Do you often find yourself unsure of the actual shelf life of your groceries? Every day, people throw away food that is still delicious and healthy, but luckily there’s a new resource to help consumers who are uncertain; Check out Stilltasty.com, where you can search for different food categories and learn how you can best store…
The search for compostable plastics that truly decompose is one hurdle many facilities face when establishing composting programs. This article posted in Waste & Recycling News introduces a new database, developed by the Biodegradable Products Institute, that lists 3,300 items certified to disintegrate in commercial facilities.
What is Reuse? Reduce-Reuse-Recycle, is a slogan that has been around for years, but the “re-use” part is often overlooked. Reuse is different from recycling because materials and products are used “as is” without needing to be processed or re-manufactured. Reuse can involve repurposing items such as furniture, office equipment, and building materials to extend their…
Pallets are used by many businesses to hold boxes of products and can be easily handled by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. Goods or shipping containers are often shipped on a pallet secured with strapping or stretch wrap. Pallets are made from wood, plastic, paper, or metal and come in a wide variety of sizes, and can be…
If you are a business or institution interested in donating or distributing excess food, you can rest easy knowing that there are well-protected laws designed to protect you from liability when donating food.
A new video from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) addresses common misconceptions about food donation and highlights the expanded federal liability protections for businesses that donate food. Produced in partnership with Top Chef Tom Colicchio, the video illustrates how businesses can donate surplus food safely, preventing unnecessary waste. Common scenarios shown in the video…
A green demolition project at Simmons University in Boston recovered over a dozen tons (24,000 pounds) of material including furniture, fixtures, and glassware items. This massive reuse undertaking emerged from the remodeling of the University’s Park Science Center. The project entailed one year’s worth of planning and coordination among Simmons University staff, Elkus Manfredi Architects…
The Healey-Driscoll Administration recently awarded $950,000 in Recycling Business Development Grants (RBDG) to six recycling companies in the state. The RBDG program helps businesses tackle difficult-to-recycle materials, such as contaminated food materials, construction and demolition wood, and bulky rigid plastics. The funds will help these businesses expand their operations and capacity to process recyclable materials which supports…
Starting November 1, 2022, mattresses will be banned from disposal in Massachusetts. These bulky items, once taking up space in landfills and disrupting operations at municipal waste combustion facilities, will be redirected to recycling facilities and downstream markets for their metal, foam, fabric, and wooden components. Each of the elements that make up a mattress…
Since 2014, when the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) enacted the Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban, businesses and institutions across the state have increasingly started diverting food waste. While food waste diversion leads to significant environmental benefits, it also has potential to provide cost savings for businesses, and opens up opportunities to address customer…
