Massachusetts businesses and institutions now have an additional outlet to handle their packaged and unpackaged wasted food. As recently reported by Biocycle, a new depackaging and processing Organics Recycling Facility (ORF) in Agawam is now fully operational. Owned and operated by Vanguard Renewables, the 13,000 square foot fully-enclosed facility is the newest addition to a growing food depackaging infrastructure across Massachusetts. Located near two interstate highways, the ORF will accept materials generated at a variety of businesses, including restaurants, distribution centers, cafeterias, and industrial food producers with expired or off-spec products.

Similar to some other depackaging operations in the state, this facility was constructed with a system to separate packaging from food, and will accept both packaged and unpackaged food products. Liquid and solid food waste from the facility will be managed and prepared for processing at anaerobic digestion facilities in the area operated by Vanguard Renewables.

The additional processing capacity at this facility will help businesses in the area seeking solutions to comply with the commercial organics ban. This ORF can remove limited quantities of non-packaging contamination from loads, though this contamination should be minimized at the source.

Managing contamination can be particularly challenging when organics are collected in front-of-house or public-facing locations, and RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) offers resources and services to help. RecyclingWorks technical experts can also support businesses and institutions as they reduce food waste, donate surplus edible food, and establish new programs for diverting food waste. To learn more, call our hotline: (888) 254-5525, or email us at info@recyclingworksma.com.