Newsline By Tina Caparella Fine-tuning the Grease Theft Battle in California Steps toward curtailing grease theft in California are moving forward, renderers learned at a Rendering Industry Advisory Board (RIAB) meeting with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in February. One issue of contention is CDFA’s authority over the removal of inedible kitchen grease (IKG) containers. Over the years, the department has received numerous complaints about new restaurant service providers removing an old service provider’s container from the restaurant. Dr. Douglas Hepper, chief of CDFA’s Meat, Poultry, and Egg Safety Branch, explained that after reviewing current law and consulting with the state’s legal office, it has been determined the department cannot regulate disposition of empty IKG containers. “We currently do not have authority to get involved,” Hepper stated. “Don’t expect us to referee the issue of removing containers.” He recommended that grease collectors have solid service agreements in place and make sure the individual signing an agreement has the authority to do so. Dr. Jan Hershenhouse, CDFA’s IKG Program enforcement lead, highlighted the various activities team members have taken to curtail grease theft in the state. She noted that audits of manifest records, which are usually conducted due to reports of suspicious activity, have been a big help in getting a case of illegal activity through the legal process. CDFA is working on 70 IKG civil cases, enforcing cutoff dates for renewal of licenses and registration, continuing to find and close legal loopholes, and regularly updating its online violator list. Hershenhouse reported that in 2013, the department denied renewal of three transporters and one collection center due to illegal activity and collected $25,850 in fines from seven cases. In the first six weeks of 2014, CDFA denied three IKG transporter registrations, revoked the license of one renderer and two collection centers, and collected $5,000 in fines. “We are the first CDFA branch to be able to take away a business license and shutdown a company or operator for a violation,” Hershenhouse said. Richard Estes, CDFA legal office, clarified that the burden of proof to revoke or suspend a license is on the department, whereas the burden of proof to renew or obtain a license is on the transporter, collection center, or renderer. CDFA can only refuse to renew or approve a license under one of two conditions; either the applicant has a felony record and/or fails to have the proper equipment. Estes said a renderer, collection center, or transporter has the right to know what it did wrong, the right to defend itself against the accusations, and the right to a decision and the reason behind the decision. “This is an administrative process,” he explained. “We need strong cases based on direct evidence, including witnesses. If you’re regularly taking grease from an unregistered transporter, you know where it’s coming from.” Estes stated this type of illegal activity, which involves failure to maintain manifest records of the grease, is cause for penalties and revocation of license, with each occurrence considered a violation. CDFA’s Norma Schroeder said the department is still examining a software database that will take reported thefts and forward them to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The cost and complexity of various software may be a deterrent, so renderers were advised that in the meantime to report thefts on both the CDFA IKG Program website (for statewide theft tracking) and with local police agencies. A three-month survey of border stations provided good data on IKG coming into California along with education of border patrol agents and grease transporters. Other outreach CDFA has conducted include fliers about the program to the general public and law enforcement agencies, reporting grease theft decals available for grease containers, and a panel of RIAB members presenting the state’s grease theft problem and program at the California Biodiesel Alliance conference in San Diego, CA, in January. RIAB member Daniel Stonesifer, president of the San Diego Fats, Oils, and Grease Haulers Association, told the group the Compton Fire Department is now requiring restaurants and grease collectors to obtain a special yearly permit for the recycling of used fats, oils, and greases. It was speculated the new 2013 International Fire Code that suggests more than 300 gallons of IKG be stored in an Underwriters Laboratoriesstamped tank might be behind the city’s requirement. RIAB Chairman Michael Koewler, Sacramento Rendering Company, announced that a new grant and loan program for greenhouse gas reductions from organics and manufacturing with recyclable materials being drafted by CalRecycle would only apply to new technologies. The board voted to support technology-neutral solutions to the recycling of organics. R Centrifuge Chicago Corporation • Balancing • Centrifuge Parts • Repairs Disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and repaired to bring the centrifuge back to specification. Other services available include field service, technical service, rebuild, buy, sell, and upgrade on all types of makes and models of centrifuges. www.centrifugechicago.com (219) 852-5200 CCC 8 April 2014 Render www.rendermagazine.com
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