SB 1383: Food Waste Reduction and Edible Food Recovery Law

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Fight Climate Change by Recycling Organic Waste

To reduce methane pollution and other short-lived climate pollutants, California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016). The law set targets for 2025:

75% less organic waste sent to landfills.
20% of unsold, still-edible food sent to food recovery organizations.

Landfills Are Third Largest Source of Methane in California

Organic waste in landfills emits:

20% of the state’s methane, a climate super pollutant that heats 84 times more than carbon dioxide.
Air pollutants like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma.
Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills.
Cutting short-lived climate pollutants can have the fastest impact on the climate.

Reducing Short-Lived Climate Pollutants In California

The purpose of State Senate Bill (SB 1383) is to divert organic waste from landfills by redirecting edible food to those in need, source-separating organic from non-organic waste, procuring products made from recycled content and planning for facilities that are able to compost or recycle organic waste.

This will be accomplished by:

Requiring organics collection services to all residents, multi-family properties, and businesses

Establishing an edible food recovery program
Conducting education and outreach to the community
Procuring recyclable and recovered organic products
Securing access to recycling and edible food recovery capacity
Monitoring compliance and conducting enforcement

To learn more about what you can do to help the City of Pomona reduce food waste and recover edible food for the benefit of our community, please contact Elisa Mitchell, Management Analyst, at RecycleYourFood@pomonaca.gov.

LUF Community Compost Pick-up Site 7.24.24-6

LIVING IN POMONA (Residential)

Mandatory Residential Organics Recycling

Recycling organic waste is a small change with big environmental benefits. Composting food scraps and green waste together, reduces the amount of waste that is taken to landfills, a major source of methane emissions.

SB 1383 requires residents to recycle organic materials. Organic waste includes the following material: green waste (landscape and pruning waste), food waste (including fats, oils, grease, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste), and nonhazardous wood waste (untreated wood without chemicals, stain, preservative, paint, oil, or adhesive).

Pomona residents should place both yard and food waste in the green waste container. No bag is preferred. Food scraps may be placed loosely in the green waste container. If you use a bag to collect food scraps it must be CLEAR or translucent green. You can also use newspaper or a paper bag to collect food scraps.

Kitchen pails now available for Pomona residents! To collect your kitchen food waste, you can use any portable, reusable pail-like container with a tight-fitting lid. It could be plastic, metal, or ceramic. Consider reusing a coffee canister, large yogurt or margarine tub, or juice pitcher.

Food Scrap Collection Information

Recoleccion De Restos Informacion

Mandatory Multi-Family Property Organics Recycling

Multi-family properties that use a common dumpster may be issued a separate bin or cart for the collection of food scraps and landscaping debris. Residents may contact their building manager for information on what services are currently available for organics recycling.

Athens Services is the franchise hauler for all residential, multi-family, and commercial properties. The Athens Organics Team will conduct waste assessments and assist each multi-family property in setting up a suitable recycling program for organic waste. Residents can contact Athens Services at (888) 336-6100 or OrganicsRequest@athensservices.com.

For a complete list of materials accepted in the green waste container, an instructional video, and helpful tips, visit Athens Services.

Organics Waste

WORKING IN POMONA (Businesses, Schools, & Multi-Family Prop Owners)

Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling

SB 1383 requires all commercial businesses, including schools and multi-family property owners (5 or more units), to recycle organic materials. Athens Services, Pomona's Franchise Hauler, will provide outreach and education for the organic waste recycling program. For more information on how to make sure your business complies with organics recycling and providing three-stream recycling services, please review the SB 1383 Commercial Business Organic Waste Recycling Guide, here.

Athens Services is available to assist each business with determining the proper organics service levels and providing training and outreach to staff and tenants. There is no additional cost for participating in this program.

If you are interested in hearing more about the Organic Waste Recycling Program or would like to subscribe to the program, please contact Athens Services at (888) 314-0061 or OrganicsRequest@athensservices.com.

RECYCLING & ORGANICS COLLECTION EXEMPTIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Recycling & Organics Collection Exemptions and Certifications

Under State law (AB 341, AB 1826, SB 1383) and the Pomona Municipal Code, all commercial businesses, multi-family properties (5+ units), and other generators are required to subscribe to recycling and organics collection services. However, the City of Pomona allows exemptions or alternative compliance options under specific conditions.

Exemption Eligibility

Athens Services, the City's Franchise hauler, will conduct a site visit to verify eligibility prior to City review and approval. A business or property may qualify for an exemption if:

Minimal Waste Generation
Generates less than 20 gallons of organic waste per week.

Space Constraints
Property lacks space for additional collection bins (must be verified by hauler or licensed professional).

Self-Haul or Back-Haul
Business transports its own recyclables/organics to a permitted facility and can provide documentation of disposal (reporting form with receipts/weight tickets).

Alternative Hauler (No-Cost Service)
A third party provides collection of recyclables/organics at no cost to the business and transports the material to a permitted facility or community composting program. The business must provide documentation of disposal (reporting form with receipts/weight tickets).

Extraordinary Circumstances
Temporary closures or other significant operational disruptions.

Waiver/Exemption Application Process

Contact Athens Services to set-up an appointment to review your current recycling programs and determine whether or not your business is eligible for a waiver/exemption.

Athens Services Customer Support: (888) 314-0061

Email: OrganicsRequest@athensservices.com

Athens Staff will help your business with completing the application and providing support documentation (e.g., photos, site maps, contracts, receipts/weight tickets). The application will be submitted electronically to the City for review and approval.

If your application is approved, Athens Services will conduct annual inspections to verify your businesses continued eligibility for the waiver. However, you will only be required to renew your application every 5 years.

If your business is eligible for self-haul/back-haul, or is utilizing an alternative hauler at no cost, the City will require quarterly reporting to document your businesses compliance with State law and Pomona City Code for the proper disposal of recyclable and organic materials to a permitted facility or community composting program.

Download the Application & Certification Forms:

Exemption & Waiver Application Form (PDF)

Alternative/Self-Hauler Certification Form (PDF)

EDIBLE FOOD RECOVERY (Grocery Stores, Restaurants, & Food Distributors)

Mandatory Edible Food Recovery

SB 1383 establishes a Statewide goal to recover 20% of currently disposed edible food for human consumption by 2025. To accomplish this, the law places requirements upon business types that prepare and/or sell food.

Beginning January 1, 2022, Tier 1 Edible Food Generators (Generators) must donate edible food. SB 1383 defines Tier 1 as: supermarkets, grocery stores, food service providers, and food distributors.
Beginning January 1, 2024, Tier 2 Edible Food Generators (Generators) must donate edible food. SB 1383 defines Tier II as: restaurants (250+ seats or 5,000 square feet), hotels (200+ rooms), health facilities (100+ beds), schools, colleges/universities, and large event venues.

Mandated Tier 1 and Tier 2 Generators can help their communities by working with local food banks, food pantries, and other food recovery organizations and services to donate their edible food.

SB 1383 REQUIREMENTS FOR EDIBLE FOOD GENERATORS

1. Donate their excess edible food to a local food recovery organization or service, which includes, but is not limited to:

Food banks
Food pantries
Soup kitchens
Other non-profits that distribute food to people in need
Food runners
For-profit food recovery services

2. Establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations, which can include:

Establishing a regular food donation or collection schedule
Identifying allowable foods for donation
Cost-sharing options

3. Maintain records of their contracts/agreements and food donation activities.

Quantity of food donated in pounds per month
Types of food each food recovery organization and service received or collected

For more information, please see the flyers and guide below:

Edible Food Recovery/Donation Requirements (English)

Requisitos De Recuperación/Donación De Alimentos Comestibles (Español)

Pomona Food Recovery Organizations Listing

SB 1383 Commercial Business Compliance Guide

FOOD RECOVERY ORGANIZATIONS & SERVICES IN POMONA

Name	Address	Phone Number	Foods accepted	Service Area and/or miles radius	Notes
God's Pantry and Helping Hands, Caring Hands Ministry	250 East Center Street Pomona, CA, 91767	(909) 766-8038	All foods – including fresh produce/grocery requiring refrigeration, frozen grocery/prepared foods, baked goods, cold/hot prepared foods	Pomona, Chino, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendora	Cannot accept excessive quantities of one item (e.g. semi-truck of lettuce). Looking for dependable donations that they can provide to families and the community as needed.
God Provides Ministry - Pomona Valley Food Bank	284 E. Holt Ave. Pomona 91767	(626) 200-0356	Dairy, meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen grocery, baked and dry goods	Counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange (40-50 miles radius)	Cannot accept hot/cold prepared.
Greater New Light	1734 Arroyo Avenue Pomona, CA 91768	(909) 623-7616	Frozen grocery and prepared foods, baked goods	Pomona and San Dimas (10- 20 miles radius)	Cannot accept hot/cold prepared foods. No storage for pallets of food.
Hope Esperanza	2814 Sumner Ave. Pomona, CA 91767	(626) 434-9893	Fresh produce/grocery requiring refrigeration, frozen grocery/prepared foods, baked goods	Contact FRO/FRS	Cannot accept hot/cold prepared foods.
Inland Valley Hope Partners	Main Office: 1753 N Park Ave. Pomona 91768 Additional	(909) 622-3806 x101	Fresh produce/grocery requiring refrigeration, frozen grocery/prepared foods, baked goods	West end of San Bernardino County and East End of LA County (10 -20 miles radius)	Cannot accept hot/cold prepared foods.
Vision de Cristo Ministerio International Karios	1009 W. 2nd Street Pomona, CA 91766	(626) 367-0690	Contact Food Recovery Organization	Contact Food Recovery Organization	Cannot accept hot/cold prepared foods and frozen foods.
New Life Community Church	275 E. Foothill Boulevard Pomona, CA 91767	(909) 593-5000	Fresh fruits and vegetables, baked and dry goods	West end of San Bernardino County and East End of LA County (10 -20 miles radius)	Accepts all foods.

The City of Pomona has joined the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) Regional Food Recovery Program to increase capacity for food recovery. SCS Engineers and consultant Go2Zero have been assisting local municipalities in our region to assess commercial edible food waste generators, identify and foster partnerships with local food recovery organizations, and provide outreach and education.

Food Recovery for Equity, Sustainability, and Health (FRESH SGV) seeks to optimize the recovery of edible food in the SGV to decrease food waste, address food insecurity, and support Cities’ collaboration to meet shared compliance targets.

FRESH SGV has provided grant funding to three local nonprofits to serve as sub-regional food recovery hubs. Hubs collect surplus food from grocery stores and restaurants and redistribute it to smaller food banks, food pantries, or directly to the community to reduce food waste and food insecurity in our community. God’s Pantry is a food hub located here in the City of Pomona.

To learn more about FRESH SGV and current programs coordinated by the SGVCOG, please visit the SGV Regional Food Recovery Program website.

We are currently in the educational and outreach phase of Pomona’s SB 1383 implementation and will continue to work with Tier 1 and Tier 2 businesses (generators) on edible food recovery education.

For more information, please visit the Food Recovery Organizations and Services page on the CalRecycle website.