According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one-third of the U.S. food supply goes to waste. Food waste recovery organization, ReFED, estimates that food waste emissions from landfills are equivalent to that of 72 coal-burning power plants. 

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The passage of Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) in September 2016 imposed statewide targets to reduce the disposal of organic waste by 75% by January 1, 2025 (based on 2014 levels) and recover at least 20% of currently disposed edible food for human consumption by 2025. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) finalized and adopted SB 1383 guidelines in November 2020 with the approval of the Office of Administrative Law.

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As a result, the SGVCOG launched the San Gabriel Valley Regional Food Recovery Program on September 29, 2021 to support member agencies to comply with SB 1383's food recovery mandates and significantly reduce food waste in the San Gabriel Valley. Known as one of the largest regional food recovery programs in California, this Program includes assessing commercial edible food waste generators, identifying and fostering partnerships with local food recovery organizations, implementing outreach and education endeavors, and developing and implementing inspection protocols. 

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The SGVCOG is currently moving into Phase 2 of the SGV Regional Food Recovery Program. This expansion seeks to establish subregional food recovery hubs, increase the region’s food recovery capacity and infrastructure, and to continue to conduct outreach efforts to edible food waste generators, food recovery organizations, and residents about SB 1383 regulations. 

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For questions, please reach out to Mackenzie Bolger, Senior Management Analyst (mbolger@sgvcog.org).