The Williamstown COOL Committee, the town’s environmental group, launched a successful food waste diversion initiative as a part of their work plan for 2018. The COOL Committee collaborated with RecyclingWorks in assisting local businesses and institutions to begin composting their food scraps. Williamstown is currently home to more than 30 small-scale businesses that are collectively…
Mitigating food waste is a complex problem for food distributors, often the result of inconsistencies in forecasting demand and uncontrollable system breakdowns. As described by Spoiler Alert, the management of food waste in food distribution facilities can typically be improved by incorporating four key operational strategies. Each of the following practical solutions will help distributors,…
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is currently accepting applications for its Agricultural Composting Improvement Program (ACIP). The program assists agricultural composters by funding projects and equipment to facilitate best management practices, utilize compost for agricultural purposes, and enhance overall management of agricultural composting operations. Eligible applicants include farmers engaged in production agriculture for commercial…
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…
