The 4th Annual Massachusetts Sustainable Business Awards, hosted by the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN), announced the organization’s 2018 sustainable business winners. The awards are given to leading independent businesses in Massachusetts that are helping to build local, green, and fair economies. The SBN takes a comprehensive approach to sustainability, and the Sustainable Business…
The US EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy ranks source reduction as the top priority for reducing the amount of food sent to landfills. Businesses and institutions with buffet service often face significant challenges in preventing food waste at the source. The struggle to meet demand and ensure buffets appear fully stocked often results in overproduction, and…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently awarded more than $1 million in grant funding to help six recycling companies in the state improve operations and expand the infrastructure needed to address hard-to-recycle materials. This round of Recycling Business Development Grants (RBDG) will help recyclers more effectively handle and process glass, wood, plastics, and…
The National Waste and Recycling Association recently named Wellesley-based Vanguard Renewables the 2018 Organics Recycler of the Year, as reported by the Greenfield Recorder. This represents one of five prestigious recycling awards honoring innovative leaders in the waste and recycling industry. Vanguard was recognized for its portfolio of anaerobic digester operations throughout Massachusetts, which, with…
On November 8, E.L. Harvey & Sons hosted RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the 2018 Fall WasteWise Forum. This forum focused on reducing contamination in the recycling stream, an important and timely topic for businesses, institutions, and recyclers. Below we summarize the top five…
Supply Chain Dive recently reported on advancements in technologies that are addressing food inventory management challenges across the supply chain. The following innovations are transforming how food businesses mitigate food waste, extend product shelf life, and more effectively transport food to consumers. The examples presented here are representative of the technologies currently available in the…
Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton and Northampton collaborated with RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) to implement a successful waste reduction program during their recent day-long Folk Festival. The family-friendly outdoor event drew together 1,200 community members to celebrate the start of the sanctuary’s 75th year celebrations this past September. Event organizers, vendors, and volunteers…
The Williamstown COOL Committee, the town’s environmental group, launched a successful food waste diversion initiative as a part of their work plan for 2018. The COOL Committee collaborated with RecyclingWorks in assisting local businesses and institutions to begin composting their food scraps. Williamstown is currently home to more than 30 small-scale businesses that are collectively…
Mitigating food waste is a complex problem for food distributors, often the result of inconsistencies in forecasting demand and uncontrollable system breakdowns. As described by Spoiler Alert, the management of food waste in food distribution facilities can typically be improved by incorporating four key operational strategies. Each of the following practical solutions will help distributors,…
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)Â is currently accepting applications for its Agricultural Composting Improvement Program (ACIP). The program assists agricultural composters by funding projects and equipment to facilitate best management practices, utilize compost for agricultural purposes, and enhance overall management of agricultural composting operations. Eligible applicants include farmers engaged in production agriculture for commercial…
