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What? Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) is a new California law that requires businesses who produce food to donate the maximum amount of edible food they would otherwise throw away, to food recovery organizations.
Why? Almost 1 in 4 Californians don’t have enough to eat. Feeding hungry people through food recovery is the best use for edible food. Food recovery conserves resources and reduces the amount of organic waste in landfills. As food waste decomposes in the landfill, it creates large amounts of methane gas. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere which is bad for our environment and climate.
Who is affected? SB 1383 requires some businesses that produce, sell, and serve food to donate excess edible food. These businesses are categorized into two tiers.
When? Tier 1 is required to donate starting in 2022 and Tier 2 in 2024. Tier 1 businesses can help their communities now by starting to work with local food banks, food pantries, and other food recovery organizations and services.
Tier One businesses shall comply with edible food donation and recovery requirements commencing January 1, 2022. Tier Two businesses shall comply with edible food donation and recovery requirements commencing January 1, 2024. Mandated food generators (Tier One and Tier Two) are listed below:
Tier One effective 01/01/22
| Tier two effective 01/01/24
|
Who are Food Recovery Organizations?
A food recovery organization means an entity that collects edible food and distributes that edible food to the public for food recovery either directly or through other entities including, but not limited to: a food bank or a nonprofit charitable organization.
If your business fits into the mandated Tier One or Tier Two classification, please set up a food recovery agreement with one of the following organizations:
ORGANIZATIONS SERVICING THE COUNTY | ||||
Organization Name | Phone | Website | Address | Types of Food Accepted |
Abound Food Care (Previously Waste Not OC) | 855-700-9662 | 200 N Tustin Ave Santa Ana, CA 92705 | Fresh, frozen, perishable and non-perishable, packaged or bulk food products. | |
Chefs to End Hunger | 562-741-2200 | 13527 Orden Drive Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 | Fresh, frozen, perishable and non-perishable, and prepared food products. | |
Community Action Partnership of Orange County Food Bank | 714-897-6670 | 11870 Monarch Street Garden Grove, CA 92841 | Fresh, frozen, perishable and non-perishable food products. | |
Food Finders | 562-283-1400 | 10539 Humbolt St Los Alamitos, CA 90720 | Perishable and non-perishable food products, pet food, and baby food. | |
Second Harvest | 949-653-2400 | 8014 Marine Way Irvine, CA 92618 | Perishable and non-perishable food products that meet nutritional guidelines (healthy). | |
ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN LAGUNA HILLS | ||||
Organization Name | Phone | Website | Address | Types of Food Accepted |
Crossline Community Church | 949-916-0250 | 23331 Moulton Parkway Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | Perishable and non-perishable food |
More information can be found at CalRecycle’s website: https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp/foodrecovery/donors
When you're giving food to food banks and other nonprofit organizations, you're protected from criminal and civil lawsuits by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, a federal law signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996.
California Civil Code Section 1714.25 (a) states: “Except for injury resulting from negligence or a willful act in the preparation or handling of donated food, no food facility that donates any food that is fit for human consumption at the time it was donated to a nonprofit charitable organization, or a food bank shall be liable.”
Food date labels are an attempt to indicate quality of food, but not safety. In fact, the only federal regulation for date labeling of products is for infant formula. Most food products are still safe to eat past the date labeled on the product.