Take action at your business to prevent and divert waste
Solana Center is here to actualize your organization's environmental goals. Contact us to discuss how we can make your project a success!
Technical assistance & consultations
Our Environmental Solutions team has extensive and comprehensive knowledge on California's environmental regulations and regularly review new laws in the pipeline. Contact zero.waste@solanacenter.org for help preparing your San Diego region business to comply with SB 1383 and other regulations.
Less to Landfill Food Waste Recovery and Reduction
Through our Less to Landfill program, Solana Center will suggest simple steps, customized for your business or restaurant, to ensure that you are in compliance with state waste disposal requirements and not wasting money on wasted food.
Host a Lunch & Learn
We offer several different topics that will help your group or organization learn how to protect the environment, conserve valuable resources, and reduce your carbon footprint.
Zero Waste Events
Solana Center's Zero Waste experts are available for events of all types and sizes and at a variety of support levels. Service options include assistance with waste signage, planning, volunteer coordination, and final waste assessments.
Business E-waste Pickup
A free e-waste pick-up service is available monthly to businesses in all areas of San Diego County in partnership with Urban Corps. Pre-registration online is required.
Food Waste Prevention & Organics Recycling
Food waste from consumer-facing businesses (grocery, restaurants, food service, and more) accounts for 28% or 23 million tons of all food wasted per year. [Source: ReFED]
Beyond the environmental impact, food waste from businesses is responsible for large financial losses. The U.S restaurant sector alone throws away $113 billion per year, amounting to 8 million tons of food. [Source: ReFED] On average, an individual restaurant loses over 4% of sales value on wasted food, throwing out about half a pound of food for every one meal served.
SB 1383 Resources
In response to the climate crisis, California has implemented a statewide organic waste recycling and surplus food recovery law: SB 1383.
Solana Center is proud to partner with RSWA cities (Poway, National City, Vista, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar) and the San Diego Food System Alliance to provide resource materials discussing details and actions to help guide your organization to compliance with SB 1383 legislation. If you are interested in accessing these guides, please click the link(s) below.
California Legislation Impacting Your Business
Organic waste (meaning materials such as food, yard waste, food-soiled paper, and natural fibers) makes up over half of California's waste stream. When landfilled, it generates methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and public health concerns. In a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, particularly from organic waste, Senate Bill (SB) 1383 requires organic waste diversion and sets parameters for edible food recovery.
SB 1383 lays out a comprehensive guide for businesses and commercial kitchens to decrease food waste and prioritize edible food recovery and organic waste diversion from landfills. Simply put, SB 1383 requires that businesses implement programs to ensure organic materials are no longer put in the trash, with edible food instead of being donated and the rest sorted for organic waste recycling.
The potential impact of diverting organics in San Diego alone is enormous:
- Free up 700,000 tons/year of landfill space
- Create new markets and jobs worth $2,000,000/year
- Save local businesses $20M/year in disposal fees
- Avoid 127,000 metric tons/year of greenhouse gases
Business Requirements Timeline
- Beginning 2022: Participation in organics recycling program required
January 1, 2022: Tier One generators must have a food donation program
January 1, 2024: Tier Two generators must have a food donation program
SB 1383 Compliance Service Offerings
Below is a list of activities related to SB1383 Solana Center is proud to have provided or currently be working on for the City of Encinitas, City of Carlsbad, and RSWA cities (Poway, National City, Vista, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar):
- Awareness and education campaign for residents and businesses
- Creation of a logo, tagline, templates for all communication
- Creation of informational videos
- Educational blog content creation
- Educational social media content creation
- Webinars and forums (residential and business-focused)
- Explain new requirements and procedures (in conjunction with city staff and hauler)
- How-to prevent food waste and rescue edible food
- Community outreach booths
- Helpline support
- Identify Tier1 and Tier 2 food waste generators
- Technical Assistance for businesses
- In-person visits to businesses for personalized guidance on waste diversion compliance (AB341, AB827, AB1826, SB1383)
- Visual waste assessment
- Staff training on organics recycling
- Guidance and strategic input on food waste prevention solutions & organics recycling
- Food Rescue
- Guidance on setting up food donation programs
- Creation of Food Recovery Lists and Services
- Coordination with SD Food System Alliance to create food recovery programs
- Compliance
- Strategic messaging for city website regarding legislation and compliance
- Creation of compliance letters to businesses
- Compliance inspections of businesses
If you'd like help preparing your San Diego region jurisdiction or business to comply with SB 1383 regulations please reach out to mallika.sen@solanacenter.org.
Free Resources
Free educational reference materials including videos, and resource guides spanning waste prevention, diversion, and more created in collaboration with many local San Diego jurisdictions.
Testimonials
"You have done such a great job putting everything together. I know it's a challenge to work with so many different entities and Staff from various cities. But I think that process has resulted in some really good products...and I believe all the work will make a difference to ensure organics recycling and edible food donation gets off the ground."
— A city staff member, regarding our support services to ensure state legislator compliance.
"(Solana Center) has been providing all of this education and has been composting and managing food waste and suggesting things for how people manage their food at home," Blakepear said. "And also helping cities all throughout this county. So we have some real leadership here."
— Senator Catherine Blakespear, (previously City of Encinitas Mayor), in reference to Encinitas' shift in the face of SB 1383 ordinances
"Thank you for all the information you put together for our [Edible Food Recovery] deliverable to the County. You did an awesome job and it is always a pleasure working with Solana Center. Thanks again!!"
— Wbaldo Arellano, City of Imperial Beach Environmental Program Specialist II Department of Environmental and Natural Resources