Blog Post

2018 EPA Food Recovery Challenge Winners in Massachusetts

December 26, 2018

Earlier this month, the US Environmental Protection Agency recognized three Massachusetts entities with 2018 Food Recovery Challenge (FRC) awards. Food Recovery Challenge participants pledge to prevent and divert wasted food in their operations, and receive recognition for their achievements.

The 2018 FRC National Award Winners include Green Schools Andover, an education and outreach program for Andover Public Schools. Green Schools Andover works with the schools to develop and improve food recovery systems, such as share tables and diverting food scraps to composting. Last year, ten Andover Public Schools, representing over 6,000 students, diverted 226 tons of food material from disposal.

Regional Award Winners for the US EPA New England Region 1 include Boston College and Food for Free.

  • Boston College (BC) Dining Services initiated a front-of-house food waste composting program in one of the largest dining locations on campus. In combination with the ongoing back-of-house programs and expanded education and outreach, the college increased its food waste diversion by nearly 30% in the first year.
  • Cambridge-based Food for Free is a non-profit food rescue organization. They recently launched the Family Meals Program which re-purposes rescued prepared foods into single serving meals for people with limited kitchen access. In 2017, this program rescued 75,000 pounds of prepared food to create over 25,000 meals.

Congratulations to all of the EPA FRC award winners! Visit the US EPA website to learn more about the Food Recovery Challenge and how your organization can participate.

RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts has worked with many FRC award winners in identifying food diversion outlets, improving signage for front and back-of-house collection programs, and training employees on best practices. Our business sector guidance provides information on recycling and food recovery for different sectors. To speak to a food recovery expert, call our hotline: (888) 254-5525 or email us at info@recyclingworksma.com.