Dive Brief:

• The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a plan that includes the diversion of 75% of the county's waste from landfills by 2025. The California county currently diverts 50% of its trash from entering the landfill sites. 
• The plan, entitled “Roadmap to a Sustainable Waste Management Future,” includes creating infrastructure that supports organic waste recycling within a five-year timeframe. Organics include food, wood, and yard wastes.
• The proposal aligns with new California laws slated to go into effect in 2016 that regulate food waste produced by businesses.

Dive Insight:

The statewide law will be implemented in stages, beginning with businesses that create eight or more cubic yards of organic waste on a weekly basis. Diversion plans include converting landfill waste into compressed natural gas (CNG) used to fuel vehicles and generate power for plants. 

Organic waste diversion has the potential to launch a new industry for WTE plants, as the demand for the facilities currently surpasses the supply.