Food Scraps Recycling Required for All Multifamily complexes in 2022
Starting on Jan. 1, 2022, California’s Short-lived Climate Pollutant law (SB1383) requires multifamily complexes to separate food from the garbage. Keeping food out of landfills prevents methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that causes climate change. To learn more about the food scraps program and its impacts, visit the City of Sunnyvale FoodCycle page.
Setting up Your Food Scraps Service
The City and Specialty will contact your complex in mid-2021. We will help your site set up food scraps service for a start date in early 2022.
Get prepared by reading the letter and FAQ for property managers below.
Items Accepted in Food Scraps Program
- All food trimmings and plate scrapings, including meats and shellfish, eggs and dairy, fruits, vegetables and bakery items
- Coffee filters and tea bags
- Grease/Oil
- Spoiled or freezer burned food from refrigerator cleanouts
- Food must be placed in clear or compostable bags only, no black, white or other plastic bags
Items NOT Accepted in Food Scraps Program
- No “compostable” foodware or containers
- No glass, metal or plastic
- No liquids (soups can be strained and the solids can go into the collection)
- No white or black plastic bags
- No paper or bathroom waste
- No garbage, plastic gloves, foil wrappers, plastic straws or plastic stir-sticks
Program Details
Each multi-family unit will receive a recycling tote bag, a countertop pail to collect food scraps and outreach materials to explain the program. You can reuse produce, bread or other plastic bags (as long as they are clear) or even wrap the food scraps in newspaper. When your pail is full, place your scraps into the food scraps only cart, bin or chute in your complex.
Watch videos with Sunnyvale residents on the benefits of FoodCycle and how to make it a habit.
How Food Scraps are Processed
Your food scraps are turned into:
- Fertilizer amendment that keeps soil healthy
- Electricity (energy production) through an anaerobic digester
- FDA-approved animal feed ingredient for chicken, pigs and fish
Food Scraps Container Sizes
Multifamily Food Scraps Resources
Letter for Multifamily Property Managers
FAQ for Multifamily Property Managers
