Since the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) enacted the commercial organics waste ban in 2014, there has been an increase in the diversion of food waste by businesses and institutions across the state. In addition to the environmental benefits of diverting food waste, many businesses have recognized potential cost savings, and the opportunity to address customer and employee requests for more sustainable practices.

RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) collects annual data from organics haulers on the number of commercial entities in Massachusetts contracting for organics hauling services. In the past year, the number of reported commercial customers increased by 26%, representing an additional 600 businesses and institutions. More than twice as many businesses are contracting for organics hauling compared to 2014.

The increase in organics diverted is also reflected in the growth of the food waste diversion infrastructure across the state. As of 2019, at least 40 companies are offering organics hauling services for commercial entities. The MassDEP recently updated the list of Sites Accepting Diverted Food Material, such as compost sites and anaerobic digesters, and RecyclingWorks maintains a list of Sites Accepting Packaged Food Material for Depackaging.

RecyclingWorks provides no-cost assistance to businesses and institutions to help maximize food waste diversion opportunities. Our website includes a number of tools to help you comply with the commercial organics waste ban, including guidance on managing and diverting food waste and a Find-a-Recycler tool that allows users to search for local haulers and processors. To speak with an expert, call our hotline: (888) 254-5525 or email us at info@recyclingworksma.com.