Thanks to changes in the waste laws, knowing what you can throw away in California can be confusing. In the past, if something was broken or unused, you could toss it worry-free. After dinner, extra food and scraps? Save it for the next day as leftovers. When those leftovers are a few days old, you would toss them out. That’s not advised anymore. So instead of what we can throw away, it might be easier to tell you to want we’re not supposed to throw away; instead, try to recycle!

A new law went into effect last year that deals with composting. This new practice is meant to help reduce waste in landfills and help reduce methane emissions. Anything (like food products) that can naturally decompose should not be thrown into the standard trash. Instead, that perishable waste should be disposed of in a separate container. This new form of disposal is still rolling out through the state but should be complete by 2024, and fines will start being given to those who fail to separate.

What Is E-Waste?

What about “e-waste”? E-Waste is pretty much anything electronic. Especially electronics with batteries. Small and large appliances, cell phones, televisions, media players (DVD/CD/VCR), computers, flashlights, etc. All of these items need to be recycled. For more information on properly disposing of all your waste, whether recyclable, compostable, or flat-out waste, check out CalRecycle.Ca.Gov.

Get our free mobile app

Report a typo or correction

Got a news tip? Email us here.

TRENDING NOW:

A Scenic Tour of LEGOLAND California Resort

Legoland California Resort is a theme park in Carlsbad, California, based on the Lego toy brand.

PICTURES: See Inside John Wayne's $12 Million California Ranch

John Wayne's former ranch in California is for sale, and pictures show a spectacular property that's like something straight out of one of his Western films.