Food & Organic Waste Prevention and Diversion Framework

Overview

Organic material represents a major portion of the municipal solid waste stream, verified through local waste characterization studies. When landfilled, food and organic waste generate methane, a high-impact climate pollutant, and forfeit nutrients that can be returned to soils. The framework below mirrors the EU bio-waste mandates and the US EPA food recovery hierarchy so the City can measure prevention, recovery, and residual treatment separately.

This framework establishes a hierarchy-based system that:

1. Prevents edible food waste at the source.
2. Recovers surplus food for human consumption.
3. Separates remaining organic material for composting or anaerobic digestion.
4. Enforces compliance through clear service standards and escalation pathways.

The policy aligns municipal practice with jurisdictions that mandate separate collection of bio-waste and prohibit its routine disposal.

Real-World Examples:

• Milan, Italy: The city’s mandatory organics separation program achieved 60% diversion rates through universal curbside collection and commercial food service mandates.
• San Francisco, USA: The city’s mandatory composting ordinance requires all residents and businesses to separate compostables, achieving 80% landfill diversion. Details available on SF.gov Recycling Programs.
• South Korea: The volume-based food waste fee system uses RFID-tagged bins that charge by weight, reducing food waste generation by 30%.

Definitions

• Bio-waste: Biodegradable garden and park waste, food and kitchen waste from households, offices, restaurants, wholesale, canteens, caterers, and comparable retail and processing facilities as referenced in Directive (EU) 2018/851.
• Edible food: Food intended for human consumption that remains safe and suitable for redistribution under local health regulations.
• Organic waste: Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plant-based materials not recovered for human consumption.
• Large generator: A non-residential entity generating organic waste above a defined threshold (see Scope).
• Contamination: Non-accepted material present in an organic waste stream.

These definitions keep terminology consistent with existing bio-waste guidance and ensure every mandate is enforceable by the public works and environmental health departments. Integrity Engine reviewers shall log definition changes so translations and legal crosswalks stay aligned.

Scope and Covered Generators

This policy applies to:

• All residential properties with municipal collection service.
• All non-residential generators producing organic waste above defined thresholds.

Generator thresholds (municipalities select the final figures)

• Food service: More than ten kilograms of organic waste per week, verified through purchasing records or waste audits.
• Grocery and food retail: More than two hundred fifty square meters of floor area or more than one tonne of organic waste per month.
• Institutions: More than fifty meals served per day, averaged quarterly.
• Multi-family residential: Buildings with five or more dwelling units and shared waste rooms.

Exemptions require a documented hardship plan demonstrating de minimis generation or lack of service availability; these exemptions expire annually unless re-approved.

Policy 1: Food Waste Prevention and Edible Food Recovery

1.1 Prevention and Measurement

The City maintains a baseline food waste assessment using:

• Waste characterization studies.
• Sector-specific generation estimates tied to business licensing data.
• Annual updates tied to program reporting and Integrity Engine audits.

Large generators submit prevention plans summarizing internal reduction strategies (menu redesign, smart inventory). Plans are updated every two years and reviewed by the sustainability office.

1.2 Edible Food Recovery Requirements

Large generators handling edible food shall implement recovery practices that include:

• Separation of edible surplus from residual waste with labeled storage areas.
• Donation to registered food recovery organizations that meet cold-chain and liability standards.
• Recordkeeping of quantities recovered (mass or meal equivalents) and recipient organizations.

Metrics (reported annually):

• Tonnes of edible food recovered and redistributed.
• Number of participating generators by sector.
• Destination tracking (food banks, community fridges, social enterprises).

Failure to submit recovery data triggers notice, then fines aligned with the enforcement ladder in Policy 4.

Policy 2: Mandatory Source Separation of Organic Waste

2.1 Separation Requirement

All covered generators shall separate organic waste from refuse and recycling streams. Mixed disposal of bio-waste in residual waste containers is prohibited once service is available. Franchise agreements and city permits condition continued operation on compliance with separation rules.

2.2 Accepted Materials

The City publishes a standardized accepted materials list aligned to local processing capacity and updates it annually via administrative order. Lists distinguish between edible food, organic waste, and contamination examples to simplify training.

2.3 Service Verification

Generators must display collection contracts or proof of self-haul to approved facilities. Haulers report monthly route-level tonnage to the City to verify participation.

Policy 3: Collection Service Standards

Minimum service levels

| Sector | Minimum Collection Frequency | Container Requirements | | —— | —————————- | ———————- | | Single-family | Weekly | Lidded, animal-resistant carts provided by hauler | | Multi-family | Weekly (bi-weekly maximum) | Shared carts sized per unit count with posted contamination signage | | Food service | Twice weekly (adjusted seasonally) | Leak-proof containers with locking lids and washable pads | | Institutions | Weekly | On-site staging permitted with sealed totes |

Seasonal frequency adjustments address odor and pest control. Service level failures trigger contract penalties and backup haulers to prevent disruption.

Policy 4: Contamination Standards and Enforcement

4.1 Contamination Limits

• Target contamination rate: not more than five percent by weight at both set-out and processing facility scales.
• Loads exceeding the limit are tagged, photographed, and documented in the compliance portal.

4.2 Enforcement Ladder

1. Written notice and educational material delivered within five business days.
2. Mandatory staff training or signage update verified by uploaded proof.
3. Tagged cart and non-collection with reset fee covering extra handling.
4. Administrative penalty for repeated violations and potential suspension of business license for chronic offenders.

City inspectors coordinate with the public health department so food safety permits cannot be renewed while outstanding penalties remain unpaid.

Policy 5: Processing and Contracting Requirements

All processing contracts include:

• Accepted feedstock list aligned with published materials guide.
• Contamination rejection thresholds and procedures for rapid feedback to haulers.
• Certified weigh scales and monthly tonnage reporting broken out by generator class (residential, commercial, institutional).
• End-product testing schedule (maturity, pathogens, metalloids, persistent organic pollutants) with results posted publicly.
• Documented end-use outlets for compost or digestate (urban agriculture, soil remediation, RNG injection).

Contracts also specify living wages for facility staff, odor mitigation plans, and community complaint hotlines to maintain social license.

Policy 6: Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Integration

Where adopted, PAYT systems shall:

• Price residual waste service while organic collection remains included at the base rate.
• Use volume-based or tagged-container models appropriate to local infrastructure.
• Integrate affordability adjustments through existing benefit programs so low-income households do not reduce participation.
• Include an education and shadow-billing transition period before enforcement begins.

Policy 7: Education, Outreach, and Technical Assistance

The City provides:

• Multilingual signage templates and legally required labels for shared bin rooms.
• Image-based sorting guides with QR codes linking to accepted material updates.
• Sector-specific training for food service, institutions, and property managers.
• Office hours and grants for small food businesses to purchase cold storage or redesign kitchens for separation.

Governance, Funding, and Enforcement Authority

• Department of Sanitation (or Public Works): Shall issue hauling permits, inspect set-outs, tag contaminated carts, and suspend waste hauling service for non-compliant generators.
• Environmental Health Department: Shall link edible food recovery requirements to food safety certifications and withhold permit renewals when donation plans or contamination corrections are missing.
• Finance Department: Shall administer PAYT pricing, affordability credits, and publish annual cost-recovery reports showing how fees fund collection, processing, and education.
• Comptroller/Ombudsperson: Shall maintain an appeal process for businesses disputing citations and audit data submissions for integrity.

Funding streams include the base sanitation rate, PAYT surcharges on residual waste, producer responsibility grants when available, and climate funds earmarked for methane reduction. Budget documents must show how many inspectors, educators, and processing upgrades are supported each fiscal year to demonstrate staffing sufficiency.

The Department of Sanitation shall enforce separation standards in the field and issue citations when contamination thresholds are exceeded. The Environmental Health Department shall review edible food recovery plans and suspend permits when donors fail to comply. The Finance Department shall publish annual PAYT performance reports so Council can verify that enforcement revenue is reinvested in program delivery.

Implementation Roadmap

Phase 1: Baseline and Contracts (Months one through six)

• Complete waste characterization study and edible food baseline.
• Amend hauler and processor contracts with service levels, data standards, and penalty clauses.
• Publish accepted materials, contamination standards, and procurement-ready bin specs.

Phase 2: Large Generators (Months six through eighteen)

• Mandatory separation for large generators.
• Edible food recovery reporting portal launches with API access for food banks.
• Enforcement ladder activated after a ninety-day education period.

Phase 3: Residential Expansion (Year two and beyond)

• Citywide residential organics collection with parity across neighborhoods.
• PAYT integration where adopted, with shadow bills and affordability credits.
• Continuous quality monitoring with public dashboards on participation and contamination rates.

Reporting and Transparency

Annual public report includes:

• Edible food recovery tonnage by sector and recipient type.
• Organic waste diversion tonnage, including compost vs. anaerobic digestion outputs.
• Contamination rates at set-out and tip floor.
• Enforcement actions, fines collected, and corrective actions.
• Processing outcomes, end-product distribution, and greenhouse gas reductions.

All data feeds into the Integrity Engine registry so overlaps with other waste or climate mandates can be spotted quickly.

Outcomes

• Reduced landfill disposal of organic material and methane emissions within three years.
• Increased nutrient return to soils through locally produced compost or digestate.
• Predictable, enforceable waste management operations with clear responsibilities for agencies, haulers, and generators.
• Documented edible food access improvements through transparent recovery metrics.