Organics Recycling & Food Donation (SB 1383)

In the United States alone, 40% of food is uneaten, wasted and thrown out. This results in an unfortunate misuse of resources needed to grow, process and transport food while wasting money and accelerating climate changes. Find out more at Save the Food.

SB 1383 Background

Senate Bill 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) passed in 2016 as part of California’s larger strategy to combat climate change and to redirect food that would be wasted to those who need it. 

Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what Californians dump in landfills. Organic waste in landfills releases:

20% of the state’s methane, a climate super pollutant 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Air pollutants like PM 2.5, which contributes to health conditions like asthma.

SB 1383 Benefits

 Recycling organic waste and recovering edible food is a fast track to fighting climate change and improving public health and the environment. There are many benefits if we successfully implement California’s super pollutant reduction strategy, including:

Environmental benefits, such as fighting climate change and improving air quality 

Less recyclable material in landfills

Millions of meals directed to the 1 in 5 Californians without enough to eat

15,000 new permanent green jobs

New recycled products like electricity from biomass conversion

Lowered greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 869,920 cars off the road a year

 

Jurisdictions Lead the Implementation of SB 1383

Jurisdictions play a vital role in implementing SB 1383 and are responsible for the following requirements: