Exciting News: We are on Instagram! Since 2012, RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts has been dedicated to helping Massachusetts businesses reduce waste and maximize recycling, reuse, and food recovery opportunities. We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Instagram account! While we’re already connecting with you on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), we found that…
Mei Mei Dumplings, located in South Boston, is setting a great example for sustainable business practices. Since opening their doors in 2012, Mei Mei has been dedicated to reducing waste and minimizing their environmental impact. Mei Mei has always been passionate about diverting food scraps, and through a partnership with CERO they’ve implemented a comprehensive…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has announced a Reduce, Reuse, Repair MicroGrant Program. These grants award up to $10,000 to for-profit and non-profit organizations, regional authorities, eligible municipalities, and schools/colleges, for short-term waste reduction projects (≤1 year). To qualify, projects must focus on reducing waste generation and prolonging the lifespan of products via…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has posted a grant application to support the collection and processing of specified target materials through the Recycling and Reuse Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program. This grant program is focused on expanding the infrastructure for collection, reuse, recycling, and other defined processing for specified target materials. These grants…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released new reports that quantify the environmental impacts of wasted food. In response to these findings, the EPA introduced the Wasted Food Scale (pictured below), an iteration of the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy. The Wasted Food Scale is designed to empower individuals, businesses, institutions, and more with the…
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) publishes an annual report that details the impacts of our outreach, technical assistance, hotline, presentations, resources, and more. We recently published the annual report for Fiscal Year 2023. Key successes included: Approximately 1,430 tons of material diverted from disposal, contributing to an overall cumulative direct program impact of nearly 324,000 tons…
Recent years have taught us that medical personal protective equipment (PPE), or the masks, gowns, gloves, etc. that keep front line workers and patients safe, are indispensable. In March 2023, Alliance Health & Human Services (AHHS), which owns, operates, and manages several skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities in Massachusetts, encountered a large amount of surplus…
Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical company with an administrative headquarters in Cambridge, is fixed on a zero-waste goal. By 2025, they aim to be 100% disposal-free. The path to zero waste is paved with choices. Where should recycling and food waste receptacles be located? Is reusable or recyclable serviceware the better option? Whose responsibility is it…
On the surface a beloved diner and a commercial construction manager might not have much in common. But the reality is that every business can benefit from new or improved waste handling practices. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) excited to present two recent case studies that showcase environmentally responsible and community supported waste management programs: Johnny’s…
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), hosted the RecyclingWorks MA Fall 2022 Forum virtually on November 9, 2022. This year’s forum focused on updates and resources to help businesses and institutions understand and comply with changes to MassDEP waste disposal bans on commercial food waste, textiles, and…
The dining halls and eateries at colleges and universities are ripe with waste prevention opportunity. Transitioning away from single-use takeout containers is one way institutions can significantly reduce their waste and carbon footprints. This year, Mount Holyoke College swapped out its single-use food containers and cups for returnables. The college accomplished this by partnering with…
Northeast Paving, a contractor that produces asphalt, paves roads, and constructs roadways, is conscious about the way its offices separate recyclables and handle food waste. Intent on maximizing waste diversion, Northeast Paving reached out to the RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) hotline for assistance with recycling and food scraps collection at their Northfield office. RecyclingWorks staff…
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) publishes an annual report that details the impacts of our outreach, technical assistance, hotline, presentations, resources, and more. We recently published the annual report for Fiscal Year 2022. Key successes included: Approximately 1,500 tons of material diverted from disposal, contributing to an overall cumulative program impact of nearly 250,000 tons of…
Construction projects can create a significant amount of waste, filling up dumpsters and costing money in tipping fees. However, there are a number of outlets that exist for usable building materials extracted from a site before demolition begins. Common casualties of construction, such as usable furniture, fixtures like cabinets and toilets, lumber and windows and…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) program is currently accepting applications for the 2020 cycle. The program provides grant awards between $50,000 and $400,000 to recycling processors and manufacturers for projects that foster stronger local recycling markets and add value to municipal and business recycling efforts. This year, the…
River Valley Co-op is a 17,000 square foot community-owned food cooperative in Northampton. In addition to traditional grocery items, the co-op has a prepared foods section, a self-service hot bar, and an extensive bulk section. Since their opening in 2008, River Valley Co-op has implemented a variety of waste diversion programs, including comprehensive recycling and…
The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) was recently awarded the College/University Partner of the Year for the 2018 national WasteWise awards. WasteWise is a free program – sponsored nationally by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in Massachusetts by the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) – designed to help private and public organizations work to reduce…
Seeking new strategies to reduce food waste, many businesses in Massachusetts are leveraging advances in technology that help connect excess food to local outlets. A recent WBUR story spotlights several mobile app and software solutions helping organizations in the Boston area cut their food waste. The Boston-based restaurant chain Boloco has partnered with Food For…
The Northampton Chamber of Commerce recently organized a Centennial Gala event, which was hosted at the Academy of Music. The event provided entertainment and catered meals, drawing in more than 350 attendees. The Chamber connected with RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) for assistance with diverting the event waste from the landfill. The Chamber worked closely with…
The Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) is a mosque and community center, located in Roxbury, serving over 1,500 congregants at its weekly services. Each year the mosque holds a month of programming in observation of Ramadan, which includes educational activities and a nightly community meal. The mosque connected with RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks)…
Businesses and institutions that host large-scale events often face the challenge of managing the excess food and single-use materials generated during these events. As reported by Harvard Law Today, the 2019 Harvard Law School Commencement recently demonstrated how to implement a robust waste diversion program for a one-day event while serving prepared lunches to more…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP’s) 2014 commercial organics disposal ban has already had a significant impact on the state’s diversion of food materials, as well as growth in the food waste marketplace. Since the ban was implemented, annual food waste diversion has increased by 180,000 tons, food donation has increased by 22%, and…
Green Biz recently reported on how the World Resources Institute (WRI) is taking steps to reduce office food waste in line with state, federal, and international food waste reduction goals. Below are some strategies and steps that your organization can take to address and reduce wasted food: If your office does not already have one,…
According to the USDA, approximately half of the average American’s food budget is allocated to meals eaten outside the home. As quick service and fast casual restaurants become ubiquitous, there is also an associated increase in the amount of waste produced. Many Boston area restaurants are taking steps through their purchasing and operations to reduce…
The MassDEP Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) program is currently accepting applications for its 2019 grant cycle. The program provides grant awards between $50,000 and $400,000 for projects that encourage growth in recycling markets of harder to recycle materials. The program will consider projects that promote the processing, manufacturing, or reuse of one or more specific eligible…
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…
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 seeking applicants for the position of Environmental Analyst III. This Boston-based position is responsible for managing the Waste & Recycling Inspector program within MassDEP’s Division of Business Compliance and Recycling, which is located within the Bureau of Air and Waste (BAW). The Environmental Analyst III is an…
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).…
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Food Recovery Hierarchy ranks feeding hungry people near the top of its priorities as a strategy to reduce wasted food. When businesses and institutions donate edible wholesome food, it has a positive impact on the environment while also supporting the local community and economy. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection…
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…
In November, the US Environmental Protection Agency recognized 14 Massachusetts entities with 2017 Food Recovery Challenge (FRC) Awards. Food Recovery Challenge participants pledge to prevent and divert wasted food in their operations. Food Recovery Challenge National Award Winners include Massachusetts businesses Signature Breads in Chelsea and Spoiler Alert in Boston. Last year alone, Signature Breads…
On November 9, RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts co-hosted a Food Sustainability Symposium in Easthampton, MA, focusing on effective food waste solutions for businesses and institutions. Symposium attendees learned from their peers about different strategies for cost effectively diverting food scraps and surplus food from…
This fall, several facilities in Massachusetts are starting to accept packaged food material for depackaging. These facilities have installed infrastructure to separate food material from its packaging allowing the wasted food to be fed into an anaerobic digester, composted, or used to produce animal feed. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) list of organizations…
The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) recently featured the Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban in a Success Story Video. ECOS is an association that helps state agencies to improve human and environmental health in the US. Massachusetts is one of the first states in the nation to implement an organics disposal ban. The ban,…
The University of Oregon Campus Zero Waste Program put together this extensive Zero Waste Campus Toolkit to help colleges and universities create a Zero Waste Campus. This toolkit contains resources regarding the concept of Zero Waste, Zero Waste management practices and a sample Zero Waste campus pledge and model policy. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts has assisted…
The April 29, 2015 meeting summary, presentations, and handouts including March 2015 working draft fact sheets from Harvard Food Law and policy Clinic on food donation are now available on the MassDEP website here: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/news/advisory-committees/swac-organics-subcommittee-.html RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts assists businesses and institutions with recycling and food waste reduction through composting and food donation. To speak…
RecyclingWorks worked with CERO, an employee-owned organics hauler, to set up a successful composting program for America’s Food Basket, a supermarket chain in Boston. The supermarkets now divert 4.5 tons per week of source separated organics, totaling 234 tons annually. To learn more, read the case study here. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is a recycling assistance…
A Boston Magazine article recently highlighted the work of Food For Free, a Cambridge-based non-profit, collects unused food from farmers’ markets, grocery stores, bakeries, and universities and donates it to food pantries, schools, and individuals in need of healthy food. Sasha Purpura, executive director of Food For Free, says “Our mission is to address hunger…
This Boston Globe article highlights efforts made by Harvard University, among many other businesses and institutions, to donate food rather than throw it away. Harvard’s undergraduate dining halls generate 2,500 pounds of leftovers, which are now being given to needy families in Boston through Food for Free, a non-profit organization in Cambridge. The article mentions…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental protection has issued this press release celebrating the start of our state’s first-in-the-nation commercial organics waste ban. Check out our food waste page for more information on how you and your business can help to divert food waste.
This press release from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection details the anaerobic digesting facility that Stop & Shop plans to build at their distribution facility in Freetown. Though Stop & Shop already diverts unsold food to farms and composters, this new equipment will allow energy to be generated from the unwanted food, taking in up…
Join Reuse Alliance MA for the 2013 Reuse Summit at EcoBuilding Bargains in Springfield! When: October 22nd, 12pm-3:30pm Where: EcoBuilding Bargains, 83 Warwick Street ,Springfield MA 01104 RSVP and more information: http://reusesummitma2013.eventbrite.com/
In FY13 RecyclingWorks responded to over 300 hotline callers, provided technical assistance to more than 40 businesses and institutions, wrote and posted 13 case studies and diverted an estimated 8,800 tons of material from disposal. For more information, check out our FY13 Year End Report below. FY13 Year End Report
The upcoming Massachusetts commercial food waste ban is highlighted in this article from MassLive.com. The article highlights the efforts of the Big Y supermarket chain, which has received significant assistance from the RecyclingWorks program!
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has posted the following updated information relative to organics and food waste programs on the MassDEP web site: Updated Organics Action Plan – this replaces the May 2012 version and provides updated program status as of June 2013: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dep/public/committee-4/orgplan12.pdf Updated List of Food Materials Processing Facilities: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dep/recycle/reduce/06-thru-l/fcdcmpst.pdf
Check out this article from boston.com about Babson College and their preparation for the Massachusetts commercial food waste ban that begins in 2014. Their three-step program begins with pre-consumer food waste, and will ultimately include post-consumer food waste as well. Babson College launching pilot food waste diversion program this summer
Release No. 0112.13 Contact: Office of Communications (202) 720-4623 Printable version USDA and EPA Launch U.S. Food Waste Challenge Calls on both Public Sector and Private Industry to reduce food waste WASHINGTON, June 4, 2013 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the U.S.…
Check out this article from Eco Mass News about the upcoming Massachusetts food waste ban, highlighting assistance provided by the RecyclingWorks program to the Blue Man Group! Find the article Here, and also take a look at our Blue Man Group Case Study.
We’ve updated our business sector guidance page for colleges and universities with a new case study! Learn how Harvard University achieves 55% waste diversion, despite limited storage and dock space, by utilizing technology and student involvement. Harvard Case Study
Take a look at the RecyclingWorks Newsletter for June! Content includes four new case studies, news on waste diversion programs at Big E’s Supermarket, Berkshire Community College, the upcoming WasteWise Forum and more. Find the current edition here (link). To receive the monthly newsletter in your inbox, fill out the form below! Sign Up Today!…
The Boston Business Journal recently announced the winners for The Best Green Practices, and The Furniture Trust is thrilled to have won in the category of Innovation. Check out the article from the Boston Business Journal below, which highlights their dontations to victims of Hurricane Sandy. (Click HERE to read the full article)
We’ve updated our business guidance page for offices with a new case study! Learn how Genzyme’s cafeterias introduced a composting program, diverting 6,620 lbs of food waste in the first year of the program! Read the article (PDF) here, or visit our sector guidance page for offices for more information.
Check out our new restaurant case study! Learn about the steps taken by the Clio Restaurant in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood to divert as much as 25 tons of food waste annually. Find the PDF here (link), or visit our page for restaurant business sector guidance.
Here’s an interesting article from the April 27th edition of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, which highlights the efforts of some Worcester area colleges and universities to divert food waste. More than just french fries! Worcester State and Assumption are mentioned, both of whom received guidance from RecyclingWorks! Follow this link for the full article!
We’ve added a new case study to our business sector guidance page for hospitals. The case study is a ten year follow up for Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, MA, and outlines the steps they took to realize a $32,000 savings in waste disposal costs! Read the full text here(link).
The Center for EcoTechnology celebrated Earth Day on Monday with the launch of their new solar panel installation at EcoBuilding Bargains! Check out an article about the event from MassLive.com (Link).
Take a look at the RecyclingWorks Newsletter for April! Content includes three new case studies, news on waste diversion programs at Assumption College in Worcester, MA, and upcoming events. Find the current edition here (link). To receive the monthly newsletter in your inbox, fill out the form below! Sign Up Today! * required Email Address:…
The EcoRI News published this article about the upcoming Massachusetts commercial food waste ban, and the sytems developed by the Blue Man Group and the Charles Playhouse to divert over 42 tons of recyclables and food scraps from their waste stream. Also check out our Blue Man Group Case Study!
Stop and Shop is again in the news, this time for their goal to decrease their carbon footprint by 20% by 2015. “Stop & Shop is committed to responsible retailing, knowing that what’s good for society is good for business too,” says Joe Kelley, president, Stop & Shop New England, in a statement. “We continuously…
Here’s an interesting piece from Plastics News about Hannaford and Stop and Shop Supermarkets, and their respective programs to carry out back-end rigid plastics recycling! These programs are pilots for the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers, with the goal of capturing more that 350 million pounds of rigid plastics generated by supermarkets in the United States.
CET is an equal opportunity employer. To learn more about the jobs that are available, please click on the titles below. EcoFellowship positions available Business Systems Manager – Northampton MassDEP Green Business Specialist – Boston EcoFellowship positions 2013-2014 The Center for EcoTechnology is seeking qualified college graduate candidates for a one-year paid fellowship position to work with…
Check out the following press release from the US EPA. Amongst the honorees is Clark University, which has received significant support from RecyclingWorks over the past year! News Release U.S. Environmental Protection Agency New England Regional Office April 1, 2013 Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017 Seven New England Colleges and Universities Honored for Food Waste…
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), a project of sustainability non-profit organization GreenBlue, announced the successful completion of the soft launch phase of its How2Recycle recycling labeling system. Full Text Here
Here’s a video describing the Beth Israel Hospital Composting Program! The video describes their unique system of color-coding the containers as the customers choose them (salad, soups, drinks) as compostable, recyclable or landfill. Then at the disposal area, the colors are repeated on the appropriate containers. They also have signage above. http://bcove.me/9et72cbe
Original article from the Northeast Recycling Council: The Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers (APR) has announced the availability of new online resources created to help grocery chains recycle more of the plastic containers they use and empty onsite. The program is aimed at recycling the more than 350 million pounds of plastic containers that…
Here’s an article about the proposed Massachusetts commercial food waste ban from The South Coast Today. A lot valuable information!
Here’s an interesting article from Biocycle Magazine about Weis Markets, Inc, a 163-store grocery chain. Read about how Weis Markets increased sustainability and cut costs by implementing a chain-wide composting program! Full text here.
RecyclingWorks has a newsletter! Take a look at the March edition. If you’re interested in having the monthly newsletter delivered to your inbox, sign up in the form below! Sign Up Today! * required Email Address: * First Name: Last Name: Email Marketing by VerticalResponse
This article from the Sunday, March 3rd edition of the Worcester Telegram highlights some interesting information about anaerobic digesters in Massachusetts. Besides diverting organic waste from landfills, digesters produce heat and electricity, produce fertilizer, provide dollar savings from waste disposal, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use. Massachusetts is considering several sites for…
We’ve added a new case study to our business sector guidance page for Venues! Read about how bottle and can recycling saved Davis Farmland over $600 in 2012. You can find the case study here (PDF), or check out our Stadium/Venue guidance page!
Check out this interesting article from SeaCoast Online about organic waste collection in Hamilton, Massachusetts. Their revolutionary program not only saved the city an estimated $200,000 dollars in 2012, but makes them one of the greenest communities on the East Coast!
There’s a new case study posted in our Hospitals sector guidance section! Learn about the steps Cooley Dickinson Hospital took to add front-of-house post-consumer composting, and how they led to a diversion of 60 tons of food waste! Get the PDF here.
Learn more about the RecyclingWorks program with this article and interview from WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Greg Cooper from Mass DEP and Lorenzo Macaluso from the Center for Ecotechnology discuss waste management challenges and opportunities for Massachusetts businesses. Find the original article as well as audio content here. Massachusetts Begins New Recycling Program For Businesses By LUCAS…
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is a no-cost recycling assistance program designed to help businesses and institutions maximize recycling, reuse, and composting opportunities across the state. Since the program’s launch one year ago, RecyclingWorks has assisted 185 businesses across Massachusetts with waste reduction activities like recycling and composting. “RecyclingWorks is already having a significant impact across the…
