Edible Food Recovery (SB 1383)

What is edible food recovery?

Food recovery means collecting edible food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to feed people in need. This is the highest and best use for food that would otherwise go to waste. Recovering surplus edible food to feed people is not only a great idea, but also a California law (SB 1383). This effort will increase access to nutritious food for members of our community, while reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from food ending up in a landfill.

Business Participation Requirements

Businesses play a huge role in supporting the City’s goal of Zero Waste through recovery of edible surplus food.

Certain large businesses (grocery stores, large institutions, etc.) and large public events participate in edible food recovery, though any business can donate surplus edible food. Edible food is defined as food that is intended for human consumption. The State of California requires certain types of businesses to donate edible food according to the phase-in approach described below:

Required as of January 1, 2022: Supermarkets, food service provider/ distributors, wholesale food vendors, or any grocery store with a facility of 10,000 square feet.

Required as of January 1, 2024: Restaurants with 250 or more seats, hotels with an onsite food facility, large venues, a state agency cafeteria, and health care facilities with 100 or more beds.

Commercial edible food generators are counted on to:

• Recover the maximum amount of edible food that would otherwise be disposed
• Maintain records of edible food recovered, specifically:

1. Keep record of the name, address and contact information of the service or organization that collects its edible food for donation.
2. Keep record of the type of food that will be collected or self-hauled/back-hauled
3. Keep record of the established frequency that food will be collected or self-hauled/back-hauled
4. Keep record of the amount of food donated (in pounds)

• Establish a written contract or agreement with a food recovery organization or service for collection of surplus food

Food Recovery Services and Organizations Requirements

To assist the City in its efforts to track progress toward Zero Waste, food recovery services and organizations are required to report to the City quantities of food managed through their efforts. Organizations operating locally, include: