The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced the first round of Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) recipients. The RBDG recipients are Massachusetts recycling processors and manufacturers that intend to create a sustainable recycling market for eligible materials. Seven Massachusetts companies received an RBDG grant. These companies include: Aaron Industries Abby Enterprises Inc. Casella Waste Management…
The United Nations and other leading international organizations announced the Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard (FLW Standard), a global standard that will help measure food loss and waste. This standard includes global definitions and reporting requirements for countries and companies to encourage the accuracy of food loss metrics and reports. These standards encourage…
A recent PBS NewsHour story discusses the problem of discarded textiles and highlights the companies that are starting to make changes. Textile recycling has a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions, yet Americans are still throwing away 13 million tons of textiles each year. Some retailers incentivize customers to recycle their clothing at their stores by…
ConServe, a national restaurant association program, published a Food Donation Tip Sheet. This program encourages businesses to start or continue environmental initiatives. The Food Donation Tip Sheet includes information on food safety procedures, packing the food properly, and tracking what you donate. RecyclingWorks also published a Food Donation Guidance for Massachusetts businesses. This guidance outlines…
In March 2016, Tufts University Dining, staff, faculty, students, and Food for Free partnered together to create the Tufts Food Rescue Collaborative. This collaborative aims to minimize food waste and address food insecurity in their local community. Food for Free rescues surplus food and delivers it to their Hotel Family Meals program. Tufts dining is…
MeetingsNet published an article outlining resources for donating excess food from events. These tips include finding a local food bank, the ReFED’s Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste economic study and action plan, and applications such as Spoiler Alert that connect food donors and food recipients. Learn more about food donation at RecyclingWorks’ workshop, Getting…
The Guardian recently highlighted web and mobile services that make food recovery easier and more efficient. These services help connect surplus food with businesses and organizations that can distribute it. For example, applications, such as Spoiler Alert and Zero Percent, provide alerts or mobile apps to sell or donate surplus food. Read more about Spoiler…
CBS This Morning interviewed Emily Broad Leib, Director of the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC), about date labels on food. Forty percent of food in the US goes to waste, and much of that waste can be attributed to confusing date labels. In the CBS News’ interview, Emily discusses the confusing and inconsistent date…
This Boston Globe article highlights efforts made by Harvard University, among many other businesses and institutions, to donate food rather than throw it away. Harvard’s undergraduate dining halls generate 2,500 pounds of leftovers, which are now being given to needy families in Boston through Food for Free, a non-profit organization in Cambridge. The article mentions…
Raytheon is a technology company headquartered in Waltham that specializes in solutions for cybersecurity, defense, and civil government. The company is striving to achieve a 90% diversion rate and TRUE Zero Waste certification at their sites across the country, including a manufacturing facility in Tewksbury. This effort involves taking a closer look at opportunities to…
