On May 1, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital hosted RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the 2019 Spring WasteWise Forum. These forums are attended by recycling and sustainability coordinators, facility managers, and professionals in the recycling industry, and are particularly useful for networking and discussion. This year’s spring…
Hampton Farms is a large nut producer and manufacturer operating a 130,000 square foot facility in Springfield with 42 full time staff. The company markets a variety of peanut products from raw in-shell peanuts to nut butters and is expanding its operations in nut processing. Hampton Farms is operating a recycling program for baled cardboard,…
NBC News recently reported on the Food for All mobile app that allows users to buy discounted, leftover food from participating local restaurants. As a result of daily demand fluctuations, restaurants and cafes often find themselves with excess food at the end of the business day. To help prevent this food from going to waste,…
The 2014 Commercial Organics Waste Ban in Massachusetts has led to a 70% increase in the number of businesses and institutions receiving food scraps collection from haulers, Waste Today reports. As of 2018, 45 facilities now accept food scraps in Massachusetts and more than 2300 commercial customers utilize these services. Other cities and states that…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is offering micro-grants of up to $5,000 for entities implementing short-term waste reduction projects in the state of Massachusetts. Waste reduction offers greater benefits than recycling, as it reduces both the volume of materials going to disposal and the volume of raw materials used during manufacturing. Eligible projects…
Recent restrictions on the import of recyclable materials into China have forced businesses, institutions, and governments to focus more on the quality of their recyclables at the point of generation. The impact of the Chinese National Sword policy, and other regional market disruptions, have led the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to work together…
In an article that appears in Green Lodging News, Dan Reuben discusses innovations in the hotel industry since he co-founded Boston Green Tourism in 2005. Hotels have the potential to use large amounts of energy and water, and produce a large quantity of waste. In the article, Reuben writes that the hotel industry has improved…
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and World Resources Institute (WRI) recently released a report about the cost savings realized by restaurants that invest in food waste reduction. WRAP and WRI conducted their research on behalf of Champions 12.3, an international coalition of executives from government, businesses, and institutions, dedicated to accelerating progress towards…
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) hosted the 2019 College & University Forum on March 7, 2019 at Wellesley College. These forum events are attended by facility managers, dining service operators, and recycling and sustainability coordinators, and are particularly useful for networking and discussion. This year’s forum focused on recycling in public spaces and dormitory areas, highlighting…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is continuing to offer low-interest loans to help businesses across the state obtain capital for recycling-related activities. The funding is intended to accelerate the growth of recycling infrastructure and markets throughout Massachusetts. Eligible business activities include: Collecting or separating recyclable materials for resale. Reuse, processing, composting, or converting…
