The “New Waste Management Paradigm” was approved by the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Task Force at its September 2012 meeting. The new paradigm promotes the concept that the highest quantity of materials should be eliminated from the waste stream through source reduction and extended producer responsibility. Following efforts to reuse and recycle components of the waste stream, opportunities to convert the remaining materials into energy, biofuels, and compost should be preferred over landfill disposal.