AB-643 • 2026

Climate change: short-lived climate pollutants: organic waste reduction.

Agriculture

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Wilson
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details about approved technologies or methods, leaving some uncertainty regarding what is considered 'approved'.

Reducing Organic Waste to Fight Climate Change

This law allows local areas to count certain types of organic material used for farming towards their goal of reducing organic waste, and sets new limits on compost storage in specific operations.

What This Bill Does

Allows local jurisdictions to count organic material used as a beneficial agricultural amendment derived from organic waste processed with biosolids towards up to 10% of its recovered organic waste procurement target if the material is processed at an authorized facility and registered by the Department of Food and Agriculture.
Sets new limits on compost storage in specific operations, allowing up to 200 cubic yards or 500 cubic yards for public agency-owned activities.

Who It Names or Affects

Local governments
Farmers and agricultural businesses
Organizations involved in processing organic waste

Terms To Know

Beneficial Agricultural Amendment: Material used to improve soil quality, like compost or fertilizer.
Biosolids: Treated sewage sludge that can be used as a soil amendment in agriculture.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much more organic waste will be reduced beyond the existing goals.
It is unclear what specific technologies and methods are considered 'approved' for processing organic material.
There may be additional regulations that could change the limits set by this law.

Bill History

2026-06-03 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
2026-05-28 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2026-05-19 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
2026-05-06 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on E.Q.
2026-01-27 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-01-26 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 60. Noes 4. Page 3837.)
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 1.) (January 22).
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3806.)
2026-01-15 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-01-14 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-01-13 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (January 12).
2026-01-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
2025-02-13 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 643, as amended, Wilson.
Climate change: short-lived climate pollutants: organic waste reduction.
Existing law establishes methane emissions reduction goals that include a target to reduce landfill disposal of organics by 75% of the 2014 level of the statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025. Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, to adopt regulations to achieve the organic waste reduction goals. Existing law authorizes a local jurisdiction to count specified recovered organic waste products towards up to 10% of its recovered organic waste procurement target.
This bill would additionally authorize a local jurisdiction to count
organic material used as
a beneficial agricultural amendment
derived from organic waste processed with biosolids
towards up to that 10% of its recovered organic waste procurement target if the material is processed at a facility authorized by the department using specified approved technologies, the material is registered or approved for end use as a fertilizing material by the Department of Food and Agriculture, as provided, and the material is not derived from, or processed using, specified activities relating to the final deposition or management of solid waste, as provided. The bill would require the amount of the procured materials to be calculated using the dry weight of the materials.
Existing law authorizes a local jurisdiction to count compost produced and procured from specified compost operations towards its recovered organic waste procurement target, including, under specified conditions,
operations composting green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material if the total amount of feedstock and compost onsite at any one time does not exceed 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet.
This bill would repeal that authorization, but would instead authorize a local jurisdiction to count towards its procurement target compost produced and procured from certain composting operations, including the composting of green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material if the total amount of feedstock and compost onsite at any one time does not exceed either 200 cubic yards or, for a composting activity owned by a public agency, as defined, 500 cubic yards, amounts that may be increased by regulation, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF