GREEN O • New Food Scraps Program

THE OSIDER JULY / AUGUST 2022

How Local Restaurants are Adapting to the New Food Scraps Program

The State of California has implemented SB1383

in an attempt to reduce the carbon emissions of greenhouse gasses by preventing organic waste like food and soiled paper from entering our landfills. The mandate which went into effect in January of 2022, requires that Californians reduce organics disposal by 75% by the year 2025. While this is a difficult task for any California resident or business, this is a particularly heavy request for restaurants as methane that is created from organic waste is primarily generated through the disposal of food scraps. This is why the City of Oceanside, in partnership with Waste Management, has been hard at work promoting the Food Scraps Program in an attempt to ease the transition that is required for all California businesses from the traditional two streams of waste disposal being trash and recycling to the new three streams of trash, recycling, and food scraps. Oceanside began supplying businesses with organics bins back in 2020 with the understanding that SB1383 was going to be a difficult transition for many. While some local businesses are adjusting to the new requirements with the help of the city, others have fully incorporated the Food Scraps Program, and others still have found success and cost saving techniques through innovative sustainable operations along with the implementation of the Food Scraps Program.

The Plot which is located at 1733 S. Coast Hwy is a completely plant-based restaurant whose commitment to sustainability and zero waste is second to none. Co-founders Jessica and Davin Waite have even created The Plot Garden Project which is “a space built to educate, grow, and expand upon the mission of The Plot and connect our community with their source of food.” The Plot adopted zero waste methods early on and has been working with the City of Oceanside to incorporate the Food Scraps Program since well before the required start date in January of 2022. The Plot is also working to help people start thinking about the little changes that can collectively make a big impact like buying locally or avoiding single-use plastics.

While the Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen is adjusting to the requirements set out in SB1383, they have been sustainably sourcing much of their raw

materials locally for years. With recent supply chain issues adding yet another hurdle to operations for most businesses, The Flying Pig has looked to their neighbors for a resolution by sourcing their ingredients from local providers including seafood from San Diego, microgreens from Dedo Verde in Carlsbad, truffle oil from Vista, strawberries grown in Carlsbad, and of course, produce from the Oceanside Farmer’s Market. Expensive supply chain costs and setbacks can be avoided when the supply chain starts and ends within a 10-mile radius. The Flying Pig’s new location at 509 Mission Ave in Oceanside opened in September of 2021 and has been committed to sustainable innovation ever since the original Flying Pig opened back in 2011.

An Oceanside staple, Angelo’s Burgers has been in operation for over 40 years. At a time when inflation is sending the cost of everything up, Angelo’s successful implementation of the food scraps program has helped the restaurant keep costs down which translates to customers saving money on their orders. After speaking with the legend, himself, Angelo stated that their limited space for bin placement was an issue at first, but after working with the City of Oceanside to get the right sized units, implementation has been a success. Angelo’s three Oceanside locations which are all run by either Angelo or one of Angelo’s children are located at 621 N Coast Hwy, 1050 S Coast Hwy, and 2035 S Coast Hwy. They also have a location in Encinitas at 608 S Coast Hwy 101.

The City of Oceanside and Waste Management know that this can be a difficult transition, which is why they have committed to helping business owners implement the new requirements. The City of Oceanside’s Zero Waste Team is assisting by providing free indoor food scraps carts for businesses, offering in-person employee training and educational materials, and by ensuring that the servicing of the food scraps bins remains the least expensive of the three services. The City of Oceanside is looking forward to helping more businesses and restaurants on the road to compliance with regulations set out in SB1383.

For more information on SB1383 or for assistance relating to commercial business requirements please visit GreenOceanside.org or contact the City’s Zero Waste Team at GreenOceanside@oceansideca.org.