For the purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms, phrases, and their derivations have the meanings given herein. Terms not defined in this section and defined elsewhere in this code shall have the same meanings herein unless the context otherwise requires. In the event of a conflict between a definition in this code and a definition in 14 CCR Section 18982, the definitions in Section 18982 shall control for the purposes of this chapter. Additionally, for the purposes of this chapter, the definitions in 14 CCR Section 18982 shall control for terms used in this chapter and not defined in this code. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future tense, and words in the singular number include the plural number. Unless otherwise specified herein, references to a statute or regulation means the statute or regulation, as amended, supplemented, superseded and replaced from time to time.
"Authorized collector" shall mean a private contractor authorized to provide collection services on behalf of the city through contract, exclusive franchise agreement, or non-exclusive franchise agreement.
"Blue container" has the same meaning as in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(5) and shall be used only for the purpose of storage and collection of source separated recyclable materials or source separated blue container organic waste.
"C&D" shall mean construction and demolition debris.
"CalRecycle" shall mean the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, which is the department designated with responsibility for developing, implementing, and enforcing SB 1383 Regulations on the city (and others).
"California Code of Regulations or CCR" shall mean the State of California Code of Regulations. CCR references in this chapter are preceded with a number that refers to the relevant Title of the CCR (e.g., “14 CCR” refers to Title 14 of CCR).
"City" shall mean the City of Murrieta.
"City manager" shall mean the city manager of the City of Murrieta or his/her designee.
"Commercial business or commercial" shall mean a firm, partnership, proprietorship, joint-stock company, corporation, or association, whether for-profit or nonprofit, strip mall, industrial facility, or a multi-family residential dwelling; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(6). A multi-family residential dwelling that consists of fewer than five (5) units is not a commercial business for purposes of implementing this chapter.
"Commercial edible food generator" includes a tier one or a tier two commercial edible food generator as defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(73)-(74). For the purposes of this definition, food recovery organizations and food recovery services are not commercial edible food generators pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(7).
"Community composting" shall mean any activity that composts green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material, alone or in combination, and the total amount of feedstock and compost on-site at any one time does not exceed 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet, as specified in 14 CCR Section 17855(a)(4); or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(8).
"Compliance review" shall mean a review of records by the city to determine compliance with this chapter.
"Compost" has the same meaning as in 14 CCR Section 17896.2(a)(4).
"Compostable plastic(s)" shall mean food-service and food-packaging plastic materials or plastic bags used for collecting organics material that are placed in the green container and transported to a compostable material handling operations or facility, in-vessel digestion operations or other facility, provided that the organic waste processing facility accepts the material and has provided written notification annually to the city stating that the facility can process and recover that material for composability, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18984.1(a)(1)(A) for three container systems, or 14 CCR Section 18984.2(a)(1)(C) for two container systems.
"Container contamination or contaminated container" shall mean a container, regardless of color, that contains prohibited container contaminants; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(55).
"County" shall mean the County of Riverside.
"Designee" shall mean an entity that the city contracts with or otherwise arranges to carry out any of the city’s responsibilities of this chapter as authorized in 14 CCR Section 18981.2, and as defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(15). A designee may be a government entity, a hauler, a private entity, or a combination of those entities.
"Edible food" shall mean food intended for human consumption; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(18). For the purposes of this chapter or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(18), “edible food” is not solid waste if it is recovered and not discarded. Nothing in this chapter or in 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12 requires or authorizes the recovery of edible food that does not meet the food safety requirements of the California Retail Food Code.
"Enforcement action" shall mean an action of the city to address non-compliance with this chapter including, but not limited to, issuing administrative citations, fines, penalties, or using other remedies, as defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(19).
"Enforcement official" shall mean the city manager or the city manager’s authorized designee(s) who are partially or wholly responsible for enforcing this chapter.
"Excluded waste" shall mean hazardous substance, hazardous waste, infectious waste, designated waste, volatile, corrosive, medical waste, infectious, regulated radioactive waste, and toxic substances or material that facility operator(s), which receive materials from the city and its generators, reasonably believe(s) would, as a result of or upon acceptance, transfer, processing, or disposal, be a violation of local, state, or federal law, regulation, or ordinance, including: land use restrictions or conditions, waste that cannot be disposed of in Class III landfills or accepted at the facility by permit conditions, waste that in the city’s enforcement official or its designee’s, reasonable opinion would present a significant risk to human health or the environment, cause a nuisance or otherwise create or expose the city, or its designee, to potential liability; but not including de minimis volumes or concentrations of waste of a type and amount normally found in single-family or multi-family solid waste after implementation of programs for the safe collection, processing, recycling, treatment, and disposal of batteries and paint in compliance with Sections 41500 and 41802 of the California Public Resources Code.
"Food distributor" shall mean a company that distributes food to entities including, but not limited to, supermarkets and grocery stores; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(22).
"Food facility" has the same meaning as in Section 113789 of the California Health and Safety Code.
"Food recovery" shall mean actions to collect and distribute food for human consumption that otherwise would be disposed of; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(24).
"Food recovery organization" shall mean, unless otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(25), an entity that engages in the collection or receipt of edible food from commercial edible food generators and distributes that edible food to the public for food recovery either directly or through other entities; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(25), including, but not limited to:
1. A food bank as defined in Section 113783 of the California Health and Safety Code;
2. A nonprofit charitable organization as defined in Section 113841 of the California Health and Safety code; and
3. A nonprofit charitable temporary food facility as defined in Section 113842 of the California Health and Safety Code; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(25).
A food recovery organization is not a commercial edible food generator for the purposes of this chapter and implementation of 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12 pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(7).
"Food recovery service" shall mean a person or entity that collects and transports edible food from a commercial edible food generator to a food recovery organization or other entities for food recovery; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(26). A food recovery service is not a commercial edible food generator for the purposes of this chapter and implementation of 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12 pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(7).
"Food scraps" shall mean all food such as, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, bones, rice, beans, pasta, bread, cheese, and eggshells. Food scraps excludes fats, oils, and grease when such materials are source separated from other food scraps.
"Food service provider" shall mean an entity primarily engaged in providing food services to institutional, governmental, commercial, or industrial locations of others based on contractual arrangements with these types of organizations; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(27).
"Food-soiled paper" shall mean compostable paper material that has come in contact with food or liquid, such as, but not limited to, compostable paper plates, paper coffee cups, napkins, pizza boxes, and milk cartons.
"Food waste" shall mean food scraps and food-soiled paper. Food waste excludes compostable plastics. Food waste shall be placed in the green container.
"Generator" shall mean a person or entity that is responsible for the initial creation of solid waste, and with respect to organic waste, means a person or entity that is responsible for the initial creation of organic waste; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(48).
"Gray container" has the same meaning as in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(28) and shall be used only for the purpose of storage and collection of gray container waste.
"Gray container waste" shall mean solid waste that is collected in a gray container that is part of the city’s three-container organic waste collection service that prohibits the placement of organic waste in the gray container as specified in 14 CCR Sections 18984.1(a)-(b); or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 17402(a)(6.5).
"Green container" has the same meaning as in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(29) and shall be used only for the purpose of storage and collection of source separated green container organic waste. Notwithstanding the foregoing, functional containers purchased prior to January 1, 2022 that are used for the storage and collection of source separated green container organic waste and that do not comply with the color requirements of 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(29) are not required to be replaced until the end of the useful life of those containers or January 1, 2036, whichever is earlier.
"Grocery store" shall mean a store primarily engaged in the retail sale of canned food; dry goods; fresh fruits and vegetables; fresh meats, fish, and poultry; and any area that is not separately owned within the store where the food is prepared and served, including a bakery, deli, and meat and seafood departments; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(30).
"Hauler route" shall mean the designated itinerary or sequence of stops for each segment of the city’s collection service area; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(31.5).
"High diversion organic waste processing facility" shall mean a facility that is in compliance with the reporting requirements of 14 CCR Section 18815.5(d) and meets or exceeds an annual average mixed waste organic content recovery rate of fifty (50) percent between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, and seventy-five (75) percent after January 1, 2025, as calculated pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18815.5(e) for organic waste received from the “mixed waste organic collection stream” as defined in 14 CCR Section 17402(a)(11.5); or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(33).
"Inspection" shall mean a site visit where the city or its designee reviews records, containers, and an entity’s collection, handling, recycling, or landfill disposal of organic waste or edible food handling to determine if the entity is complying with requirements set forth in this chapter; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(35).
"Large event" shall mean, unless otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(38), an event, including, but not limited to, a sporting event or a flea market, that charges an admission price, or is operated by a local agency, and serves an average of more than 2,000 individuals per day of operation of the event, at a location that includes, but is not limited to, a public, nonprofit, or privately owned park, parking lot, golf course, street system, or other open space when being used for an event; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(38).
"Large venue" shall mean, unless otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(39), a permanent venue facility that annually seats or serves an average of more than 2,000 individuals within the grounds of the facility per day of operation of the venue facility. For purposes of this chapter and implementation of 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12, a venue facility includes, but is not limited to, a public, nonprofit, or privately owned or operated stadium, amphitheater, arena, hall, amusement park, conference or civic center, zoo, aquarium, airport, racetrack, horse track, performing arts center, fairground, museum, theater, or other public attraction facility. For purposes of this chapter and implementation of 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12, a site under common ownership or control that includes more than one large venue that is contiguous with other large venues in the site, is a single large venue.
"Local education agency" shall mean a school district, charter school, or county office of education that is not subject to the control of the city’s regulations related to solid waste; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(40).
"Mixed waste organic collection stream or mixed waste" shall mean organic waste collected in a container that is required by 14 CCR Section 18984.1, 18984.2, or 18984.3 to be taken to a high diversion organic waste processing facility or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 17402(a)(11.5).
"Multi-family residential dwelling or multi-family" shall mean of, from, or pertaining to residential premises with five (5) or more dwelling units. Multi-family premises do not include hotels, motels, or other transient occupancy facilities, which are considered commercial businesses.
"MWELO" shall mean the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, 23 CCR, Division 2, Chapter 2.7.
"Non-compostable paper" includes, but is not limited to, paper that is coated in a plastic material that will not breakdown in the composting process; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(41).
"Non-local entity" shall mean the following entities that are not subject to the city’s enforcement authority; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(42):
1. Special district(s) located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city;
2. Federal facilities, including military installations, located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city;
3. Prison(s) located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city;
4. Facilities operated by the state park system located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city;
5. Public universities (including community colleges) located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city;
6. County fairgrounds located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city; and
7. State agencies located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city.
"Non-organic recyclables" shall mean non-putrescible and non-hazardous recyclable wastes including, but not limited to, bottles, cans, metals, plastics and glass; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(43).
"Notice of violation or NOV" shall mean a notice that a violation has occurred that includes a compliance date to avoid an action to seek penalties; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(45) or further explained in 14 CCR Section 18995.4.
"Organic waste" shall mean solid waste containing material originated from living organisms and their metabolic waste products, including, but not limited to, food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, untreated lumber, untreated wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate, and sludges; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(46). Biosolids and digestate are as defined by 14 CCR Section 18982(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, paper products, printing and writing paper, organic textiles, and carpets shall not be placed in the green container as source separated organic waste.
"Paper products" includes, but is not limited to, paper janitorial supplies, cartons, wrapping, packaging, file folders, hanging files, corrugated boxes, tissue, and toweling; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(51). Paper products, when source separated, shall be considered source separated recyclable materials.
"Paper and writing papers" includes, but is not limited to, copy, xerographic, watermark, cotton fiber, offset, forms, computer printout paper, white wove envelopes, manila envelopes, book paper, note pads, writing tablets, newsprint, and other uncoated writing papers, posters, index cards, calendars, brochures, reports, magazines, and publications; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(54). Printing and writing papers, when source separated, shall be considered source separated recyclable materials.
"Prohibited container contaminants" shall mean, unless otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(55), the following:
1. Discarded materials placed in the blue container that are not identified as acceptable source separated recyclable materials for the city’s blue container;
2. Discarded materials placed in the green container that are not identified as acceptable source separated green container organic waste for the city’s green container, including non-organic waste, carpet, treated lumber, treated wood, hazardous wood waste and non-compostable paper;
3. Discarded materials placed in the gray container that are acceptable source separated recyclable materials and/or source separated green container organic waste to be placed in the city’s green container or source separated recyclable materials to be placed in the city’s blue container; and
4. Excluded waste placed in any container.
"Recovery" shall mean any activity or process described in 14 CCR Section 18983.1(b); or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(49).
"Recycled-content paper" shall mean paper products and printing and writing paper that consists of at least thirty (30) percent, by fiber weight, postconsumer fiber; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(61).
"Remote monitoring" shall mean the use of the internet of things (IoT) and/or wireless electronic devices to visualize the contents of blue containers, green containers, and gray containers for purposes of identifying the quantity of materials in containers (level of fill) and/or presence of prohibited container contaminants.
"Restaurant" shall mean an establishment primarily engaged in the retail sale of food and drinks for on-premises or immediate consumption; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(64).
"Route review" shall mean a visual inspection of containers along a hauler route for the purpose of determining container contamination and may include mechanical inspection methods such as the use of cameras; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(65).
"SB 1383" shall mean Senate Bill 1383 of 2016 approved by the Governor of the State on September 19, 2016, which added Sections 39730.5, 39730.6, 39730.7, and 39730.8 to the California Health and Safety Code, and added Chapter 13.1 (commencing with Section 42652) to Part 3 of Division 30 of the California Public Resources Code, establishing methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, as amended, supplemented, superseded, and replaced from time to time.
"SB 1383 Regulations" shall mean the Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste Reduction regulations developed by CalRecycle and adopted in 2020 that created 14 CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12 and amended portions of 14 CCR and 27 CCR.
"Self-hauler" shall mean a person or entity, who, in compliance with all applicable requirements of this chapter, hauls solid waste, organic waste or recyclable materials he or she has generated to another person or entity, as defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(66). Self-hauler also includes a person or entity who back-hauls waste; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(66). Back-haul means generating and transporting organic waste to a destination owned and operated by the generator using the generator’s own employees and equipment, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(66)(A).
"Single-family" shall mean of, from, or pertaining to any residential premises with fewer than five (5) units.
"Solid waste" shall mean, unless otherwise defined in California Public Resources Code Section 40191, all putrescible and nonputrescible solid, semi-solid, and liquid wastes, including garbage, trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles and parts thereof, discarded home and industrial appliances, dewatered, treated, or chemically fixed sewage sludge which is not hazardous waste, manure, vegetable or animal solid and semi-solid wastes, and other discarded solid and semisolid wastes, with the exception that solid waste does not include any of the following wastes:
1. Hazardous waste, as defined in the California Public Resources Code Section 40141.
2. Radioactive waste regulated pursuant to the Radiation Control Law (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 114960) of Part 9 of Division 104 of the California Health and Safety Code).
3. Medical waste regulated pursuant to the Medical Waste Management Act (Part 14 (commencing with Section 117600) of Division 104 of the California Health and Safety Code). Untreated medical waste shall not be disposed of in a solid waste landfill, as defined in California Public Resources Code Section 40195.1. Medical waste that has been treated and deemed to be Solid Waste shall be regulated pursuant to Division 30 of the California Public Resources Code.
"Source separated" shall mean materials, including commingled recyclable materials, that have been separated or kept separate from the solid waste stream, at the point of generation, for the purpose of additional sorting or processing those materials for recycling or reuse in order to return them to the economic mainstream in the form of raw material for new, reused, or reconstituted products, which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 17402.5(b)(4). For the purposes of this chapter, source separated shall include separation of materials, at the point of generation, by the generator, property owner, property owner’s employee, property manager, or property manager’s employee into different containers for the purpose of collection such that source separated materials are separated from gray container waste or other solid waste for the purposes of collection and processing of those materials.
"Source separated blue container organic waste" shall mean source separated organic wastes that can be placed in a blue container that is limited to the collection of those organic wastes and non-organic recyclables. Source separated blue container organic waste excludes source separated green organic waste, but includes paper products, printing and writing paper, and excludes hazardous wood waste, wood, dry lumber, and textiles.
"Source separated green container organic waste" shall mean, unless otherwise specified in 14 CCR Section 18984.1, source separated organic waste that can be placed in a green container that is specifically intended for the separate collection of organic waste by the generator, excluding source separated blue container organic waste, paper products, printing and writing paper, hazardous wood waste, carpets, non-compostable paper, and non-organic textiles.
"Source separated recyclable materials" shall mean source separated non-organic recyclables and source separated blue container organic waste.
"State" shall mean the State of California.
"Supermarket" shall mean a full-line, self-service retail store with gross annual sales of two million dollars ($2,000,000), or more, and which sells a line of dry grocery, canned goods, or nonfood items and some perishable items; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(71).
"Tier one commercial edible food generator" shall mean a commercial edible food generator that is one of the following; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(73):
1. Supermarket;
2. Grocery store with a total facility size equal to or greater than 10,000 square feet;
3. Food service provider;
4. Food distributor; or,
5. Wholesale food vendor.
"Tier two commercial edible food generator" shall mean a commercial edible food generator that is one of the following; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(74):
1. Restaurant with 250 or more seats, or a total facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet;
2. Hotel with an on-site food facility and 200 or more rooms;
3. Health facility with an on-site food facility and 100 or more beds;
4. Large venue;
5. Large event;
6. A state agency with a cafeteria with 250 or more seats or total cafeteria facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet; or
7. A local education agency facility with an on-site food facility.
"Uncontainerized green waste and yard waste collection service or uncontainerized service" shall mean a collection service that collects green waste and yard waste that is placed in a pile or bagged for collection on the street in front of a generator’s house or place of business for collection and transport to a facility that recovers source separated organic waste; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 189852(a)(75).
"Wholesale food vendor" shall mean a business or establishment engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of food, where food (including fruits and vegetables) is received, shipped, stored, prepared for distribution to a retailer, warehouse, distributor, or other destination; or, as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 189852(a)(76).
(Ord. 575 § 2, 2022)