What is Edible Food?
Edible food means food intended for people to eat, including food not sold because of:
- Appearance
- Age
- Freshness
- Grade
- Size
- Surplus
Edible food includes but is not limited to:
- Prepared foods
- Packaged foods
- Produce
All food donations must meet the food safety requirements of the California Retail Food CodePDF downloadPDF download.
- For more information on safe surplus food donation and food safety, please visit the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health website.
- Safe Surplus Food Toolkit (guidance for food facilities)PDF download
- Food Donation Resources from the Public Health Alliance of Southern California
What? Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) is a new California law that requires businesses who produce food to donate the maximum amount of edible food they would otherwise throw away, to food recovery organizations.
Why? Almost 1 in 4 Californians don’t have enough to eat. Feeding hungry people through food recovery is the best use for edible food. Food recovery conserves resources and reduces the amount of organic waste in landfills. As food waste decomposes in the landfill, it creates large amounts of methane gas. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere which is bad for our environment and climate.
Who is affected? SB 1383 requires some businesses that produce, sell, and serve food to donate excess edible food. These businesses are categorized into two tiers.
When? Tier 1 is required to donate starting in 2022 and Tier 2 in 2024. Tier 1 businesses can help their communities now by starting to work with local food banks, food pantries, and other food recovery organizations and services.
Who are Commercial Edible Food Generators?
Tier One businesses shall comply with edible food donation and recovery requirements commencing January 1, 2022. Tier Two businesses shall comply with edible food donation and recovery requirements commencing January 1, 2024. Mandated food generators (Tier One and Tier Two) are listed below:
Tier One effective 01/01/22
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Tier two effective 01/01/24
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Who are Food Recovery Organizations?
A food recovery organization means an entity that collects edible food and distributes that edible food to the public for food recovery either directly or through other entities including, but not limited to: a food bank or a nonprofit charitable organization.
If your business fits into the mandated Tier One or Tier Two classification, please set up a food recovery agreement with one of the following organizations:
| ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE OF BIG BEAR LAKE (please contact the organization first) | ||||
| Organization Name | Phone | Address | Types of Food Accepted | |
| Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino | (951) 359-4757 | 2950 Jefferson St. Riverside, CA 92504 | Canned Meat & Fish, Canned soup, Canned Ready to Eat Meals, Canned Vegetables, Canned Fruit, Tomato Products, Peanut Butter, Enriched Rice & Pasta, Dry Beans, Cereal, Powdered Milk, Fruit Juice | |
| ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN THE CITY OF BIG BEAR LAKE (please contact the organization first) | ||||
| Organization Name | Phone | Address | Types of Food Accepted | |
| Believer’s Chapel Food Bank | (909) 866-2552 | 42180 Moonridge Rd. Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 | Produce, dairy, prepared foods, produce. | |
Other organizations can be found here: California Food Bank Locator Tool
CalRecycle has developed an example of the type of contract or agreement that can be used between food generators and recovery organizations at this link: Model Food Recovery Agreement.
Requirements for Commercial Edible Food Generators (14 CCR Section 18991.4. Recordkeeping Requirements For Commercial Edible Food Generators)
Keep a record that includes the following:
(1) A list of each food recovery service or organization that collects or receives its edible food pursuant to a contract or written agreement established under Section 18991.3(b).
(2) A copy of contracts or written agreements between the commercial edible food generator and a food recovery service or organization.
(3) A record of the following for each food recovery organization or service that the commercial edible food generator has a contract or written agreement with pursuant to Section 18991.3(b):
(A) The name, address and contact information of the service or organization.
(B) The types of food that will be collected by or self-hauled to the service or organization.
(C) The established frequency that food will be collected or self-hauled.
(D) The quantity of food collected or self-hauled to a service or organization for food recovery. The quantity shall be measured in pounds recovered per month.
Complete a Food Recovery Report by May 1st of each calendar year for food recovery activities in the previous calendar year, including pounds of food recovered from Tier 1 and Tier 2 businesses and organizations. Email report to: solidwaste@citybigbearlake.com