What is Senate Bill (SB) 1383

In 2016, the State of California passed Senate Bill (SB) 1383, California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, which aims to reduce methane and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions statewide. To meet this goal, the bill establishes two targets by 2025:

• A 75% reduction of statewide organics waste disposal from 2014 levels
• A 20% or greater recovery (for human consumption) of edible food currently disposed of in California

SB 1383 is overseen by CalRecycle, while the implementation is managed by individual jurisdictions (i.e. city, county, or special districts). In order to meet the goals of SB 1383, all jurisdictions are expected to implement ordinances, franchise requirements, and other regulations as necessary to achieve compliance.

How Will SB 1383 Impact Businesses?

Business and Multifamily Requirements

• Subscribe to a collection service that is adequate in size and frequency for ALL organics waste
• Subscribe to a collection service that is adequate in size and frequency for ALL recycling waste
• Provide easily accessible organics waste containers for employees, tenants, and customers
• Recycling, organics, and landfill containers must include correct labels and signage
• Annually educate employees, contractors, customers, and tenants on how to properly sort waste into the correct containers
• Provide information to new tenants before or within 14 days of occupation of the premises

Additional Business Requirements (not applicable to multifamily) 

• Provide containers for the collection of organics waste and recyclables in all areas where disposal containers are provided for customers, except for restrooms
• Prohibit employees from placing organics waste in recyclables or landfill container
• Periodically inspect organics containers for contamination and inform employees if containers are contaminated

Edible Food Generator Requirements

In addition to the requirements stated above, Edible Food Generators (considered Tier 1 and Tier 2) must recover the maximum amount of edible food that would otherwise be disposed of, arrange for food donation and collection through contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations or services, and maintain food donation records. Learn more about food rescue and local food recovery organizations, visit AthensServices.com/FoodDonation.

https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp/foodrecovery/donors 

PREVENT WASTED FOOD

The USDA states that up to 40% of food in the United States goes uneaten, while CalRecycle reports that food accounts for 18% of waste in California’s landfills. Through anaerobic decomposition, this waste produces the second largest source of human-related methane in California.

Understanding the Issues

• Food Waste FAQs | USDA
• Sustainable Management of Food Basics | US EPA
• Food Loss and Waste | FDA

What Businesses and Organizations Can Do

• EPA Tips for Schools Manufacturers, Restaurants, and Grocery Stores
• Preventing Food from Reaching the Landfill | CalRecycle
• Donate Food – Find a Partner

Why the New Regulation?

SB 1383 targets the statewide reduction of methane emissions from landfills, the 3rd largest source of methane in California.  Approximately 30% of the material in landfills are recoverable organics, including green waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper. Decomposing organics in landfills emit 20% of the state’s methane; a climate super pollutant up to 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

In addition, the USDA states that up to 40% of food in the United States goes uneaten, while CalRecycle reports that food accounts for 18% of waste in California’s landfills.

By diverting organics from the landfill, you are part of the solution in helping to protect the environment and future generations.

Why Compost?

Compost is an important solution to support healthy soils, plants, and air quality. Soil holds more carbon than the atmosphere or plant life combined, but there has been a significant amount of loss due to human activities, such as construction and grading. The best method to return carbon to our soils is by applying carbon-rich compost. When Athens converts food scraps and yard waste into compost and it is applied back to our soil, the carbon becomes “sequestered” in our soils and can last for years. This carbon sequestration literally works as a filter to help cleanse and enhance our air quality.

Benefits of Athens’ Compost:

• Improves moisture and nutrient retention
• Retains disease-preventing properties that promote healthy soils, resulting in stronger, more resilient plants
• Provides millions of beneficial microbes, which builds the soil and creates humus (a dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decay)
• Diverts valuable resources from landfill
• Athens’ compost is OMRI Listed®️ (Organic Materials Review Institute) 

Best Practices and Resources

Athens is here to help you navigate these new requirements and support the community.

• Click here for single-family home and multifamily residential best practices
• Schedule waste assessment and bilingual training at your business by calling Athens’ Customer Care Center (888) 336-6100
• Use CLEAR or translucent-green bags to collect organics waste (bag contents must be visible)
• Download and print signage to place on and above all waste containers
• Group your recycling, organics, and trash containers
• Review and share our online What Goes Where Guide for proper separation practices

For more information on SB 1383, visit CalRecycle.ca.gov/Organics/SLCP

Signage

Visit our Outreach Materials page for container signage and additional resources. 

As part of the outreach efforts for Senate Bill 1383, property owners/managers for commercial businesses (including multi-family dwellings) must, “Annually educate employees, contractors, customers, and tenants on how to properly sort organics waste into the correct bins.” Feel free to use the following examples for multi-family dwellings.

For properties in cities that require three separate containers for organics, recycling, and trash.