The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) program is currently accepting applications for its 2018 grant cycle. The RBDG program, now in its third year, is intended to help Massachusetts recycling processors and manufacturers create sustainable markets for eligible materials, and to add value to municipal and business recycling efforts.…
Two Massachusetts higher education institutions recently shared the efforts they are taking to divert food from disposal and to combat hunger in surrounding communities. Wellesley College is joining the list of Massachusetts schools, colleges, and universities participating in the Food for Free donation program. Food for Free is a Cambridge-based non-profit that rescues excess fresh…
Waste360 recently reported on an innovative Massachusetts anaerobic digestion (AD) plant that is expanding its capacity for accepting food waste. The expanded facility at Crapo Hill Landfill in New Bedford will begin accepting loose and packaged food for processing, providing an additional outlet for businesses and institutions in the region subject to the Massachusetts Commercial…
The National Restaurant Association and ReFED recently released two resources designed to help restaurants improve sustainability by diverting food waste from disposal. First, the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) report on The State of Restaurant Sustainability 2018 aims to help restaurants of all sizes improve their sustainability practices. The report identifies food waste reduction as an…
The Daily Free Press recently described how a Boston-based startup, Food for All, is combating food waste and considering a new partnership with Boston University (BU). Food for All launched in partnership with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in October 2016 and is rapidly expanding. The startup aims to prevent edible food…
Saus is a locally-owned eatery on Union Street in Boston, specializing in preparing inspired dishes from scratch. The restaurant serves a constantly changing menu, but prides itself on one regular staple: hand-cut fries complemented by 15 unique sauces, as well as homemade mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, and gravy. Saus was recognized by Boston Magazine, receiving…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection recently awarded nearly $1 million in Recycling Business Development Grants (RBDG) to six recycling companies in the state. The RBDG program helps businesses tackle difficult-to-recycle materials, such as contaminated food materials, construction and demolition wood, and bulky rigid plastics. The funds will help these businesses expand their operations and…
A recent blog post by Spoiler Alert predicts the top three trends expected to make it easier for businesses to manage food inventory and prevent waste in 2018. ‘Root-to-Stem’ and ‘Nose-to-Tail’ Strategies The first trend is related to the source reduction of food waste, which the EPA ranks as the top priority for reducing the…
A recent Biocycle article describes how new depackaging facilities across Massachusetts are making it easier for businesses to divert packaged food materials from disposal. Packaged foods may be thrown away when they are out-of-date, mislabeled, damaged, or spoiled. To cut down on this avoidable waste, new facilities are being developed to efficiently remove food from…
A recent Waste Dive article discusses the growth of the food recovery marketplace in Massachusetts, including expansion in tons of diverted food waste, quantity of customers served by organics waste haulers, and number of end-sites available for processing food waste. This article was based on a presentation by MassDEP at its Organics Subcommittee meeting held…
