Businesses are the source of 60% of all landfill waste. Food scraps make up 30% of that amount. As of Jan. 1, 2022, California’s Short-lived Climate Pollutant law (SB1383) requires businesses to separate food and landscape materials from the garbage. Your business needs to set up this weekly service.
Watch a 3 Minute Video on How to Recycle Food Scraps in Break Rooms
Watch a 2 Minute Video on How to Recycle Food Scraps in Commercial Kitchens
Please scroll down for more helpful resources about commercial organics.
The City and Specialty will contact your business in 2023 to help you set up food scraps service.
- 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
- 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
Food scraps are processed into fertilizer, animal feed or are used for energy production through anaerobic digestion.
SB 1383 requires certain businesses and institutions to donate any surplus edible food that would have otherwise gone to waste to those in need. The Santa Clara County implements these regulations through the countywide Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program. Please visit the Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program website to determine if your business or institution is required to comply, access guidance and resources, and to view a list of food recovery organizations operating in the county.
- Tier 1 Food Service Businesses – Effective Jan. 2022
- Wholesale Food Vendors
- Food service providers and food distributors
- Grocery stores (facilities 10,000 square feet or more)
- Supermarkets
- Tier 2 Food Service Businesses – Effective Jan. 2024
- Restaurants (facilities 5,000 square feet or more)
- Hotels (with on-site food facility and 200 rooms or more)
- Local education agencies with on-site food facility
- Large venues and events
- State agencies with cafeterias
- Health facilities (with on-site food facility and 200 rooms or more)
