Many types of businesses and institutions generate food scraps at their facilities. Many supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, catering operations, hospitals, colleges & universities, food manufacturers and processors generate large amounts of food scraps and can benefit significantly by diverting this material from disposal. In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection established a commercial organics waste…
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…
The Northampton Chamber of Commerce recently organized a Centennial Gala event, which was hosted at the Academy of Music. The event provided entertainment and catered meals, drawing in more than 350 attendees. The Chamber connected with RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) for assistance with diverting the event waste from the landfill. The Chamber worked closely with…
Businesses and institutions that host large-scale events often face the challenge of managing the excess food and single-use materials generated during these events. As reported by Harvard Law Today, the 2019 Harvard Law School Commencement recently demonstrated how to implement a robust waste diversion program for a one-day event while serving prepared lunches to more…
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), in collaboration with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), recently launched the MassGrown Exchange, a new online platform that facilitates business-to-business connections within the local food system. This platform is a tool for businesses looking to sell, donate, or purchase Massachusetts crops, seafood, products and services: Buyers (including…
The 2014 Commercial Organics Waste Ban in Massachusetts has led to a 70% increase in the number of businesses and institutions receiving food scraps collection from haulers, Waste Today reports. As of 2018, 45 facilities now accept food scraps in Massachusetts and more than 2300 commercial customers utilize these services. Other cities and states that…
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…
Tips for Starting a Recycling Program at Your Business RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is here to walk you through the basic steps of starting a new recycling or composting program or improving on an existing program. We provide general guidance on this site but if you have specific questions, or would like to request RecyclingWorks Technical…
The primary waste coming out of most offices is paper and cardboard. Many offices also generate food and beverage containers, which can be collected as part of a single stream recycling program. Some larger office buildings may have in-house food service operations that generate food waste or other materials specific to the business type. Offices…
Northeast Reuse Marketplace The Northeast Reuse Marketplace includes on-line materials exchanges from Massachusetts and several other Northeast states. It has an extensive directory of donation and reuse opportunities. This site is specifically designed to help make matches between organizations that have reusable materials and those looking for these materials as a feedstock. The materials exchange…
