Organic Waste Recycling

• AB 1826 -  Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling 
• Signed in to law by Governor Brown in October of 2014. Among the provisions created was that all businesses are required to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week. 
• This law also requires that local jurisdictions must implement an organic waste recycling program to divert organic waste generated by businesses, including multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five or more units. 
• On June 28, 2017, The City Council of the City of Montebello Approved Resolution 17-62, Establishing mandatory Organic recycling requirements in accordance with California Assembly Bill 1826.  Among the provisions of the Resolution, private entities covered under the legislative confines of AB 1826 are required to recycle their organic waste in a manner commensurate with the enacted legislation.  

Please see the link below for additional information.

• Organic waste means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. Currently, the City has implemented a pilot program that has proven beneficial and are in the process of developing and organic waste collection and processing program to be implemented City-wide.   
•  Examples of “food waste” includes solid, semisolid, and liquid food, such as, fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, bones, poultry, seafood, bread, rice, pasta, and oils; coffee grounds and filters and tea bags; cut flowers and herbs; and any putrescible matter produced from human or animal food production, preparation, and consumption activities. Food waste includes food-soiled paper. 
•  Examples of food-soiled paper that are typically mixed in with food waste include uncoated products such as napkins, paper towels, tissues, formed paper packaging such as egg cartons, and some paper plates and cups.

•  SB 1383 mandates organic waste diversion targets on a relatively short timeline. The 75 percent organic waste diversion target will not be achieved by 2025 if using the more lengthy compliance process under the Good Faith Effort standard. 
• Jurisdictions must provide Organic Waste Collection Services.
• Organic waste generators must arrange for organic waste collection program unless approved as a self-haul by he City.
• Regulations require jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences of all sizes and businesses that generate organic waste beginning January 1, 2022. 
•  SB 1383’s statute requires CalRecycle to adopt regulations that include requirements intended to meet the goal that not less than 20 percent of edible food that is currently disposed is recovered for human consumption by 2025. 
•  SB 1383’s regulations require commercial edible food generators to establish a contract or written agreement with a food recovery organization or a food recovery service for food recovery. 

•  SB 1383 mandates organic waste diversion targets on a relatively short timeline. The 75 percent organic waste diversion target will not be achieved by 2025 if using the more lengthy compliance process under the Good Faith Effort standard. 
• Jurisdictions must provide Organic Waste Collection Services.
• Organic waste generators must arrange for organic waste collection program unless approved as a self-haul by he City.
• Regulations require jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences of all sizes and businesses that generate organic waste beginning January 1, 2022. 
•  SB 1383’s statute requires CalRecycle to adopt regulations that include requirements intended to meet the goal that not less than 20 percent of edible food that is currently disposed is recovered for human consumption by 2025. 
•  SB 1383’s regulations require commercial edible food generators to establish a contract or written agreement with a food recovery organization or a food recovery service for food recovery. 

Ensuring the viability of City programs and servicing the ongoing needs of the community, and those with edible food deficiencies, is an important aspect of the City’s efforts to comply with the legislative confines of Senate Bill 1383. To this end, the City of Montebello is implementing an Edible Food Recovery Program to feed hungry people, reduce the wasteful discard of edible food, and promote these programs within the City and the region. For many, the discarding of edible food products, and the overindulgence of prepared meals, is often undertaken due to the lack of alternative programs. The program that the City is implementing addresses these issues by providing alternatives that benefit the community and increase awareness of edible food recovery. In the information that follows, you will find information about the program including what the program is looking for, program expectations, liability questions, and contact information for you to participate. 

Program Overview 

• You may be asking yourself, what is edible food? Great question. Edible food means food intended for people to eat, including food not sold because of Appearance, Age, Freshness, Grade, Size, or Surplus and includes but is not limited to prepared foods, packaged foods, and produce.
• One of the keys to the successful implementation of our edible food collection and recovery program is the integration of collection activities utilizing community volunteers and collection staff paid through stipends and/or collection-based activities. As part of the program’s implementation, we are training interested community members, nonprofits, businesses, and City staff on the proper and safe handling, collection, and distribution of edible cooked food and other noncooked food items for distribution to those in need within the City of Montebello and our community. This program’s comprehensive training curriculum will ensure the proper handling and distribution of food utilizing all regulatory requirements and safety provisions. 

What Are The Expectations If I Choose To Participate?

• The expectations of the program are simple and what you make of them. They can be as few or as many hours as you choose and on days and hours of your choosing. All we ask is that you commit to a schedule that you can work with, attend an initial training, and follow the program details as they are provided to you.

Are There Any Liabilities For Participation?

• This question is one that is often asked prior to participation in the program and is something that you should understand. The “Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act”( Public Law 104-210) makes it easier for businesses to donate to food rescue and food bank programs; protects donors from liability when donating to nonprofit organizations; and protects donors from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith cause harm to the needy recipient. Enacted on 

Who Do I Contact To Get Started?

• If you would like to participate in this program, either as a volunteer, food donor, food recovery facility or distributor, or if you are interested in participating as a program recipient, please contact one of the following resources:
• Donation Contact Form
• Phone: (323) 887-1200 Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or (866) 377-6754 - Anytime (24/7)

What Is The Program Looking For?

We are looking for restaurants and eating establishments; food distributors and grocery stores; businesses, nonprofits, religious organizations, community groups, and residents ages 16 and up; to assist with the implementation of this important food donation, recovery, and distribution program. We are looking for donations of edible food; drivers; food handlers; storage locations, and community members and others to assist in the distribution of the food and these vital commodities to persons in need. We are looking for people that want to make a difference and aid those within the City that are in need. We are looking for people that care about making a difference in the lives of others. We are looking for you.

• Commercial Businesses:
  • 2025: 75 percent organic waste diversion.
  •  January 1, 2024: Jurisdiction are required to inspect Tier One and Tier Two commercial edible food generators for the same requirements.  
  • January 1, 2022: Regulations require jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences of all sizes and businesses that generate organic waste. 
  • January 1, 2019: Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services.  
  • January 1, 2017: Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services.
  • August 1, 2017 and ongoing: Jurisdictions shall provide information about their organic waste recycling program implementation in the annual report submitted to CalRecycle. 
  • April 1, 2016: Businesses that generate 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services. 

• Multifamily Dwellings:
  • January 1, 2022: Regulations require jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection services to all single-family and multifamily residences of all sizes and businesses that generate organic waste. 
  • January 1, 2019: Multifamily dwellings generating 4 cubic yards of solid waste per week shall arrange for organic waste recycling services to divert their green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste. 
  • January 1, 2017: Multifamily dwellings generating 4 cubic yards of non-food organic waste shall arrange for organic waste recycling. 
  • April 1, 2016: Multifamily dwellings generating 8 cubic yards of non-food organic waste shall arrange for organic waste recycling.