Common Waste Ban Materials
Cardboard, paper, bottles and cans, food material, mattresses, box springs, and textiles.
Waste Reduction Guidance for Hotels & Hospitality Businesses
RecyclingWorks MA provides no-cost technical assistance to help Massachusetts hospitality businesses identify waste reduction opportunities, train staff, and implement effective recycling and food material management programs.
Sector Snapshot
Hotel Waste Reduction at a Glance
Key Opportunities
Prevent wasted food, donate surplus food, divert food scraps, improve recycling collection, and recover reusable materials.
Important Requirements
Hospitality businesses generating one-half ton or more of food material per week are subject to the Massachusetts Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban.
Where to Start
Recommended Waste Reduction Actions for Hospitality Businesses
Hospitality businesses can reduce disposal costs and improve sustainability by focusing on food waste prevention, surplus food donation, food scrap diversion, recycling, staff training, and the recovery of reusable materials.
Prevent Wasted Food
Review purchasing, preparation, storage, and service practices to identify opportunities to prevent food from being wasted.
Explore food waste preventionDonate Surplus Food
Establish partnerships with food rescue organizations to donate safe, edible food that would otherwise be discarded.
Learn about food donationDivert Food Scraps
Collect food scraps from kitchens, restaurants, banquet services, and other food service areas for diversion.
Review separation practicesImprove Recycling Collection
Provide convenient, clearly labeled bins for cardboard, paper, bottles, cans, and other accepted recyclable materials.
View recycling guidanceTrain Employees
Make sure kitchen, housekeeping, banquet, maintenance, and other employees understand sorting specifications required for optimal diversion.
Explore staff training toolsRecover Specialized Materials
Explore reuse and recycling options for mattresses, box springs, and textiles, which are banned from disposal in Massachusetts, as well as furniture, equipment, and other materials generated by lodging facilities.
Find material guidanceMassachusetts Waste Ban
Could the Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban Apply to Your Business?
The Massachusetts Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban applies to businesses and institutions that generate one-half ton or more of food material per week. The current threshold took effect on November 1, 2022.
Hotels, resorts, conference centers, and hospitality businesses with restaurants, banquet services, or other food operations may generate enough food materials to be subject to this requirement.
½ ton
of wasted food per week
RecyclingWorks MA can help you:
- Estimate how much wasted food your business generates
- Identify opportunities to prevent wasted food
- Establish or improve a food donation program
- Find food scrap collection and processing options
- Train employees and improve sorting practices
Recycling Best Practices
Collect Cardboard, Paper, and Containers Effectively
A well-designed recycling program makes it easier for employees and guests to sort materials correctly while reducing contamination.
Hotels and hospitality businesses in Massachusetts often use a single-stream recycling program to collect cardboard , paper , and plastic, metal, and glass containers .
Communication with employees is especially important in kitchens, banquet areas, housekeeping operations, and other back-of-house spaces. Employees should understand which materials are accepted and where collection bins are located.
Place recycling bins near trash bins and use clear, consistent labels to make proper sorting easier.
Confirm What Your Hauler Accepts
Recycling requirements can vary by service provider. Ask your hauler which materials are accepted, how they should be prepared, and what types of contamination should be avoided.
Food Material Management
Prevent, Donate, and Divert Food Material
Hospitality businesses can reduce the amount of food sent for disposal by prioritizing prevention, food donation, and food scrap diversion.
Prevent Wasted Food
Track what is being discarded and identify recurring causes of waste, such as overproduction, spoilage, improper storage, or oversized portions.
- Review purchasing and inventory practices
- Improve food storage and labeling
- Adjust production and portion sizes
- Consider feeding staff
Donate Edible Food
Surplus prepared food and unused ingredients may be eligible for donation to food rescue organizations, shelters, food pantries, and other community partners.
- Identify safe, edible surplus food
- Partner with a local food rescue organization
- Develop storage and pickup procedures
- Train employees on donation requirements
Divert Food Scraps
Food that cannot be prevented or donated may be collected for composting, anaerobic digestion, or animal feed.
- Place collection containers conveniently
- Confirm accepted materials with the hauler
- Post clear, simple, picture based signage
- Train employees on separation requirements
- Monitor contamination and employee participation
Where Food Materials May Be Generated
Review Food Materials Across the Entire Property
Food may come from more than the main restaurant or kitchen. Review every food service area when evaluating your program.
Hotel kitchens
Restaurants and cafés
Banquet services
Room service
Breakfast service
Bars and lounges
Employee dining areas
Conferences and guest events
Featured Resource
Hotel Food Materials Diversion Guide
Review practical recommendations for preventing wasted food, donating edible surplus, and starting or improving a food scrap diversion program.
Employee Engagement
Train Staff Across Every Department
Successful recycling and food management programs depend on consistent participation from employees throughout the property. Training should reflect the materials, responsibilities, and collection systems used in each operational area.
Kitchen and Food Service
Train employees to prevent wasted food, identify edible surplus, separate food scraps, and recycle accepted materials.
- Food waste prevention practices
- Donation procedures
- Food scrap separation
- Packaging and container recycling
Housekeeping
Provide clear instructions for collecting recyclables from guest rooms and managing reusable or recyclable materials during room turnover.
- Guest room recycling
- Collection cart setup
- Reusable hospitality supplies
- Textile collection if laundry is on site
Banquets and Events
Establish procedures for sorting food, service ware, cardboard, bottles, cans, and other materials generated before, during, and after events.
- Event setup and breakdown
- Food donation coordination
- Back-of-house collection
- Vendor and temporary staff instructions
Facilities and Maintenance
Review separation specifications, contamination issues, container types and placement as well as communication with service providers.
To move separated materials around the facility, use clearly separated carts or dual barrel dollys.
- Bin placement and labeling
- Internal collection routes
- Contamination monitoring
- Hauler coordination
Featured Training Resource
Single-Stream Recycling Training for Hospitality Employees
RecyclingWorks MA developed an easy-to-use training presentation to help hospitality businesses teach employees which materials belong in single-stream recycling and how to prevent contamination.
Easy to implement
Designed for hospitality staff
Supports consistent sorting
Training Best Practices
Make Training Part of Regular Operations
Use real examples
Show employees the materials they handle during a normal shift.
Train new employees
Include recycling and food material management procedures in onboarding.
Provide refreshers
Repeat training when materials, haulers, or procedures change.
Monitor results
Check bins regularly and address common sorting mistakes.
Recover Specialized Materials
Give Furniture and Equipment a Second Life
Renovations, upgrades, and routine replacements can generate large quantities of furniture and equipment. Planning for reuse before materials need to leave the property can create more opportunities for donation, resale, internal reuse, and recycling.
Plan for Reuse Early
Start thinking about reuse as soon as replacement furniture or equipment is being considered. For larger renovation projects, include reuse in early conversations about the project timeline, budget, moving, and storage.
Know What You Have
Create an inventory of surplus items before contacting reuse organizations. Record the item type, quantity, condition, dimensions, location, and photos so potential recipients can quickly understand what is available.
Find the Right Reuse Outlet
Depending on the quantity, quality, condition, and timeline, furniture and equipment may be reused internally, donated to a local organization, placed through a reuse service, refurbished, resold, or liquidated.
Recycle What Cannot Be Reused
Items that are no longer suitable for reuse or repair may still have recycling options. Metal furniture is commonly recyclable, and mattresses can be dismantled so components such as metal, wood, and textiles can be recovered.
Materials to Consider
Identify Waste Ban Materials and Recycling Options
Mattresses, box springs, and textiles are included in the Massachusetts Waste Bans and should not be disposed of in the trash. Other materials generated during renovations, replacements, and property upgrades may have opportunities for reuse, donation, refurbishment, resale, or recycling.
Hospitality Success Stories
Waste Reduction in Action
See how hotels and hospitality businesses across Massachusetts have reduced waste through food donation, food scrap separation, recycling, reuse, and employee engagement.
Featured Case Study
Boston, Massachusetts
Food Donation and Composting
The Lenox Hotel
The Lenox Hotel developed a comprehensive food recovery program across its restaurants, employee cafeteria, banquet kitchen, and other food service operations. Employees separate edible surplus food for donation and collect food scraps for composting.
What They Did
- Introduced convenient collection systems in kitchens and dishwashing areas
- Separated preparation waste and post-consumer food scraps
- Partnered with a local organization to donate prepared meals
- Provided ongoing employee training and clear signage
- Reduced the volume and frequency of trash collection
Annual Impact
156 tonsof food scraps diverted for composting each year
Up to 80 meals
donated each month
Recycling, Donation, and Organics
Boston, Massachusetts
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
37%+
reduction in average monthly waste disposal costs
The Westin developed a comprehensive waste diversion program that includes single-stream recycling, food waste prevention, food donation, food scrap diversion, and the recovery of hospitality supplies.
What They Did
- Added recycling collection to guest rooms and common areas
- Diverted nearly 65 tons of food waste annually
- Donated approximately 1,400 meals during the program’s first six months
- Recovered leftover soap and guest-room amenities
- Provided ongoing employee training and sustainability activities
Recycling and Employee Engagement
Wakefield, Massachusetts
Sheraton Colonial Hotel
55%
reduction in waste during a recycling program challenge
The Sheraton Colonial Hotel and Conference Center expanded recycling throughout guest rooms, kitchens, event spaces, and other operational areas while building a strong culture of employee participation.
What They Did
- Placed recycling bins in every guest room
- Expanded collection capacity with larger recycling containers
- Diverted approximately 2.1 tons of recyclables each month
- Donated leftover soap and guest-room toiletries
- Recognized employees as Sustainability Champions
Commercial Composting
Devens, Massachusetts
Hilton Garden Inn Devens Commons
800 lb.
of food and organic waste diverted each week
Hilton Garden Inn introduced composting and recycling when the hotel opened, allowing material separation to become part of daily kitchen and restaurant operations from the start.
What They Did
- Placed food scrap collection containers near preparation areas
- Collected coffee grounds, preparation waste, and plate scrapings
- Used existing washable containers to limit startup costs
- Trained kitchen and wait staff on proper sorting
- Reduced the need for waste disposal services by nearly 50%
Business Sector Guidance
Explore Guidance for Other Sectors
Every industry has different materials, operational challenges, and opportunities. Explore sector-specific guidance, resources, and examples from Massachusetts businesses and institutions.
Ready to take action on waste reduction?
Contact our team for free, customized assistance.