LOS ANGELES — This past January, a state bill called SB 1383 went into effect to tackle short-lived climate pollutants caused by excessive food waste.

What You Need To Know

  • SB 1383 went into effect to tackle short-lived climate pollutants caused by excessive food waste

  • According to the EPA, food waste comprises 24% of municipal landfill input and contributes to 6.1% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions

  • Fig restaurant generates about 40 to 50 pounds of food waste a day. The waste is processed inside a DYRT machine and turns the food scraps into compost

  • The Fairmont Miramar Hotel will use the compost to enrich its rooftop gardens, which will open later this Spring

Santa Monica’s Fairmont Miramar Hotel has gotten ahead of the bill by investing in a new composting machine.

At the Fairmont Miramar Hotel’s casual dining restaurant, Fig, executive chef Damon Gordon whips up 12 to 15 plates of avocado toast daily.

“Avocado toast has been a real popular dish for us in the community,” says Gordon.

However, once the dish is plated, discarding all the produce creates food waste. 

Fig generates a lot of food waste.

Gordon says between 40 to 50 pounds a day.

To address this, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel has implemented a new composting machine called DYRT, which processes all food scraps into compost. The investment has cost the hotel tens of thousands of dollars.

In January 2024, California’s SB 1383 bill went into effect.

The bill was “enacted to tackle short-lived climate pollutants and has significant implications for hospitality businesses like hotels and restaurants. The bill mandates a 75% reduction in organic waste to landfills by 2025.”

According to the EPA, food waste comprises 24% of municipal landfill input and contributes to 6.1% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

“Instead of using and then throwing the waste away, we’re now repurposing it, which is great for the environment,” says Gordon.

Jackson Cantrell, from DYRT, says that after 21 days of processing food waste, the machine churns out nutrient-rich compost.

“This machine can process 20,000 pounds of food waste every month,” cites Cantrell. 

Gordon says the DYRT machine is a win-win for everyone involved. 

The Fairmont Miramar Hotel will use the compost to enrich its rooftop gardens, which will open later this Spring.

“For us, from a sustainability standpoint, it’s great. It’s part of what we do. It’s a big vision for us here at the Fairmont,” he said.