Headed to the Cape to put your feet in the sand and a cool drink in your hand? Haley O’Neil and Adam Gracia with CARE for the Cape and Islands and the Use Less Plastic Coalition are kicking off three initiatives to reduce single-use plastics during Plastic Free July. Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) Initiative…
Understanding Reusables: A Comprehensive Overview and Key Resource The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Solid Waste Master Plan outlines goals to reduce waste in MA 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. How do we get there? By everyone doing their part. The MassDEP Reduce and Reuse Working Group identified food establishment single-use waste…
Replacing single-use foodservice container options with reusables can reduce both disposal costs and long-term purchasing needs for restaurants and other food service businesses. According to Clean Water Action, packaging waste makes up approximately 30% of waste disposed of in the US, and these products “consume a tremendous amount of resources — including oil, trees, energy,…
The Recycling & Reuse Business Development Grant (RBDG) program 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. Selected applicants will receive grant awards of between $50,000 and $400,000. Targeted materials for the 2021 RBDG are: Container glass: developing…
As reported by Cape Cod Times, the Massachusetts Oyster Project successfully collected 25,000 pounds of shells from Wellfleet restaurants. These shells will be scattered along the Wellfleet harbor to restore oyster habitat instead of going for disposal. Eight local Wellfleet restaurants signed up for the pilot program and successfully sorted the shells into designated containers…
Restaurateurs and business owners are faced with numerous demands on a regular basis – from pleasing customers, to operational logistics, to balancing books, to adapting to changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. MetroWest Daily News recently highlighted another factor businesses must consider: establishing and maintaining successful recycling and composting programs. Cardboard, bottles and cans,…
As restaurants and eateries have pivoted to offer more to-go meal options during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of single-use packaging has increased. Businesses seeking to save money and reduce waste can reap numerous benefits while demonstrating a commitment to sustainability by reviewing and adopting different practices for to-go items. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) now…
Many in business are familiar with the phrase, “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.” After observing restaurants struggling to monitor their wasted food and reasons for product loss, Phood created a new tool to help businesses track and improve food inventory management. According to Green Biz, Phood has drawn on artificial intelligence technology to…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently released proposed amendments to the solid waste disposal bans (310 CMR 19.000). These changes would add mattresses and textiles as materials that are banned from disposal in Massachusetts, and lower the threshold for the commercial organics ban so that it would apply to businesses generating one-half ton…
During a time when the foodservice industry is experiencing thinner margins and altered operations, reducing food waste can support businesses as they adjust. According to a The Business Case for Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Restaurants, each dollar invested in solutions for kitchen food waste can result in an average of a seven dollar return…
