Commercial / Multi-Family
Please review the Culver City SB 1383 Commercial Brochure(PDF, 1MB) for a summary of business requirements.
Multi-Family Buildings
Here is a video explaining the New SB 1383 Recycling Requirements in California for Multi-family Buildings.
Commercial Requirements
Below is a list of general requirements:
- Organics recycling is required for all California businesses
- Tier 1 Commercial Food Generators are now required to establish food recovery programs
- Tier 1 Commercial Food Donors must arrange to recover the maximum amount of food that would otherwise go to landfills
- Both food recovery organizations and services that participate in SB 1383 must maintain records
Tier 1 commercial food generators such as the following businesses:
- Supermarket
- Grocery store (10,000 sq.ft.)
- Food service provider
- Food distributor
- Wholesale food vendor
Tier 1 commercial food generators will need to establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations and will have to keep records of the following information to demonstrate compliance:
- Types of food recovered
- Pounds of food recovered
- Frequency that the food is recovered
Food donors will need to track the amount they donate by weight and maintain up-to-date records.
Records will be submitted to the City of Culver City on a quarterly basis.
As of January 1, 2024, Tier 2 businesses (below) are required to follow SB 1383's food recovery requirements.
- Restaurant (> 250 seats or 5,000 sq.ft.)
- Hotel with onsite food facility ( > 200 rooms)
- Health facility with onsite food facility ( > 100 beds)
- Large events and venues
- State agency with cafeteria (> 250 seats or 5,000 sq.ft.)
- Local education agency with on-site food facility
Donations
See How to Comply with California's New Food Donation Law.
There are laws in place to protect businesses when donating food:
Common Items Donated
- Whole produce and baked goods
- Pre-packaged foods
- Food prepared by a permitted food facility.
Tips for Success: How to Make Organics Collection Work
Use Color-Coded Bins with Signage – Part of any successful organics and recycling program is setting up proper internal collection containers. City Hall uses color-coded bins to help staff separate their organics, recycling and trash. Bins at this site are blue for recycling, green for organics, and black for trash, with itemized pictures for each. These bins can be placed strategically throughout the work space.
For examples of different recycling and composting containers view the vendor list(PDF, 659KB).
Line containers with clear plastic bags, paper bags, or use no bag at all.
Train Employees Regularly – Monitor containers to ensure materials are included in the correct container. Common items that do not belong in the organics container are PLA items labeled “compostable”. If it looks like plastic, do not put it in the organics container.
Provide Positive Feedback – Deskside recycling or organics containers can be reviewed for compliance. If you see staff separating items in the appropriate container, think about positive reinforcement. The City created “oops” and “awesome” tags for staff. Picture to the right shows staff with an “awesome” tag.
Work with Janitorial Services – It's important to contact janitorial services before starting an organics collection program. Their staff will be emptying the internal containers to the collection containers outside. It is important that their staff know which container is for organics, recycling and trash so the program is successful.