San Mateo County has vibrant communities, successful businesses, and superb weather—all of which inspire residents and businesses to organize a wide range of indoor and outdoor events. With any event; however, comes the inevitable byproduct: waste.
We encourage event organizers to incorporate effective resource management practices for their events. By reducing, reusing, and recycling the materials generated by your event, you can:
- Help maintain a sustainable community by conserving natural resources
- Save cost by reducing the volume of materials sent to landfill
California State Law AB 2176
AB 2176 requires operators of large venues and organizers of large events to develop a waste-reduction plan, and to report the results of that plan to the designated local agency.
Your agency, organization or venue must comply with the AB 2176 event reporting requirements if you meet the following guidelines:
- If your event averages more than 2,000 participants (attendees, staff, vendors, etc.) per day; AND it falls into either of the following categories:
- There is a fee to participate in the event
- The event is sponsored by a City or County Agency
- Large venues need to comply if they are a permanent facility that seats or serves an average of more than 2,000 participants (attendees, staff, vendors, etc…) per typical day of operation.
Edible Food Recovery & Donation
Large events that either provide or allow for food to be provided must comply with the local jurisdiction’s edible food recovery requirements.
Edible Food Recovery helps eradicate food insecurity and waste and limits the effects of climate change by reducing methane gas emissions. Throughout the State of California, edible food recovery is now a mandatory program under SB 1383 for many food generators.
Donate any leftover edible food to local food banks. For more information on edible food recovery requirements or lists of local food banks please visit San Mateo County’s Office of Sustainability’s Edible Food Recovery webpage.