Senate File 306 - Introduced SENATE FILE 306 BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1138) A BILL FOR An Act providing for the reduction and recovery of excess food 1 items by the department of natural resources. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1192SV (2) 85 da/nh
S.F. 306 Section 1. Section 268.4, Code 2013, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 4A. The center shall cooperate with the 3 department of natural resources in promoting the reduction and 4 recovery of excess food items pursuant to section 455B.317. 5 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 455B.317 Excess food items —— 6 reduction and recovery —— report. 7 1. As used in this section, “excess food item” means any 8 uneaten food or food scrap including ingredients, oils, fats, 9 or other food preparation products that may be wasted by 10 disposal in a landfill or incineration. 11 2. a. The department shall promote the reduction and 12 recovery of excess food items generated on a large scale 13 by businesses formed on a profit or nonprofit basis, state 14 agencies, and local governments. 15 b. The department shall base the resources and strategies 16 described in paragraph “a” on the same priorities set forth 17 in the food recovery hierarchy adopted by the United States 18 environmental protection agency. The department shall develop 19 resources and strategies for practical voluntary use by 20 businesses, state agencies, and local governments. 21 c. The department, including its Iowa waste exchange, shall 22 administer this subsection in cooperation with the Iowa waste 23 reduction center for the safe and economic management of solid 24 waste and hazardous substances established pursuant to section 25 268.4. 26 3. a. The department shall prepare a report that identifies 27 barriers that prevent businesses, state agencies, and local 28 governments from reducing and recovering excess food items, and 29 makes recommendations regarding how state government may better 30 provide resources and strategies described in subsection 2. 31 b. In preparing the report the department shall consult with 32 interested persons who generate a large volume of excess food 33 items, or associations representing such persons, including 34 profit or nonprofit businesses; state agencies, including the 35 -1- LSB 1192SV (2) 85 da/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 306 department of corrections, regents institutions, community 1 colleges, and hospitals; and local governments. 2 c. The department shall submit a report to the governor and 3 general assembly by January 1, 2015. 4 d. This subsection is repealed on January 1, 2015. 5 EXPLANATION 6 This bill provides for the reduction and recovery of excess 7 food items, which includes uneaten food or food scraps, and 8 oils, fats, or other food preparation products that may be 9 wasted by disposal in a landfill or incineration. It requires 10 the department of natural resources (department) to promote 11 the reduction and recovery of excess food items generated 12 on a large scale by businesses, state agencies, and local 13 governments. It requires the department to model its efforts 14 on the food recovery hierarchy adopted by the United States 15 environmental protection agency and includes source reduction, 16 distribution of food to the hungry, animal feed, industrial 17 uses, composting, and finally, waste disposal (landfill or 18 incineration). 19 The department must cooperate with the Iowa waste reduction 20 center for the safe and economic management of solid waste and 21 hazardous substances located at the university of northern 22 Iowa (Code section 268.4). The department is also required 23 to prepare a report that identifies barriers that prevent 24 businesses, state agencies, and local governments from reducing 25 and recovering excess food items, and makes recommendations 26 regarding how state government may better provide resources 27 and strategies. The department must submit a report to the 28 governor and general assembly by January 1, 2015. 29 -2- LSB 1192SV (2) 85 da/nh 2/ 2