Waste Management tells San Dimas council the city achieved SB 1383 compliance as company outlines recycling and RNG investments

Josh Goldman, a local representative for Waste Management, told the San Dimas City Council on Feb. 10 that the company and city reached full compliance with California’s SB 1383 requirements in 2025 and outlined recent collection and processing milestones.

Goldman said Waste Management collected roughly 34,000 tons of material from the city last year and handled more than 8,600 bulky‑item pickups, including about 6,300 traditional bulky items and roughly 1,400 “white goods” such as washers and refrigerators. He reported 576 pieces of electronic waste and about 231.5 tons of hazardous household waste collected. “These milestones … reflect our commitment to the city,” Goldman said.

The presentation highlighted Waste Management’s wider investments: a $3 billion national pledge to recycling and renewable energy projects, approximately $500 million dedicated to Southern California, and upgrades at regional processing facilities to improve sorting and capture of recyclable materials. Goldman named an Azusa processing facility as the regional hub for material collected in San Dimas and described technology upgrades — infrared scanners and AI‑assisted sorting — intended to increase recovery rates.

Goldman also described operational uses of AI on collection routes for real‑time contamination monitoring, route optimization and support for city staff (for example, reducing manual checks of individual carts). He said the company has developed landfill renewable natural gas (RNG) projects, citing a completed plant at Simi Valley landfill and one under construction at “El Sobronte” landfill in Corona, and noted that captured gas can be processed and sold to regional suppliers for heating and other uses.

Council members asked about local trends and counting methods. Goldman said residential tonnage has declined compared with 2020 levels (he referenced about 18,000 residential tons in 2020), while commercial tonnage remained steady. He explained bulky‑item service is usually counted per pickup ticket but the company exercises discretion for very large collections.

Why it matters: San Dimas’s reported compliance with SB 1383 — a state law focused on organics diversion — affects landfill diversion targets, city recycling programs and potential franchise obligations. The company’s investments and technology changes aim to address capacity and contamination constraints across Southern California, which the presenter said are key to sustaining compliance and expanding recycling recovery.

What’s next: Goldman invited council members to contact Waste Management staff for more detailed data and outreach examples; he said the company will continue collaborating with city staff on education, outreach to HOAs and multi‑family properties and operational coordination.