The RDNO is encouraging food businesses to ReTHINK and keep food waste out of the garbage with changes to regulations around disposal of large food quantities at RDNO Diversion and Disposal Facilities.
Beginning July 1, 2022, RDNO Municipal Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 2832, 2019 will be amended to include “Commercial Food Waste” to its list of Regulated Materials. Loads containing Regulated Materials can be assessed a higher disposal fee than general refuse. This is intended to encourage businesses to prevent food waste, distribute or donate surplus food, and compost remaining food scraps.The first six months that this bylaw amendment comes into effect will be an education and implementation period. Enforcement is planned to commence starting January 1, 2023, and will focus on those loads found to contain primarily food waste from large grocers and food processors. After the first year (July 1, 2023), further enforcement to other sectors of the food service industry will be considered.
Though the initial focus will be on large potential generators of food waste (large grocers and food processors without food waste diversion programs), the ultimate goal is to have all businesses keep food waste out of the garbage. The RDNO offers guides and resources to help businesses implement a food waste diversion that works for them. Some key suggestions for businesses to prioritize are:
- Prevent food waste and reduce the cost of collection service.
- Donate safe and healthy food through food recovery organizations.
- Compost separated food scraps.
“More than half of all food produced in Canada is wasted” stated Jim Schubert, Environmental Services Manager with the RDNO. “If all food wasted in the world was produced by a single country, it would be the third-largest carbon emitter, after China and the USA. When edible food is wasted, all resources from producing that food (including water, land cleared, fertilizer, labour and fuel) are also wasted. Wasting food is also expensive. Retail food stores and food service in B.C. lose an estimated $1.3 billion worth of food per year. This is 57% more than the estimated profit in those sectors”.
Many organizations in the North Okanagan are already leading the way with successful programs to divert food waste from the garbage. Retail food stores and businesses can play a critical role in supporting the sustainability of the North Okanagan. Resources including comprehensive and condensed guides developed from industry-tested ideas and solutions, and food donation guidelines can be found at www.rdno.ca/commercial-food-waste.
The RDNO ReTHINK Waste Project Grant Program provides funding to support innovative, collaborative and community-oriented projects that prevent waste. Initiatives that involve the distribution of surplus food and community composting are encouraged. More information about this program can be found at www.rdno.ca/our-communities/community-grants/rethink-waste-project-grants.