5 ms·

> That's not why restaurants throw away food. They do it because of liability laws. Here is an organization that collects excess food from restaurants, etc, an

by danans 6y ago

> That's not why restaurants throw away food. They do it because of liability laws. Here is an organization that collects excess food from restaurants, etc, and uses it to provide 20K meals a week to hungry people (in supposedly over-regulated San Francisco no less): http://www.foodrunners.org/ http://www.foodrunners.org/ If restaurants are throwing away food, it's because they don't care about the waste because there is no financial loss to them - and there are no local organizations like Food Runners to facilitate the donation.

jedberg 6y ago
They assume the liability: http://www.foodrunners.org/donor-liability/ http://www.foodrunners.org/donor-liability/
- danans 6y ago
  No they do not assume liability. From Public Law 104-210 - OCT. 1, 1996 (linked from that page): "(2) LIABILITY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—A nonprofit organization shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that the nonprofit organization received as a donation in good faith from a person or gleaner for ultimate distribution to needy individuals." The protections for nonprofits doing this sort of work are pretty extensive, in part because many such organizations in the US are religiously affiliated nonprofits.
  - jedberg 6y ago
    Right exactly. They are not liable, but the donator isn't either. They've essentially erased the risk for the restaurant.
    - danans 6y ago
      > That's not why restaurants throw away food. They do it because of liability laws. Regarding the food distribution nonprofits: > They assume the liability > Right exactly. They are not liable I'm not sure how to reconcile those comments of yours, but regardless, I think we agree that donations of food to non-profits for distribution to the needy incurs no liability for any of the parties involved, and haven't since 1996. It is a persistent myth that liability is a major disincentive to food donation, motivated by who-knows-what. The USDA has even clearer guidance on this subject here: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-good-samaritan-faqs.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-good... And there are no lack of organizations to facilitate these donations with no liability: https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm

by danans 6y ago

jedberg 6y ago

They assume the liability: http://www.foodrunners.org/donor-liability/ http://www.foodrunners.org/donor-liability/

danans 6y ago
No they do not assume liability. From Public Law 104-210 - OCT. 1, 1996 (linked from that page): "(2) LIABILITY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—A nonprofit organization shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that the nonprofit organization received as a donation in good faith from a person or gleaner for ultimate distribution to needy individuals." The protections for nonprofits doing this sort of work are pretty extensive, in part because many such organizations in the US are religiously affiliated nonprofits.
- jedberg 6y ago
  Right exactly. They are not liable, but the donator isn't either. They've essentially erased the risk for the restaurant.
  - danans 6y ago
    > That's not why restaurants throw away food. They do it because of liability laws. Regarding the food distribution nonprofits: > They assume the liability > Right exactly. They are not liable I'm not sure how to reconcile those comments of yours, but regardless, I think we agree that donations of food to non-profits for distribution to the needy incurs no liability for any of the parties involved, and haven't since 1996. It is a persistent myth that liability is a major disincentive to food donation, motivated by who-knows-what. The USDA has even clearer guidance on this subject here: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-good-samaritan-faqs.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-good... And there are no lack of organizations to facilitate these donations with no liability: https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm