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RecycLA Contracts / Service Providers Compliance / Objectives and Performance / Commercial Green Bin Service

Council File 23-1032

Introduced
2023-09-21
Last changed
2026-05-05
Status
open
Expires
2028-05-01
Committee
Energy and Environment Committee
Initiated by
Bureau of Sanitation
References
Related Council Files: 19-0170-S1; 21-1208-S3City Administrative Officer Report: 0150-13098-0000

Brief

The Bureau of Sanitation initiated this file to track the status of RecycLA contracts, monitor service provider compliance with performance requirements, and manage contract amendment negotiations. Council adopted an initial version in October 2023. The file has generated multiple status reports from Sanitation and the City Administrative Officer, with recent activity including a January 2026 Council vote (10-3-2) adopting a CAO report. The Energy and Environment Committee received a new Sanitation document in April 2026 and submitted it to Council without recommendation in May 2026. The matter remains pending.

Full summary

RecycLA is Los Angeles's exclusive commercial and multi-family waste hauling and recycling franchise program, operated since February 2017 through contracts with seven private service providers across eleven geographic zones. This Council File began as an oversight mechanism tracking service provider compliance and contract negotiations, but has evolved into the primary vehicle for planning the next generation of the program. The existing franchise agreements expire January 31, 2027, and the City must either renew them or replace them with new contracts. Council directed LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) in March 2024 to develop a new Request for Proposals, and the Board of Public Works authorized issuance of that RFP in September 2025 for new eight-year franchise agreements anticipated to take effect February 1, 2027. In April 2026, LASAN submitted a report to the Energy and Environment Committee recommending targeted amendments to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to support the new franchise round, known internally as recycLA 2.0. The most significant proposed change is replacing the existing negotiated annual franchise fee with two new fees paid by haulers: an annual administration fee tied to the City's actual costs of running the program, projected at approximately $41.66 million for FY 2026-27, and a one-time implementation fee of approximately $3.18 million to cover transition and start-up costs. A new dedicated fund, the recycLA Administration Fee Special Fund, would hold these revenues and restrict their use exclusively to program administration, oversight, and enforcement. LASAN also recommends restructuring the three smaller franchise zones. Currently designated as "single" zones that cannot be combined with any other zone, they would be renamed "small" zones and made eligible to be bundled together as a single award to one contractor. The change reflects LASAN's finding that managing seven separate franchise agreements consumed significant City resources without producing better service outcomes, and that the regional hauling industry has matured since the program launched. Small zones would still remain off-limits for haulers awarded any of the eight larger zones, preserving some competitive opportunity for smaller companies. A third proposed amendment would close an enforcement gap in LAMC Section 66.03(d), which currently requires commercial and multi-family properties to maintain adequate trash service but expressly excludes recycling and organics from the same minimum service standard. LASAN reports this gap has contributed to illegal dumping of organic materials and limits the City's ability to cite businesses for inadequate recycling or green bin service. The proposed fix would extend the minimum service requirement to cover all waste streams, including commingled recyclables, source-separated recyclables, and organics, within the same seven-day removal standard that currently applies only to solid waste. The Energy and Environment Committee received these recommendations in April 2026 and forwarded them to Council without recommendation in May 2026. The file remains open and pending.

Activity (29)

  • 2026-05-05 Energy and Environment Committee submits report to Council without recommendation .
  • 2026-05-01 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on May 5, 2026.
  • 2026-04-09 Bureau of Sanitation document(s) referred to Energy and Environment Committee.
  • 2026-04-09 Document submitted by Bureau of Sanitation, dated April 9, 2026.
  • 2026-01-21 Council adopted the City Administrative Officer report dated November 14, 2025 forthwith.
  • 2026-01-21 Council action final.
  • 2026-01-16 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on January 21, 2026.
  • 2025-12-02 The Chair and Member of the Energy and Environment Committee submits this report to Council without recommendation.
  • 2025-11-26 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on December 2, 2025.
  • 2025-11-14 City Administrative Officer document(s) referred to Energy and Environment Committee.
  • 2025-11-14 Document submitted by City Administrative Officer, dated November 14, 2025.
  • 2024-03-19 Council action final.
  • 2024-03-15 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
  • 2024-03-12 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 15, 2024.
  • 2024-02-23 Energy and Environment Committee noted and filed item(s).
  • 2024-02-21 Bureau of Sanitation document(s) referred to Energy and Environment Committee.
  • 2024-02-20 Document(s) submitted by Bureau of Sanitation, as follows:Bureau of Sanitation report, dated February 20, 2024, relative to a status update on recycLA contract negotiations and RFP development, and related matters.
  • 2024-02-16 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on February 23, 2024.
  • 2023-12-08 Energy and Environment Committee received and filed item(s).
  • 2023-12-04 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on December 8, 2023.
  • 2023-12-01 Bureau of Sanitation document(s) referred to Energy and Environment Committee.
  • 2023-12-01 Document(s) submitted by Bureau of Sanitation, as follows:Bureau of Sanitation report, dated December 1, 2023, relative to the status of all recycLA contracts and the recycLA service providers' contract amendment negotiations.
  • 2023-10-13 Council action final.
  • 2023-10-13 Council adopted item, as amended, forthwith.
  • 2023-10-06 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on October 13, 2023.
  • 2023-09-29 Energy and Environment Committee approved as amended .
  • 2023-09-25 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 29, 2023.
  • 2023-09-21 Bureau of Sanitation document(s) referred to Energy and Environment Committee.
  • 2023-09-21 Document(s) submitted by Bureau of Sanitation, as follows:Bureau of Sanitation report, dated September 21, 2023, relative to the status of all recycLA contracts and the recycLA service providers' compliance with contract objectives and performance requirements, and related matters.

Documents (23)

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