Wicked Local reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently recognized Wellesley’s 3R Working Group with a 2018 Environmental Merit Award for its food rescue initiative. One of 28 recipients to receive the award, Wellesley’s program diverts edible, surplus food from disposal and donates it to people in need. The Wellesley food rescue initiative…
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Food Recovery Hierarchy ranks source reduction at the top of its priorities as a strategy to reduce wasted food. In Massachusetts, food waste is the largest single material found in the trash. Preventing food waste can have significant beneficial impacts on a business’ bottom line, employee and customer satisfaction,…
Syneron Candela is a global leader in developing and marketing esthetic medical products, such as devices for hair removal, wrinkle treatment, and skin rejuvenation. Syneron Candela is headquartered in Wayland, MA and services more than 100 countries worldwide. Syneron’s Wayland facility signed an Administrative Consent Order with a Penalty (ACOP) with the Massachusetts Department of…
MassLive recently reported on the efforts restaurateurs are taking to curb food waste. The article describes common causes of restaurant food waste and actions restaurants can take to prevent waste in their operations. Because profit margins are typically very thin, restaurants are strongly incentivized to reduce wasted food, which is also wasted money. Common causes…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently released Recycle Smart, a statewide initiative focused on putting the right materials in recycling bins and separating “problem materials” that cause contamination and drive up the cost of recycling. The goal of this initiative is to reduce contamination in materials sent to Massachusetts Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs).…
Waste360 recently reported on several startup companies helping businesses reduce food waste in innovative ways, utilizing technology to make it easier for food waste generators to order inventory more accurately, measure and track their food waste, and identify opportunities to sell oversupplied food at a discount. Each of the following featured startups has built a…
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and World Resources Institute (WRI) recently released a report about cost savings realized by caterers who invest in food waste reduction. WRAP and WRI conducted their research on behalf of Champions 12.3, an international alliance of executives from government, industry, research institutions, and other organizations. The research analyzed…
The Boston Globe recently reported on the efforts of the Mi-Amore, a Winthrop-based food rescue organization that delivers donated food to needy members of the community. Mi-Amore was founded in 2015 by a local husband and wife team who have first-hand experience growing up in a household that is reliant on food assistance. The volunteer-driven…
The Daily Item recently reported on actions being taken by Massachusetts businesses, institutions, and charitable organizations to reduce food waste in their communities. In many cases, these entities are working together to find synergies in reducing the amount of waste they produce, donating excess food, or diverting food scraps to other uses such as composting.…
The Boston Globe recently examined how several Massachusetts higher education institutions are responsibly managing the substantial accumulations of reusable materials on campus. When college and university students leave campus at the end of the school year, they collectively leave behind large quantities of furniture, appliances, clothing, and more. Additionally, many schools are left with surplus…
