“Our customers hold us to a high standard, so we want to hold ourselves to an even higher standard” – Jaclyn Graham, Chief Communications Officer for Nashoba Brook Bakery. On November 10, RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) hosted the Fall 2021 WasteWise Forum Webinar in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the…
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…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has published the final 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan and announced the following amendments to the waste ban regulations, which will be effective on November 1, 2022: Mattresses will be banned from disposal. Textiles will be banned from disposal. The Commercial Organics Disposal Ban will apply to businesses…
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Holyoke College effectively adjusted their operations and used data tracking tools to prevent food waste. Between August 2020 and January 2021, the institution cut the food waste generated on campus by 49% by weight. As described by Leanpath, the private liberal arts college in western Massachusetts adapted to a number…
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, there are more than 400 supermarkets in Massachusetts that are likely subject to the Commercial Organics Waste Ban. There are plenty of cost-effective ways that supermarkets and other food businesses can comply with the ban by reducing or diverting food waste. In a recently published article, Waste…
Reducing waste at work offers many environmental, financial, and social benefits. Recognizing the opportunity for improvement is the first step in the process, but many may wonder, what comes next? RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) experts recently compiled the top five tips to help businesses and institutions reduce waste, increase recycling, and implement new programs. To…
Tatte Bakery & Café has partnered with the nonprofit food rescue organization Rescuing Leftover Cuisine to redirect edible surplus food for donation, according to WickedLocal. The employee-led program launched in June 2020, and currently takes place at ten of the chain’s eighteen locations. With pick-ups on Mondays and Thursdays, the business has recovered about 180…
On November 10, RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) hosted the Fall 2020 WasteWise Forum Webinar in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This year’s fall forum focused on strategies for businesses and institutions that help maximize food waste diversion, with presentations from the Massachusetts College of…
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…
