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H 7735Pollution & Waste

Health and Safety - Organics Diversion at Catered Events Act

Requires caterers at events with over 50 meals to compost food waste and file annual waste diversion plans.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House Environment and Natural Resources

Plain-English Summary

This legislation, known as the "Organics Diversion at Catered Events Act," requires professional caterers to manage food waste responsibly. Specifically, caterers serving events with 50 or more meals must create a plan to separate organic waste for composting and recover surplus food. They are required to file an annual diversion plan with the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and use a compost service provider. Caterers must keep records of their compliance for three years. The bill exempts private home events. Failure to submit the required plan can result in a civil penalty of up to $500.

For younger readers

This law is designed to stop food from being thrown into the trash where it takes up space in landfills. When companies called caterers bring food to big parties or events, there is often a lot of food left over. This bill says that for big events, caterers must make a plan to turn that leftover food into compost. Compost is when old food breaks down to become soil for plants. The caterers have to tell the government their plan and keep records to show they are doing it. This helps the environment.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
CaterersEvent PlannersCompost Service ProvidersDepartment of Environmental ManagementEvent Hosts
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Directly addresses the climate crisis by mandating the diversion of food waste from landfills, which significantly reduces carbon emissions and environmental pollution.
  • Encourages food recovery from large events, potentially increasing the amount of surplus food available to aid food-insecure populations and reduce hunger in the community.
  • Enacts systemic reform by holding commercial entities accountable for their waste output, shifting the responsibility for environmental stewardship onto businesses rather than individuals.
  • The civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars is relatively low and may be viewed by large, profitable catering corporations as a simple cost of doing business rather than a deterrent.
  • By exempting private, noncommercial events at private residences, the bill allows wealthy individuals hosting large, wasteful gatherings to avoid the environmental responsibilities mandated for others.
  • The administrative burden of filing annual plans and maintaining records may disproportionately affect small, independent catering businesses compared to larger corporate entities with dedicated compliance staff.
For Conservatives
  • Explicitly exempts private, noncommercial events held at private residences, safeguarding the privacy and property rights of homeowners from government regulation.
  • Relies on private compost service providers to handle the waste collection rather than creating or expanding a government-run waste management bureaucracy.
  • Establishes a threshold of fifty meals for applicability, ensuring that very small businesses and minor commercial transactions are not burdened by these regulations.
  • Imposes new regulatory burdens on private businesses by requiring the submission of annual government plans and the maintenance of detailed records for three years.
  • Increases operational costs for businesses by mandating the hiring of specific waste haulers, costs which will likely be passed down to consumers hosting weddings and events.
  • Expands government oversight by granting state agencies the authority to audit private business records and investigate compliance, increasing state interference in the free market.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 54 additions

SECTION 1. Legislative findings and purpose. The general assembly finds that food waste constitutes thirteen percent (13%) of carbon emissions in the State of Rhode Island; that the Act on Climate strategic report issued in December of 2025 targets the reduction of food waste through composting; that one-third of the waste in the Johnston land fill is food waste; that food waste generated at catered events constitutes a significant portion of the solid waste stream; that composting and other forms of organic waste diversion reduce disposal costs, conserve landfill capacity, and provide environmental benefits; and that catered events present unique compliance challenges due to their temporary and mobile nature. The purpose of this act is to ensure effective diversion of food waste at larger catered events through the creation of annual diversion plans, requiring food recovery at large catered events, and requiring caterer collaboration with compost service providers.

SECTION 2. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 23-18.20-1. Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Organics Diversion at Catered Events Act.” 23-18.20-2. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Annual diversion plan" means the written statement submitted annually by the caterer to the department of environmental management outlining its food waste diversion plan, identifying its compost service provider, and acknowledging its obligation to compost food waste from catered events.

(2) “Caterer” means any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of preparing or providing food and beverage service at events or locations other than a fixed, licensed food establishment.

(3) "Compost service provider" means a solid waste hauler that collects organic food waste from homes and/or businesses to divert waste from landfills.

(4) “Covered event” means any event at which a caterer serves or prepares food for fifty

(50) or more meals, whether held on public or private property.

(5) “Diversion” means the separation of organic materials from solid waste for the purpose of composting, anaerobic digestion, or other lawful organic recycling as regulated by the department of health and/or department of environmental management.

(6) "Food recovery" means the collection of surplus food, including: unopened, prepackaged, shelf stable items; wrapped fruits and vegetables with a thick skin; and unopened, prepackaged perishable food items, provided a temperature controlled mechanism is in place to maintain a safe temperature for food items. 23-18.20-3. Applicability.

(a) This chapter shall apply to all caterers operating at a covered event.

(b) This chapter shall not apply to:

(1) Private, noncommercial events held at a private residence; or

(2) Events for which no food waste is generated. 23-18.20-4. Annual diversion plan required.

(a) No caterer shall operate at a covered event unless an annual diversion plan has been filed in accordance with this section.

(b) Acknowledgment of receipt of an annual diversion plan by the department of environmental management shall not constitute approval of the plan, endorsement of its contents, or a determination of compliance with environmental laws or regulations.

(c) The department of environmental management shall create the annual diversion plan form, which shall require caterers to provide, at a minimum:

(1) A description of the food waste and organic materials expected to be generated;

(2) The method by which such materials will be source-separated at the event;

(3) The name of the compost service provider that the caterer has engaged; and

(4) A description of collection containers and procedures to be used at covered events. 23-18.20-5. Recordkeeping.

(a) Each caterer subject to this chapter shall maintain records demonstrating compliance with the annual diversion plan including, but not limited to, receipts, weight estimates, or service invoices.

(b) Records shall be retained for a period of three (3) years and shall be made available upon request to the department of environmental management. 23-18.20-6. Enforcement.

(a) The department of environmental management, in coordination with the department of health may audit records and investigate compliance with this chapter.

(b) Any caterer who fails to submit the annual diversion plan shall be subject to a civil penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500). 23-18.20-7. Regulations. The department of environmental management, in consultation with the department of health, may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027, and shall apply to covered events permitted on or after that date.