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Article 1

General 

Section 17850-17852

Article 2

Regulatory Tiers for 

Composting Operations and 

Facilities 

Sections 17855-17862.2

Article 3

Report of Facility Information 

Section 17863

Article 5

Composting Operation and 

Facility Siting and Design 

Standards 

Sections 17865-17866

Article 6

Composting Operating 

Standards 

Sections 17867

Article 7

Environmental Health 

Standards 

Sections 17868.1-17868.4

Article 8

Composting Operation and 

Facility Records 

Section 17869

Article 9

Site Restorations 

Section 17870

Regulations: Title 14, Natural Resources--Division 7, CIWMB 

Chapter 3.1. Composting Operations Regulatory Requirements

Article 5. Composting Operation and Facility Siting and Design Standards 

Section 17865. Siting On Landfills. 

(a) Compostable materials handling operations and facilities located atop closed solid waste landfills shall 

meet postclosure land use requirements pursuant to Title 27, California Code of Regulations, Division 2, 

Subdivision 1, Chapter 3, Subchapter 5, Article 2, section 21190. 

(b) Compostable materials handling operations and facilities sited on intermediate cover on a solid waste 

landfill shall locate operations areas on foundation substrate that is stabilized, either by natural or 

mechanical compaction, to minimize differential settlement, ponding, soil liquefaction, or failure of pads or 

structural foundations. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Section 17866. General Design Requirements. 

(a) Compostable materials handling operations and facilities shall be designed and constructed in such a 

manner as to enable the operations and facilities to comply with the operational requirements set forth in 

Article 6 of this Chapter. 

(b) The design of a compostable materials handling facility shall utilize advice, as appropriate, from 

persons competent in engineering architecture, landscape design, traffic engineering, air quality control, 

and design of structures. 

(1) The engineering design of a compostable materials handling facility shall be in accordance with 

the principles and disciplines in the State of California generally accepted for design of this type of 

facility. The design of a composting facility requiring a Compostable Materials Handling Facility 

Permit shall accompany the Report of Composting Site Information, pursuant to section 17863 of 

this Chapter. 

(2) The engineering design shall be based on appropriate data regarding the service area, 

anticipated nature and quantity of material to be received, climatological factors, physical settings, 

adjacent land use (existing and planned), types and numbers of vehicles anticipated to enter the 

station, drainage control, the hours of operation and other pertinent information. If the station is to 

be used by the general public, the design of the facility shall take account of features that may be 

needed to accommodate such public use. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Article 6. Composting Operating Standards 

Section 17867. General Operating Standards.

(a) All compostable materials handling operations and facilities shall meet the following requirements: 

(1) All handling activities are prohibited from composting any material specified in section 17855.2 

of this Chapter. 

(2) All handling activities shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes vectors, odor impacts, litter, 

hazards, nuisances, and noise impacts; and minimizes human contact with, inhalation, ingestion, 

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and transportation of dust, particulates, and pathogenic organisms. 

(3) Random load checks of feedstocks, additives, and amendments for contaminants shall be 

conducted. 

(4) Contamination of compostable materials that has undergone pathogen reduction, pursuant to 

section 17868.3 of this Chapter, with feedstocks, compost, or wastes that have not undergone 

pathogen reduction, pursuant to section 17868.3 of this Chapter, or additives shall be prevented. 

(5) Unauthorized human or animal access to the facility shall be prevented. 

(6) Traffic flow into, on, and out of the composting operation or facility shall be controlled in a safe 

manner. 

(7) All compostable materials handling operations and facilities, that are open for public business, 

shall post legible signs at all public entrances. These signs shall include the following information: 

(A) name of the operation or facility, 

(B) name of the operator, 

(C) facility hours of operation, 

(D) materials that will and will not be accepted, if applicable, 

(E) schedule of charges, if applicable, and 

(F) phone number where operator or designee can be reached in case of an emergency. 

(8) The operator shall provide fire prevention, protection and control measures, including, but not 

limited to, temperature monitoring of windrows and piles, adequate water supply for fire 

suppression, and the isolation of potential ignition sources from combustible materials. Firelanes 

shall be provided to allow fire control equipment access to all operation areas. 

(9) The operator shall provide telephone or radio communication capability for emergency 

purposes. 

(10) Physical Contaminants and refuse removed from feedstock, compost, or chipped and ground 

material shall be removed from the site within 7 days and transported to an appropriate facility. 

(11) Enclosed operations and facilities shall provide ventilation to prevent adverse public health 

effects from decomposition gases. 

(12) The operator shall ensure that leachate is controlled to prevent contact with the public. 

(13) The operator shall prevent or remove physical contaminants in compost and chipped and 

ground materials that may cause injury to humans. 

(14) An attendant shall be on duty during business hours if the operation or facility is open to the 

public. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Section 17867.5. Training. 

(a) Compostable materials handling operations and facilities shall meet the following requirements: 

(1) Operators shall ensure that all personnel assigned to the operation shall be trained in subjects 

pertinent to operations and maintenance, including the requirements of this article, physical 

contaminants and hazardous materials recognition and screening, with emphasis on odor impact 

management and emergency procedures. A record of such training shall be maintained on the site. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

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Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Article 7. Environmental Health Standards 

Section 17868.1. Sampling Requirements. 

All composting operations that sell or give away greater than 1,000 cubic yards of compost annually, and 

all facilities shall meet the following requirements: 

(a) Operators shall verify that compost meets the maximum acceptable metal concentration limits 

specified in section 17868.2, and pathogen reduction requirements specified in section 17868.3. 

Verification of pathogen reduction requirements shall occur at the point where compost is sold and 

removed from the site, bagged for sale, given away for beneficial use and removed from the site or 

otherwise beneficially used. This verification shall be performed by taking and analyzing at least one 

composite sample of compost, following the requirements of this section as follows: 

(1) An operator who composts green material, food material, or mixed solid waste shall take and 

analyze one composite sample for every 5,000 cubic-yards of compost produced. 

(2) An operator who composts biosolids shall meet the sampling schedule described in Table 1 

below. 

(A) The amount of biosolids compost feedstock shall be calculated in dry weight metric tons. 

(3) Composite sample analysis for maximum acceptable metal concentrations, specified in section 

17868.2, shall be conducted at a laboratory certified by the California Department of Health 

Services, pursuant to the Health and Safety Code. 

(b) A composite sample shall be representative and random, and may be obtained by taking twelve (12) 

mixed samples as described below. 

(1) The twelve samples shall be of equal volume. 

(2) The twelve samples shall be extracted from within the compost pile as follows: 

(A) Four samples from one-half the width of the pile, each at a different cross-section; 

(B) Four samples from one-fourth the width of the pile, each at a different cross-section; and, 

(C) Four samples from one-eighth the width of the pile, each at a different cross-section. 

(c) The EA may approve alternative methods of sampling for a green material composting operation or 

facility that ensures the maximum metal concentration requirements of section 17868.2 and the pathogen 

reduction requirements of section 17868.3 are met. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Section 17868.2. Maximum Metal Concentrations. 

(a) Compost products derived from compostable materials that contains any metal in amounts that exceed 

the maximum acceptable metal concentrations shown in Table 2 shall be designated for disposal, 

Table 1 

Frequencies of Compost Sampling for Biosolids Composting Facilities

Amount of Biosolids Compost Feedstock 

(metric tons per 365 day period)

Frequency

Greater than zero but annually fewer than 290 annually 

Equal to or greater than 290 but fewer than 1,500 quarterly 

Equal to or greater than 1,500 but fewer than 15,000 bimonthly 

Equal to or greater than 15,000 

monthly 

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additional processing, or other use as approved by state or federal agencies having appropriate 

jurisdiction. 

(b) Alternative methods of compliance to meet the requirements of Subdivision (a) of this section, including 

but not limited to sampling frequencies, may be approved by the EA for green and food materials 

composting operations and facilities if the EA determines that the alternative method will ensure that the 

maximum acceptable metal concentrations shown in Table 2 are not exceeded. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code. 

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Section 17868.3. Pathogen Reduction. 

(a) Compost products derived from compostable materials, that contains pathogens in amounts that 

exceed the maximum acceptable pathogen concentrations described in Subdivision (b) of this section 

shall be designated for disposal, additional processing, or other use as approved by state or federal 

agencies having appropriate jurisdiction. 

(b) Operators that produce compost shall ensure that: 

(1) The density of fecal coliform in compost, that is or has at one time been active compost, shall be 

less than 1,000 Most Probable Number per gram of total solids (dry weight basis), and the density 

of Salmonella sp. bacteria in compost shall be less than three (3) Most Probable Number per four 

(4) grams of total solids (dry weight basis). 

(2) At enclosed or within-vessel composting process operations and facilities, active compost shall 

be maintained at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher for a 

pathogen reduction period of 3 days. 

(A) Due to variations among enclosed and within-vessel composting system designs, 

including tunnels, the operator shall submit a system-specific temperature monitoring plan 

with the permit application to meet the requirements of Subdivision (b)(2) of this section. 

(3) If the operation or facility uses a windrow composting process, active compost shall be 

maintained under aerobic conditions at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees 

Fahrenheit) or higher for a pathogen reduction period of 15 days or longer. During the period when 

the compost is maintained at 55 degrees Celsius or higher, there shall be a minimum of five (5) 

turnings of the windrow. 

(4) If the operation or facility uses an aerated static pile composting process, all active compost 

shall be covered with 6 to 12 inches of insulating material, and the active compost shall be 

maintained at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher for a 

pathogen reduction period of 3 days. 

(c) Alternative methods of compliance to meet the requirements of Subdivision (b) of this section may be 

approved by the EA if the EA determines that the alternative method will provide equivalent pathogen 

Table 2 

Maximum Acceptable Metal Concentrations

Constituent

Concentration (mg/kg) 

on dry weight basis

Arsenic (As) 41

Cadmium (Cd) 39

Chromium (Cr) 1200

Copper (Cu) 1500

Lead (Pb) 300

Mercury (Hg) 17

Nickel (Ni) 420

Selenium (Se) 36

Zinc (Zn) 2800

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reduction. 

(d) Compost operations and facilities shall be monitored as follows to ensure that the standards in 

Subdivision (b) of this section are met: 

(1) Each day during the pathogen reduction period, at least one temperature reading shall be taken 

per every 150 feet of windrow, or fraction thereof, or for every 200 cubic-yards of active compost, or 

fraction thereof. 

(2) Temperature measurements for pathogen reduction shall be measured as follows: 

(A) Windrow composting processes and agitated bays shall be monitored twelve (12) to 

twenty-four (24) inches below the pile surface; 

(B) Aerated static pile composting processes shall be monitored twelve (12) to eighteen (18) 

inches from the point where the insulation cover meets the active compost. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code. 

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Section 17868.5. Green Material Processing Requirements. 

In order for a feedstock to be considered green material, as defined in section 17852(a)(21), the following 

requirements shall be met: 

(a) The feedstock shall undergo load checking to ensure that physical contaminants are no greater than 

1.0 percent of total weight. Load checking shall include both visual observation of incoming waste loads 

and load sorting to quantify percentage of contaminating materials. 

(1) A minimum of one percent of daily incoming feedstock volume or at least one truck per day, 

whichever is greater, shall be inspected visually. If a visual load check indicates a contamination 

level greater than 1.0 percent, a representative sample shall be taken, physical contaminants shall 

be collected and weighed, and the percentage of physical contaminants determined. The load shall 

be rejected if physical contaminants are greater than 1.0 percent of total weight. 

(b) Upon request of the EA, the operator shall take a representative sample of feedstock, physical 

contaminants shall be collected and weighed, and the percentage of physical contaminants determined. 

(c) Any agricultural material handling operation using this material shall ensure the feedstock meets the 

metal concentration limits specified in Table 2 of section 17868.2. 

(d) Facility personnel shall be adequately trained to perform the activities specified in this section. 

(e) Any operation or facility using this feedstock shall maintain records demonstrating compliance with this 

section. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code. 

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code. 

Article 8. Composting Operation and Facility Records 

Section 17869. General Record Keeping Requirements. 

Except as provided in subsection (d), all compostable materials handling operations and facilities shall 

meet the following requirements: 

(a) All records required by this Chapter shall be kept in one location and accessible for five (5) years and 

shall be available for inspection by authorized representatives of the board, EA, local health entity, and 

other duly authorized regulatory and EAs during normal working hours. 

(b) The operator shall record any special occurrences encountered during operation and methods used to 

resolve problems arising from these events, including details of all incidents that required implementing 

emergency procedures. 

(c) The operator shall record any public complaints received by the operator, including: 

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(1) the nature of the complaint, 

(2) the date the complaint was received, 

(3) if available, the name, address, and telephone number of the person or persons making the 

complaint, and 

(4) any actions taken to respond to the complaint. 

(d) The operator shall record the quantity and type of feedstock received and quantity of compost and 

chipped and ground material produced. Agricultural compostable materials handling operations shall 

maintain records only for compostable material accepted from off-site. 

(e) The operator shall record the number of load checks performed and loads rejected. 

(f) The operator shall record all test results generated by compliance with Article 7 of this Chapter, 

including but not limited to, metal concentrations, fecal coliform and Salmonella sp. densities, temperature 

measurements, and dates of windrow turnings. 

(1) The operator shall retain records detailing pathogen reduction methods. 

(g) The operator shall record and retain records of any serious injury to the public occurring on-site and 

any complaint of adverse health effects to the public attributed to operations. Serious injury means any 

injury that requires inpatient hospitalization for a period in excess of 24 hours or in which a member of the 

public suffers a loss of any member of the body or suffers any degree of permanent disfigurement. 

(h) The operator shall retain a record of training and instruction completed in accordance with section 

17867.5. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code. 

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Public Resources Code.

Article 9. Composting Facility Site Restoration 

17870. Site Restoration. 

All compostable materials handling operations and facilities shall meet the following requirements: 

(a) The operator shall provide the EA written notice of intent to perform site restoration, at least 30 days 

prior to beginning site restoration. 

(b) The operator(s) and owner(s) shall provide site restoration necessary to protect public health, safety, 

and the environment. 

(c) The operator shall ensure that the following site restoration procedures are performed upon completion 

of operations and termination of service: 

(1) The operation and facility grounds, ponds, and drainage areas shall be cleaned of all residues 

including, but not limited to, compost materials, construction scraps, and other materials related to 

the operations, and these residues legally recycled, reused, or disposed of. 

(2) All machinery shall be cleaned and removed or stored securely. 

(3) All remaining structures shall be cleaned of compost materials, dust, particulates, or other 

residues related to the composting and site restoration operations. 

Note:

Authority cited:

Sections 40502, 43020, and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

Reference:

Sections 43020 and 43021 of the Public Resources Code.

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