We can help you take the next step!
The Center for EcoTechnology (CET) is working to share information and lend experience to build capacity for diverting wasted food in California. This work is focused in the greater San Diego area, where CET has partnered with CalRecycle, the San Diego Food Systems Alliance and Solana Center to create tip sheets on food waste reduction, food rescue, and food waste separation, as well as a webinar to support jurisdictions in their need to provide information on food waste diversion to food businesses.
CET is also fielding questions from food businesses that are interested in plugging into emerging infrastructure like depackaging. To learn more about CET’s work in California and to get involved, contact CET today at 888-813-8552 or e-mail wastedfood@cetonline.org.
Helpful California Wasted Food Resources
- Wasted Food Reduction and Recovery in California
- California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) resources on how to recover food and reduce wasted food.
- How to Comply with the Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law
- CalRecycle’s FAQ page on how to comply with the California Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law, AB 1826.
- Best Management Practice Tip Sheets tailored to businesses and institutions in San Diego County, California, created by CET with guidance from CalRecycle, Solana Center, and San Diego Food System Alliance.
- Food Waste Reduction Made Easy: Tip sheet for reducing wasted food.
- Food Rescue Made Easy: Tip sheet for implementing food rescue programs.
- Food Waste Separation Made Easy: Tip sheet for separating food waste for animal feed, composting, and/or anaerobic digestion.
- Food Recovery in the San Francisco Bay Area
- The EPA created a webpage with links and resources about food recovery in the San Francisco Bay Area. Resources include tools for source reduction, food rescue organizations, list of processing facilities, and more.
- Food Recovery in Los Angeles
- The EPA created a webpage with links and resources about food recovery in Los Angeles.
- Food Recovery in the San Diego Area
- The EPA created a webpage with links and resources about food recovery in the San Diego Area.
California Legal/Regulatory Requirements
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Every state has specific state-level legal and regulatory requirements regarding food waste and food donation. ReFED, a national food waste prevention nonprofit, created a searchable database of state-by-state food waste policies and regulations, in collaboration with the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic. View the California food waste policy page for specific, up-to-date information about California’s food waste laws.
- The Emerson Act
- The Federal Emerson Act (Public Law 104-210) protects donors from liability when donating to nonprofit organizations and protects donors from civil and criminal liability should the product, donated in good faith, later cause harm to the needy recipient.
Toolbox
For more information regarding food waste estimates, source separation guidance, and how to start a food donation program, open CET’s Toolbox.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP, CONTACT US!
Contact CET to learn more about food recovery and waste diversion opportunities for your business, institution, customers, or association members: