Long Beach Municipal Code Ch. 18.67 Construction and Demolition Recycling Program

The State of California through its California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, Assembly Bill 939 ("AB 939") requires that each local jurisdiction in the state divert fifty percent (50%) of discarded materials (base year 1990) from landfills by December 31, 2000. Every city and county, including the City, could face fines up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) a day for not meeting the mandated goal. Approximately twenty-two percent (22%) of the City's solid waste sent to landfills is from construction and demolition activities and the diversion of these materials would have a significant potential for waste reduction and recycling. Reusing and recycling construction demolition materials ("C&D Debris") is essential to further the City's efforts to reduce waste and continue to comply with AB 939. C&D Debris waste reduction and recycling have been proven to reduce the amount of such material which is landfilled, increase worker safety, and be cost effective. To ensure compliance with this chapter and to ensure those contractors complying with this chapter are not placed at a competitive disadvantage, it is necessary to impose a performance security requirement. (Ordinance ORD-07-0025)

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

"Applicant" means any individual, firm, limited liability company, association, partnership, political subdivision, government agency, municipality, industry, public or private corporation, or any other entity whatsoever who applies to the City for the applicable permits to undertake any construction, demolition, or renovation project within the City.

"C and D recycling center" means a facility that receives only C and D material that has been separated for reuse prior to receipt, in which the residual (disposed) amount of waste in the material is less than ten percent (10%) of the average weight of material separated for reuse received by the facility over a one-month period.

"City-sponsored project" means a project constructed by the City or a project receiving fifty percent (50%) or more of its financing from the City.

"Class III landfill" means a landfill that accepts nonhazardous resources such as household, commercial, and industrial waste, resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition operations. A Class III landfill must have a solid waste facilities permit from the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) and is regulated by an enforcement agency (as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40130).

"Construction" means the building of any facility or structure or any portion thereof including any tenant improvements to an existing facility or structure.

"Construction and demolition debris (C and D debris)" means building materials and solid waste resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, cleanup, or demolition operations that are not hazardous as defined in California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Sections 66261.3 et seq. This term includes, but is not limited to, asphalt, concrete, Portland cement concrete, brick, lumber, gypsum wallboard, cardboard, and other associated packaging, roofing material, ceramic tile, carpeting, plastic pipe and steel. The material may be commingled with rock, soil, tree stumps, and other vegetative matter resulting from land clearing and landscaping for construction or land development projects.

"Covered project" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 18.67.020.

"Deconstruction" means the careful dismantling of buildings and structures in order to salvage as much material as possible.

"Demolition" means the decimating, razing, ruining, tearing down or wrecking of any facility, structure, pavement or building, whether in whole or in part, whether interior or exterior.

"Disposal" means the final deposition of construction and demolition or inert material, to a Class III landfill.

"Diversion requirement" means the diversion of a percentage of the total construction and demolition debris generated by a project via reuse or recycling, unless the applicant has been granted an exemption pursuant to Section 18.67.070 in which case the diversion requirement shall be the maximum feasible diversion rate established by the Director in relation to the project.

"Divert" means to use material for any purpose other than disposal in a landfill or transformation facility.

"Enforcement agency (EA)" means an enforcement agency as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40130.

"Inert solids/inert waste" means nonliquid solid resources including, but not limited to, soil and concrete, that do not contain hazardous waste or soluble pollutants at concentrations in excess of water quality objectives established by a regional water board pursuant to Division 7 (Sections 13000 et seq.) of the California Water Code and does not contain significant quantities of decomposable solid resources.

"Project" means any activity which requires an application for a building or demolition permit or any similar permit from the City pursuant to Section 18.67.020.

"Recycling" means the process of collecting, sorting, cleansing, treating, and reconstituting materials for the purpose of using the altered form in the manufacture of a new product. Recycling does not include burning, incinerating, or thermally destroying solid waste.

"Renovation" means any change, addition or modification in an existing structure.

"Reuse" means the use, in the same or similar form as it was produced, of a material which might otherwise be discarded.

"Solid waste" means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid, semisolid, and liquid wastes, including garbage, trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles and parts thereof, discarded home and industrial appliances, dewatered, treated, or chemically fixed sewage sludge which is not hazardous waste, manure, vegetable or animal solid and semisolid wastes, and other discarded solid and semisolid wastes. "Solid waste" does not include any of the following wastes:

1. Hazardous waste, as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40141;

2. Radioactive waste regulated pursuant to the Radiation Control Law [Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 114960) of Part 9 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code];

3. Medical waste regulated pursuant to the Medical Waste Management Act [Part 14 (commencing with Section 117600) of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code].

"Waste management plan (WMP)" means a completed waste management plan form, approved by the City for the purpose of compliance with this chapter, submitted by the applicant for any covered or noncovered project.

"Waste management plan attachments" means a list of permitted haulers, reuse facilitators, disposal and recycling facilities, conversions for mass to weight, and green building material suggestions.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

A. Private projects.

1. Newly constructed buildings or structures.

2. Residential building or structure additions or alterations where the project increases the building's or structure's conditioned area, volume or size.

3. Nonresidential building or structure additions and alterations whenever a permit is required for work.

4. Demolition projects of any valuation.

B. All City-sponsored construction, demolition and renovation projects shall be subject to this chapter, and consequently, shall be considered covered projects.

C. Compliance with this chapter shall be included as a condition of approval on any construction or demolition permit issued for a covered project.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

A. Applicants for construction or demolition permits involving a covered project shall complete and submit a WMP, on a WMP form approved by the City for this purpose, as part of the application packet for the construction or demolition permit. The completed WMP shall indicate all of the following:

1. The estimated volume or weight of the project C and D debris, by material type, to be generated;

2. The maximum volume or weight of such materials that can feasibly be diverted via reuse or recycling. No more than twenty percent (20%) of the sixty-five percent (65%) diversion rate can be achieved through the recycling or reuse of inert materials unless applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that sufficient structural materials do not exist for recycling or that forty-five percent (45%) diversion of total waste through non-inert materials is not feasible;

3. The vendor or facility where the applicant proposes to use to collect or receive that material; and

4. The estimated volume or weight of C and D debris that will be landfilled in Class III landfills.

B. Calculating volume and weight of material. In estimating the volume or weight of materials identified in the WMP, the applicant shall use the conversion rates approved by the City for this purpose.

C. Deconstruction. In preparing the WMP, applicants for demolition permits involving the removal of all or part of an existing structure shall consider deconstruction to the maximum extent feasible, and shall make the materials generated thereby available for salvage prior to landfilling. Deconstruction can be used to meet the sixty-five percent (65%) diversion requirement provided it is accounted for in the WMP.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-21-0040 § 8, 2021; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

The project applicant shall submit a waste diversion deposit with the WMP. The amount of the performance security shall be calculated as a percentage of the total project valuation as set forth in the schedule of fees and charges established by City Council resolution, provided, however, that the minimum and maximum fees shall be as set forth in the schedule of fees and charges established by City Council resolution.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

The project applicant shall submit an administrative fee with the WMP. The amount of the administrative fee shall be as set forth in the schedule of fees and charges established by City Council resolution.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, no building or demolition permit shall be issued for any covered project unless and until the Director has reviewed the WMP. Approval shall not be required, however, where an emergency demolition is required to protect public health or safety. The Director shall only approve a WMP if he or she first determines that all of the following conditions have been met:

1. The WMP provides all of the information set forth in Section 18.67.030.

2. The WMP indicates that at least sixty-five percent (65%) of all C and D material generated by the project will be diverted or an exemption has been approved pursuant to Section 18.67.080.

3. The applicant has submitted an appropriate waste diversion deposit in compliance with Section 18.67.040.

If the Director determines that these conditions have been met, he or she shall mark the WMP "Approved," return a copy of the WMP to the applicant.

B. If the Director determines that the WMP fails to meet the conditions specified in Subsection 18.67.060.A, he or she shall either:

1. Return the WMP to the applicant marked "Denied," including a statement of reasons.

2. Return the WMP to the applicant marked "Further Explanation Required."

If the applicant determines during the course of the project that the estimated tonnage of material to be generated and or recovered from the project is substantially different from the WMP, applicant shall submit an addendum to the original WMP.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

A. Within ninety (90) days after the completion of any covered project, the applicant shall submit to the Director documentation that it has met the diversion requirement for the project. Applicant shall provide a summary of efforts used to meet the diversion requirement and also provide the following documentation:

1. Receipts from the vendor or facility which collected or received each material showing the actual weight or volume of that material;

2. Weight slips/count of material salvaged or reused in current project;

3. A copy of the previously approved WMP for the project adding the actual volume or weight of each material diverted and landfilled;

4. Any additional information the applicant believes is relevant to determining its efforts to comply in good faith with this chapter.

EXCEPTION: The Building Official may grant extensions of time if the permit applicant submits in writing substantial evidence that unusual conditions or circumstances precluded submittal of documentation demonstrating that the diversion requirement for the project has been met.

B. Weighing of wastes. Applicants shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that all C and D debris diverted or landfilled are measured and recorded using the most accurate method of measurement available. To the extent practical, all C and D debris shall be weighted by measurement on scales. Such scales shall be in compliance with all State and County regulatory requirements for accuracy and maintenance. For C and D debris for which weighing is not practical due to small size or other considerations, a volumetric measurement shall be used. For conversion of volumetric measurements by weight, the applicant shall use the standardized conversion rates approved by the City for this purpose.

C. The Director shall review the information submitted under Subsection 18.67.070.A to determine whether the applicant has complied with the diversion requirement as follows:

1. If the Director determines that the applicant has fully complied with the diversion requirement applicable to the project, he or she shall cause the full waste diversion deposit to be released to the applicant.

2. If the Director determines that the diversion requirement has not been met, he or she shall return only that portion of the performance security equivalent to the portion of C and D debris actually diverted compared to the portion that should have been diverted according to the WMP. Any portion of the waste diversion deposit not released to the applicant shall be forfeited to the City, and shall be used to further develop environmental sustainability efforts within the City. If the Director determines that the applicant has fully failed to comply with the diversion requirement or if the applicant fails to submit the documentation required by Subsection 18.67.070.A within the required time period, then the entire waste diversion deposit shall be forfeited to the City. All forfeited waste diversion deposits shall be used to further develop environmental sustainability efforts within the City.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-21-0040 § 9, 2021; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

A. Application. If an applicant believes it is infeasible to comply with the diversion requirements of this chapter due to the circumstances delineated in this section, the applicant may apply for an exemption at the time that he or she submits the required WMP. Exemptions may be granted based on the following considerations:

1. An emergency situation exists;

2. Contamination by hazardous substances;

3. Low recyclability of specific materials;

4. Initial tenant or occupant improvements for projects in shell buildings; and

5. Excavated soil and land-clearing debris.

The applicant shall indicate on the WMP the maximum rate of diversion he or she believes is feasible for each material and the specific circumstances that he or she believes make it infeasible to comply with the diversion requirement.

B. Meeting with the Director. The Director shall review the information supplied by the applicant and may meet with the applicant to discuss possible ways of meeting the division requirement. The Director may request that staff from the Department of Public Works Environmental Services Bureau attend this meeting or may require the applicant to request a separate meeting with Department of Public Works Environmental Services Bureau staff. Based on the information supplied by the applicant and, if applicable, Department of Public Works Environmental Services Bureau staff, the Director shall determine whether it is possible for the applicant to meet the division requirement.

C. Granting of exemption. If the Director determines that it is infeasible for the applicant to meet the diversion requirement due to unique circumstances, he or she shall determine the maximum feasible diversion rate for each material and shall indicate this rate on the WMP submitted by the applicant. The Director shall return a copy of the WMP to the applicant marked "Approved Exemption".

D. Denial of exemption. If the Director determines that it is possible for the applicant to meet the diversion requirement, he or she shall inform the applicant in writing. The applicant shall have thirty (30) days to resubmit a WMP form in full compliance with Section 18.67.030. If the applicant fails to resubmit the WMP, or if the resubmitted WMP does not comply with Section 18.67.030, the Director shall deny the WMP.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)

The applicant or any interested person may appeal to a Hearing Officer from any ruling of the Director made pursuant to this chapter in accordance with Section 18.67.070. Notice of any appeal from the ruling of the Director must be filed within ten (10) days of the date that such ruling is made. The decision of the Hearing Officer upon such appeal, relative to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Director, shall be final and shall not be appealable to the City Council or to any other City body or official.

(ORD-25-0019 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; ORD-22-0033 § 1(Exh. A), 2022; ORD-19-0031 § 1(Exh. A), 2019; ORD-16-0026 § 1(Exh. A), 2016)