Learn the essential questions to ask before hiring a waste hauler to improve recycling, comply with Massachusetts Waste Bans, and avoid costly contract issues.

For over 60 years, the Head of the Charles Regatta (the Regatta) has welcomed rowers from around the world to compete on its iconic three-mile course along the Charles River. Attracting approximately 400,000 spectators each year, the Regatta’s three-day event is one of the largest rowing events in the world. Over time, organizers have developed…

Each spring, Amherst College observed a significant volume of reusable materials (e.g., room décor, clothes, books) being discarded during student move out. Each fall, many of those same items, such as dorm room essentials, were being purchased again by incoming and returning students. Recognizing this pattern of waste and replacement, the Amherst College Office of…

RecyclingWorks MA hosts a Forum every year to bring together industry professionals and exchange waste reduction solutions

This year marks two milestones worth pausing for: CET’s 50th anniversary and the organization’s 15th year of operating the RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks MA) program. Since its inception, CET has administered RecyclingWorks MA under contract to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), translating policy goals into practical, on-the-ground solutions for businesses and institutions across…

Why More Food Service Businesses are Rethinking Takeout Packaging  For years, single-use takeout containers have been the default choice for restaurant owners. They can be easy to stock, quick to hand out, and built into the rhythm of daily operations. But they also come with a steady stream of costs such as purchasing, storage, and disposal – that many businesses have simply learned to absorb.  …

RecyclingWorks celebrates the work that local food donation organizations are doing in Massachusetts communities.

RecyclingWorks hosted a Compost Site Operators Workshop in MA, focused on the tools needed to evaluate, plan, and execute sustainable composting models at the community scale.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has announced a grant opportunity through the Recycling and Reuse Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program. This program is aimed at expanding infrastructure for the collection, reuse, recycling, and processing of designated target materials. The grants are designed to support the development of sustainable markets for these materials and…

“I’d like to make the switch to reusables, but I want to make sure my local health department allows it.” Local health departments have the final say in the interpretation of the Food Code in regards to their food establishments. The Best Management Practices for Reusable Takeout Containers at Food Establishments in Massachusetts showed that…

RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks MA) is a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) program administered by CET. Closing the Year with Results: RecyclingWorks MA Annual Report Highlights RecyclingWorks MA is pleased to publish the improved 2025 Annual Report. Every year, Recycling Works MA publishes a report that details the impacts of outreach, technical assistance, hotline…

Mount Holyoke College launched its reusable takeout container program through USEFULL in 2022, at a time when many institutions leaned more heavily on disposable packaging due to pandemic-related safety concerns.