities to work. 

As we approach the critical 2030 deadline, we can’t let regulatory
inertia sabotage our climate commitments. The infrastructure for success
is already here. We just need the political courage to unleash it. 

https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/organic-waste-california-emissi
ons-landfills/ 

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#6432

On 2/26/26 4:07 AM, useapen wrote:
> As someone who has spent years working in the waste management sector,
> I’ve watched California make bold climate commitments while
> simultaneously maintaining policies that undermine our state’s ability
> to deliver on them.

Why would you even care?

Who appointed California the "Global Climate Czar?"

If EVERYONE in California died tomorrow, if EVERYONE'S "CO2 Footprint"
dropped to ZERO tomorrow it would not nor could not make one goddamn
bit of difference.

China's CO2 emissions hit 12x what the AGW claims got Gwobull Warbling
started in the first place, and they hit that YEARS AGO! They're up
past 14 or 15x what the mythology says is enough to spark Gwobull
Warbling... China... just China... all by itself.

And you think California matters?

Why?

ONE HOUR in Bill Gates' private jet uses more gallons of fuel than I
use in an entire year of driving a car!

The car is Enemy #1 amongst "Climate" screechers, I've been trying
FOR! YEARS!  to get a one of you to even give a shit about the
private jets, and you just won't... "THAT'S NOT WHAT FACEBOOK SAYS!"

We live in a world where telling Bill Gates and John Kerry and Jeff
Bezos and all the other rich that flying first class on a commercial
airliner is "Too high of a price to pay" for cleaner air. But, it's
okay to ass rape me over the cost of running my stove....

Oo! I forgot:  FUCK YOU!

Fuck California, fuck Greta and fuck everyone who wipes their asses
on working families with their super regressive "Climate" solutions...







-- 
https://jtem.tumblr.com/

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