Sort It Sonoma! Edible Food Generator Requirements

Commercial Edible Food Generators fall into two categories:

Tier I Commercial Edible Food Generators

• Supermarkets with gross annual sales of $2 million dollars or more
• Grocery stores with a total facility size equal to or greater than 10,000 square feet
• Food service providers
• Food distributors
• Wholesale food vendors

Tier II Commercial Edible Food Generators

• Restaurant with 250 or more seats, or a total facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet
• Hotel with an on-site food facility and 200 or more rooms
• Health facility with an on-site food facility and 100 or more beds
• Large venues that annually seat or serve an average of more than 2,000 individuals per day of operation
• Large events that serves an average of more than 2,000 individuals per day of operation
• State agency with a cafeteria with 250 or more seats or a total cafeteria facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet
• Local education agency with an on-site food facility

Tier I Generators shall comply with the edible food donation and recovery requirements listed below starting on January 1, 2022. Tier II Generators must comply starting on January 1, 2024.

• Donate the maximum amount of excess edible food that would otherwise be discarded. The donated food must go to feed people.
• Establish and maintain contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations and services to pick up or receive edible food.
• Maintain records documenting: (1) schedules for food donation deliveries or collections, (2) quantity of food donated in pounds per month, and (3) types of food each food recovery organization will receive or collect.
• Edible food generators must not intentionally spoil food that can be donated and eaten

Reference: California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, Divison 7, Chapter 12 “Short-lived Climate Pollutants” Section 18991.3. Commercial Edible Food Generators