Commercial Organics

Commercial Edible Food Generator

Senate Bill (SB) 1383 is a set of statewide regulatory standards that California’s Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) established to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) and help prevent climate change. Organic waste such as food and food-soiled paper waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, and nonhazardous wood waste often end up in the landfills, which then decompose and emit SCLPs. This bill aims to fight climate change by reducing the amount of organic waste that reaches landfills by 75% and recovering 20% of edible food that is sent to landfills by 2025.

What does this mean for your facility?

This means that SB 1383 requires commercial edible food generators (CEFGs) such as your facility to divert any surplus edible food to disadvantaged communities by working with food recovery organizations (FROs) such as food banks and pantries, and institute best management practices for waste prevention. 

To comply with SB 1383, a CEFG must:

• Recover surplus edible food that would otherwise be discarded.
• Establish written agreements with food recovery organizations (FROs) and food recovery services (FRSs)
• Keep food donation records in pounds per month available on site.
  • Commercial Edible Food Generator (CEFG) Record Keeping Form (PDF)
    Commercial Edible Food Generators – Informational Flyer (PDF)
• Develop employee training on your Food Recovery Program. 

To help achieve SB 1383’s statewide goal, San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services (EHS) Food Recovery Program was established to:

• Provide education about edible food recovery requirements.
• Increase access to FROs and FRSs.
• Monitor compliance with requirements through inspections.
• Ensure adequate FRO space is available to recover all excess edible food generated.

Don’t Feed the Landfill, Feed Those in Need! Partner with Food Recovery Organizations near you.
FROs near you are currently accepting donations of surplus food from local businesses. A list and map of FROs that you can partner with, and other helpful tools, can be found at the Food Recovery page at the EHS website. Scan the QR code below.

Helpful tips to prevent food waste.

• Minimize purchasing too much food.
• Reduce portion sizes if needed.
• Cool hot foods quickly to prevent spoilage.
• Maintain refrigerators and freezers in good repair and at proper temperatures to keep food safe.
• Rotate food using the First In, First Out (FIFO) method.
• Arrange refrigerated and dry storage areas for easy access and rotation. 
• Prevent freezer burn by tightly wrapping and properly labeling food.
• Repurpose vegetable and meat trimmings for soup stock.
• Rehydrate wilted vegetables such as celery, lettuce, and broccoli by trimming off the bottom and immersing in warm water (100°F.) for 15 to 20 minutes. 

 The Food Recovery Program is here to support your business in developing a plan to donate surplus and leftover edible food. Together, we can help those in need and take part in protecting our environment from the effects of climate change. To learn more or if you have questions, email us at EHSFoodRecovery@dph.sbcounty.gov or call/text us at (800) 442-2283.