California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction law, often called SB 1383, is a bill that sets goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by organic waste in landfills and simultaneously address food insecurity by diverting edible food from landfills to a recovery entity. Commercial edible food generators are required to comply with SB 1383. Compliance includes reducing organic waste, diverting edible food, designating an entity to donate edible food to with a written agreement, and collecting, maintaining, and reporting data to their city municipality.
What is Edible Food Recovery?
Edible Food Recovery is part of SB1383 efforts aimed to reduce edible food waste and help address food insecurity by recovering edible food from certain businesses and rerouting it to those who are in need via donation to Food Recovery Organizations (FRO).
What is Edible Food?
Edible food is food intended for people to eat, including food not sold because of:
- Appearance
- Age
- Freshness
- Grade
- Size
- Surplus
Who has to participate?
Businesses identified as an Edible Food Generator (EFG) are required to participate in Edible Food Recovery.
What is an Edible Food Generator?
An Edible Food Generator (EFG) is a commercial business that has been identified as a generator of surplus edible food that can be recovered and donated as food for consumption, rather than ending in the the waste stream. EFGs are divided into two tiers.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Commercial Food Generators are defined as:
| Tier 1: | Tier 2: |
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If you are unsure whether your business qualifies as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Generator, please contact the City of Arcadia, Environmental Services Division at (626) 254-2705.
What does my business need to do?
Tier 1 and 2 generators will need to:
- Separate organic waste into the organics waste cart rather than the trash cart.
- Recover as much surplus edible food that would otherwise be disposed as possible and donate it to a food recovery organization or service (FRO/FRS).
- Establish a written contract or agreement with a local FRO for collection of surplus edible food
- Maintain record of edible food recovered that includes:
- The name, address and contact information of the organization collecting edible food for donation.
- Frequency of collection, type of food collected and amount of food collection (in pounds)
What kind of data should I be collecting?
- Type of food recovered (produce, packaged, non-perishable…etc)
- Amount of food recovered per month (in pounds)
- Amount of organic food recycled per month (in pounds)
- How often edible food is collected from your business
Where are the food recovery organizations near my business?
Below is a list of local Food Recovery Organizations (FRO). Please contact the organization directly to ensure they accept and can accommodate your food donations.
| Foothill Unity Center 790 W. Chestnut Ave. Monrovia CA 91016 Contact: Angela Robles (626) 358-3486 https://foothillunitycenter.org/ Pick-up service available |
Wiling Vessels Community Outreach 1401 S. Magnolia Ave #15 Monrovia, CA 91016 Willing vessels community outreach |
| Shepherd's Pantry - Irwindale Distribution Center 1418 Arrow Hwy. Irwindale CA 91706 Contact: Joanna Hirasuna (626) 305-0392 Drop-off preferred, pick-up may be available |
Emergency Resources Association El Monte 10900 Mulhall Ave. El Monte, CA 91733 Contact: Lilian Rey (626) 444-7269 Drop-off service preferred |
For more food recovery organization information: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/links-and-resources-about-food-recovery-los-angeles
The City of Arcadia has partnered with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) to assist with the food recovery implementation and inspection process. For questions, contact the SGVCOG Program Manager, Mackenzie Bolger at mbolger@sgvcog.org OR the City of Arcadia Environmental Services Manager, Briget Arndell at BArndell@ArcadiaCA.Gov.
