MassDEP is aware of the Chinese government’s policy and intention to limit the import of secondary mixed paper and mixed plastics. MassDEP is evaluating the situation and communicating with impacted parties as well as other state government agencies nationwide. There continues to be significant uncertainty on the short and long-term impacts of this policy. As…
LeanPath’s Executive Chef, Robb White, recently addressed three of the biggest waste culprits in the kitchen: Overbuying, Fear of Running Out, and Knife Skills. 1. Overbuying is when more food was purchased than could be utilized before it was spoiled, passed the serve by date, or deteriorated in quality. White lists several solutions to help…
LeanPath’s co-founder and CEO, Andrew Shakman, recently wrote a post about funding upfront investment in food waste prevention. Food waste reduction is most effective when preventing the food waste from happening in the first place. The first step to prevention is measurement. However, as Shakman mentions, a common challenge in waste tracking and analytics is…
WasteDIVE recently published an article on Wasteless, a startup aiming to reduce waste while saving customers and retailers money. The technology tags perishable foods in stores by replacing the bar codes on products with an RFID chip. The RFID chip tracks items’ expiration dates, and detects the appropriate price to encourage items to sell. Soon…
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), recently added a section on recycling stock pharmaceutical bottles to their guide on recycling grocery rigid plastics. The guide encourages grocery stores to recycle their primary rigid plastics: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP). The guide was developed with assistance from the American Chemistry Council, and includes data…
Fortune’s column on startups recently published Beth Kowitt’s article featuring the Daily Table, a nonprofit grocery store based in Dorchester, MA. Founded by Doug Rauch, the grocery store aims to reduce wasted food and increase access to affordable nutritious food. Rauch explains that while “best by” or “sell by” dates, for most items, are a…
Jennifer Gerholdt’s recent article on the World Economic Forum website highlights four businesses that are finding value in the circular economy. The circular economy is an economic model focused on designing and manufacturing products, components and materials for reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. The four companies featured in this article are part of report by the…
Jon Frandsen from PBS recently reported on how states are working to reduce food waste. The article describes the growing number of state policies to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills. In addition to Massachusetts, four other states (California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont) already have some form of food waste disposal…
City of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh recently released a Request for Proposals to develop a Zero Waste Plan for the City of Boston. In doing so, Mayor Walsh emphasized that reducing waste would result in positive economic, environmental, and public health impacts for citizens. The zero waste plan, following the model of other cities such…
According to a MassLive article, MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg testified at a hearing on landfills and solid waste to discuss progress toward the state’s goal to reduce its solid waste disposal by 2020. MassDEP set a goal in its solid waste master plan to reduce disposal by two million tons from a 2008 baseline. Commissioner…
The Martha’s Vineyard commercial organic waste diversion program will continue after its first year as the island community attempts to develop a local and sustainable system for waste reduction. The Vineyard Gazette details the findings and recommendations of the Island Wide Organics Feasibility Study, which began as the project of Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellow Sophie…
The “farm bill”, the largest and most important piece of legislation for food and farm policy in the United States, is scheduled to be reauthorized in 2018. Emily Broad Leib, Director of the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic (Harvard FLPC), wrote in a Huffington Post article that there is a sizable opportunity to cut…
On May 9, Gillette Stadium hosted RecyclingWorks in MA, MassDEP, and US EPA for the WasteWise Spring Forum on food recovery across the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy. The forum started with remarks from John Fischer, Branch Chief, Commercial Waste Reduction & Waste Planning at the MassDEP. John provided an update for attendees on solid waste…
Infinite Herbs and Specialties is a distributor of culinary herbs. Their packaging facility in Everett trims, packages, and ships herbs received in bulk from their production facilities. Infinite Herbs worked with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and RecyclingWorks in MA to set up organics collection to comply with the Commercial Food Waste Disposal Ban.…
While food waste in the United States is a systemic problem with massive implications, there are many local organizations across the nation that are developing cutting edge solutions to cut the amount of food that gets landfilled. ReFED, a nonprofit comprised of leaders across all sectors who are dedicated to finding scalable solutions to reducing…
Colleges produce a lot of waste throughout the year, but there may be no time when campuses produce more than the end of the school year when students move out. During move out, rather than hauling their mini-fridges and futons home, students often opt to get rid of them. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette,…
Coalesce, an organization that works with colleges and universities to develop collaborative solutions to improve sustainability, recently wrote on the challenges posed by compostable plastics for food waste diversion programs. Many institutions, especially universities, have switched to BPI certified disposable compostable products, such as cold cups and cutlery, rather than traditional plastic options. Most compost…
Experts estimate that approximately 8.5 million tons of furniture waste is sent to landfills each year, even though much of the “waste” is still usable either as parts or as a whole. Over the past decade, though, increased interest in furniture waste has forged important and fruitful relationships, according to a Waste360 article highlighting the…
When Berkshire Community College (BCC) saw the opportunity to defend their 2016 statewide RecycleMania title, they didn’t waste it. Four Massachusetts schools – BCC, Hampshire College, Endicott College, and UMass Amherst – placed in the top 50 of the college & university recycling challenge. BCC took the top prize for the state and claimed 4th…
The Foxborough Patch reports that MassRecycle awarded their annual Recycler of the Year in the Business category to Patriot Place. The award is given to a business that has developed and operates an outstanding recycling/waste reduction program that increases recycling and/or reduces waste generated by their business. The award comes as a result of Patriot…
An article in WasteDive reports on a new program to train hotel staff on effective food waste reduction strategies. The program is the result of a new partnership between the Rockefeller Foundation, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). Instead of wasting leftover food, the pilot program encourages hotels and their…
Looking for a recycler or composter for your business? You’ve found the right tool. The RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts Find-a-Recycler tool allows you to search our database and connect with recycling and composting service providers in your area. How to Use the Find-A-Recycler Search Tool Use the Find a Recycler search box on the homepage or right sidebar to refine your…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) program is currently accepting applications for its 2017 cycle. The program, now in its second year, aims to assist recycling processors and manufacturers in creating sustainable markets for difficult-to-process materials, and to add value to municipal and business recycling efforts. For this round of…
A graduate student at the Harvard University Extension School, Monica Munoz, authored a paper regarding organic waste management in the hotel sector in Massachusetts and the United States at large. The paper discusses the impacts of the Commercial Organics Waste Ban on affected hotels, the economic benefits of reducing food waste, and the potential that…
Spoiler Alert, a company which offers software to facilitate the donation of surplus food, created a list of resources for food waste in all six New England states. The section for each state has information on relevant state laws and waste bans, state agencies, and non-profit organizations that work with food waste diversion and donation.…
Boston College Dining Services collaborated with a student group on campus to create a “trash dinner” comprised entirely of pre-consumer food scraps. The event was designed to encourage students to think about wasted food and creative ways to reduce it. The menu for the trash dinner incorporated parts of food that are frequently discarded such…
UMass Boston’s College of Management is hosting a panel on business opportunities in the circular economy. The concept of a circular economy takes a cradle-to-cradle approach in which products are designed intentionally in order to maximize product life as well as recycling and reuse opportunities. This paradigm shift will have sizable implications for our waste…
A working group led by Keep America Beautiful and the United States Composting Council (USCC) announced new recommendations for organics collection containers. Mimicking the success of equating blue containers with recycling, the group of nonprofit and governmental organizations recommend designating green as the standard color for organic waste bins. The working group offers a number…
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is currently soliciting applications for Technical Services/Technical Studies grants through its Commonwealth Organics-to-Energy program. According to MassCEC, the program intends to “advance the Commonwealth’s goal of substantially increasing the diversion of source-separated organics away from landfilling or incineration.” This funding opportunity is designed to support technical studies regarding the…
There are substantial changes coming to date labels on food, according to an article in The Washington Post. The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), the two largest groups representing the grocery industry, announced that they’ve adopted standardized, voluntary regulations to clear up what product date labels mean. Currently, manufacturers can…
A recent Waste 360 article examines the challenges and opportunities associated with offices establishing recycling programs. Waste 360 interviewed Lorenzo Macaluso, an employee for the Center for EcoTechnology who administers the RecyclingWorks in MA program, regarding the management of office waste and steps to improve it. One challenge for offices, Macaluso notes, is finding the…
As a business dedicated to tracking and preventing food waste, Leanpath has a strong pulse on the issue. Andrew Shakman, CEO & Co-Founder of Leanpath, makes the case that the problem of food waste is more relevant today than ever before. You can find the December 10, 2021 webinar recording here. In the midst of…
A recent BioCycle article describes the results of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP) report on the Commercial Food Waste Ban. The MassDEP report, conducted by ICF International, Inc. of Cambridge, studied the economic development benefits of the ban and the waste reduction initiatives. In October 2014, MassDEP implemented the Commercial Organics Waste Ban,…
An article published by Waste Dive highlights the efforts by the NFL to minimize waste produced at Super Bowl LI in Houston. The NFL’s environmental team begins planning how to handle waste at each Super Bowl more than a year in advance. Because the Super Bowl is held in a different city each season, each…
The University of Louisville published an, “Organics Recovery Program Development Tool for Colleges and Universities.” This tool is for institutions interested in organizing or expanding existing organics recovery programs. The guide reviews the methods of organics recovery, the permitting and regulatory issues, institutional partners, funding mechanisms, and operational models. The on-site organics recovery methods include…
For participants in the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge (FRC) and WasteWise programs, annual 2016 data and 2017 goals are due March 31, 2017. Participants in either program must submit their 2016 data and 2017 goals in order to stay active and maintain eligibility to receive awards. Enter data and goals by accessing your account on…
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued new guidance for food product labeling. The new guidance encourages food manufacturers and retailers to use a “Best If Used By” date label. This label helps reduce food waste as consumers have the least confusion associated with the label. The FSIS found…
The Quad, Boston University’s Independent Online Magazine, discussed the food diversion initiatives currently underway at the university. Hallie Smith, author of the post, used RecyclingWorks Food Waste Estimation Guide, to calculate the average food waste generated at Boston University (BU). To reduce this food waste the university has implemented diversion and prevention programs. According to…
Wicked Local Cambridge highlighted the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s recent award to Lesley University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The EPA presented the ‘Regional Food Recovery Achievement Certificate’ to 26 New England organizations, including Lesley University. Lesley University received this award in recognition of their sustainable food management practices. The certificates are part of the…
Our team recently had the opportunity to take a tour of the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) to see how these facilities separate the many materials in a recycling bin. The Springfield MRF, owned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and operated by Waste Management Recycle America, has been sorting and selling the recyclables…
Last spring, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (Mass DHCD) asked RecyclingWorks for help diverting materials from disposal when renovating its properties. RecyclingWorks assisted Mass DHCD with a project involving window, roofing, and siding replacement at seven residential properties in Bourne. The project included replacement of 147 vinyl windows. All of the windows,…
The MetroWest Daily News reported on Framingham State University’s effort to reduce wasted food on campus, including source reduction, education, food donation, and composting. FSU uses LeanPath to track and reduce the amount of wasted food. The university donates edible surplus food to local shelters, and dehydrates remaining food scraps to reduce its volume and…
The Boston Globe recently highlighted the efforts of Spoiler Alert and the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) to rescue surplus food. In September, approximately 11,000 organic eggs were donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank. GBFB used Spoiler Alert to send an alert to connect the near-expiration eggs to a Salvation Army community center to…
Biomass Magazine reports on the recent grants awarded through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. The RBDG program focuses on difficult-to-recycle materials, including packaged food and glass. The recent awards went to projects focused on maximizing the use of the packaging and the food material. CRMC Bioenergy LLC,…
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is accepting grant applications through the Commonwealth Organics-to-Energy Program. The grant applications are for Feasibility Study Grants. These projects are to support the use of anaerobic digestion and other technologies that convert source-separated organic waste into electricity, thermal energy, and compressed natural gas fuel. The grant applications should have…
Sustainable America’s blog highlighted Juliet, a Somerville restaurant committed to reducing wasted food. Juliet hosted a dinner for the ReuseConex Conference in October and put the spotlight on turning would-be wasted food into tasty menu items. For the ReuseConex dinner, Juliet worked with local farmers markets and Metro Pedal Power to source the seconds at…
MassLive highlighted a Western Massachusetts’s campaign to raise awareness about liability protections for food donation. Community members and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts partnered to raise awareness around the liability protections, specifically educating about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. This act provides liability protections for entities that donated their surplus food…
The US EPA recently announced 2016 Food Recovery Challenge Award Winners in New England. Organizations that participate in the Food Recovery Challenge pledge to improve their sustainable food management practices and report their results. In 2015, 54 New England participants diverted over 52,000 tons of food to donation and/or composting. The EPA is presenting a…
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is accepting grant applications through the Commonwealth Organics-to-Energy Program. The grant applications are for “Pilot” and “Implementation” projects. These projects are to support the use of anaerobic digestion and other technologies that convert source-separated organic waste into electricity, thermal energy, and compressed natural gas fuel. Qualified applicants can receive…
A Co.Exist post describes the new “Food For All,” app supporting the reduction of wasted food at restaurants. Through the app, customers can purchase discount goods from the restaurants. Currently, 30 Boston restaurants are participating in the pilot release of the app. Restaurants are still able to donate to the food banks, yet the app…
The US Environmental Protection Agency added a webpage designated for information regarding Anaerobic Digestion (AD). This webpage is to provide information to the public such as basic information, environmental benefits, types of anaerobic digesters, project profiles, tools and resources, and publications. The links on the webpage also include more detailed information and other relevant programs.…
The Healthy Building Network and StopWaste released the “Optimizing Recycling: Post-Consumer Polyethylene in Building Products” report. This report examines the hazards, supply chains, and economic impacts of using post-consumer polyethylene from products such as beverage containers as a feedstock streams for building products. The report outlines recommendations for manufacturers, recyclers, consumers, and government agencies to…
A recent Zero Waste Zone post describes a new partnership between the U.S. Green Business Council (USGBC) and the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC). The U.S. Green Business Council administers the LEED certification program which recognizes buildings for their sustainable building design, construction, operations, and maintenance. The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council offers a…
A BlueCart blog post recommends steps for managing unsold food inventory at businesses. Many businesses must manage surplus products due to reasons such as, overproduction, unpredictable demand, imperfections, or approaching code dates. However, with the Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban, businesses and institutions disposing one ton or more of food waste per week must divert…
RecyclingWorks has been working with United Tool & Machine & Gaynor Industries to improve their recycling program and identify outlets for materials used in their manufacturing process. These manufacturing materials include scraps of neoprene and aramid fiber. RecyclingWorks connected United Tool & Machine with Extras for Creative Reuse, a store in Peabody that provides low and…
A recent Newburyport News article featured developer, George Haseltine’s recent deconstructed a home in Newburyport. Haseltine diverted the lumber from disposal, instead donating it to EcoBuilding Bargains for resale., Haseltine could receive a $84,500 tax credit for this donation if he makes a profit from the construction. EcoBuilding Bargains sells the used building materials at…
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is accepting comments and holding a public hearing for the 330 CMR 25.00, Agricultural Composting Program regulation. The public hearing will discuss amendments to the regulation through which Agricultural Composting Operations may register and receive education and technical assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Agricultural Composting…
An article on the Northstar Recycling blog identifies recycling sources in manufacturing waste streams. Due to the large intake of supplies and parts at manufacturing companies, manufacturing companies end up with materials that should be recycled. There are many materials that can be recycled after inbound shipments. These materials include slip sheets and corner boards,…
RecyclingWorks is developing best management practices on contracting for hauling services for trash, recycling, and organics for businesses and institutions. RecyclingWorks is coordinating a stakeholder engagement process that will inform the development of this guidance. This approach is similar to the creation of the 2015 Food Donation Guidance Document. RecyclingWorks is hosting three stakeholder meetings…
RecyclingWorks presented on Food Donation Guidance for Massachusetts businesses at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Northeast Region Annual Food Protection Seminar. The seminar was held on August 12 at Hotel Northampton and hosted by the MA Department of Public Health (MA DPH). This presentation continued to engage public health officials in this initiative to…
Spoiler Alert created a “Beginner’s Guide to Food Waste,” which introduces the significance and ramifications of wasted food, government calls to action, awareness campaigns, and resources for reducing wasted food. The guide includes ReFED’s Roadmap, Natural Resource Defense Council’s Save the Food Campaign, and toolkits, such as the Food Waste Reduction Alliance’s Best Practices & Emerging…
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) recommends four tips for reducing wasted food at restaurants. These four tips were discussed at the “Reduce and Recover: Save Food for People” workshop hosted by Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic. This workshop was sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and…
The Sustainable Campus Competition is now accepting submissions! Kimberly-Clark Professional offers this competition to implement new green initiatives or expand current sustainability programs on campus. Round 1 submissions are due by 11:59 PM ET, August 19th. Round 1 includes a 500 word summary that describes a campus sustainability program focused in the areas of energy…
MV Times has recognized Martha’s Vineyard for their efforts to reduce wasted food. The Island Wide Organics Feasibility Study, funded by the Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship (MVVF), investigated the amount of wasted food on the island and strategies to minimize that waste. RecyclingWorks provided input for the study and assisted with the implementation of the pilot…
BusinessWest highlighted the 40 anniversary of the Center for EcoTechnology (CET). CET is the nonprofit organization that administers the RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts, a program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. RecyclingWorks has helped hundreds of businesses and institutions, such as restaurants, food manufacturers, state facilities, and colleges and universities, to reduce waste. CET…
A recent article in The Huffington Post recognizes four states, including Massachusetts, for innovative approaches to reduce wasted food. The article also highlights initiatives in Vermont, Ohio, and California. In 2014, Massachusetts passed the Commercial Organics Waste Ban, which prohibits businesses and institutions that generate one ton or more of food waste per week from…
The Closed Loop Foundation (CL Foundation) has released a “Food Waste Solution Search Request for Proposal.” The CL Foundation supports solutions that improve the waste and recycling industry and recently launched a Food Waste Initiative. This initiative supports the ReFED report, A Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste by 20 Percent. This Food Waste Solution…
The Huffington Post released an article highlighting the importance of food donation and the need for more uniform guidance and regulations around donation. Thanks to the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, restaurants that donate food are protected from civil and criminal liability, with the exception of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. However, many…
Recycling Today announced the new recycling service provided by Leigh Fibers, a textile waste and reprocessing company. Leigh Fibers will partner with Cintas, a large industry uniform provider, to provide a Uniform Recycling Service. Most out-of-service uniforms end up in landfills. Leigh Fibers’ Uniform Recycling Service provides an outlet to recycle worn and unusable uniforms…
Keep America Beautiful (KAB), US Composting Council (USCC), and Kimberly-Clark Professional have released “A Guide to Workplace Composting.” This guide provides information on setting up a program to collect organic waste for composting at a range of workplaces such as office buildings, hotels, hospitals, and restaurants. The check list in the guide includes the 6…
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…
Materials Guidance: What happens to common recyclables? Have you ever wondered what happens to your recyclable materials after they leave your business? Where do they go? How are they processed? And what do they become? Explore the following pages for specific guidance on some of the most common materials from businesses and institutions. We will…
This article from Gazettenet.com describes the effort of a Deerfield farmer to install an anaerobic digester at his dairy facility. He’s working with commercial bans as well as USDA Rural Development. The article notes that the three other digesters in place around the state have simplified the permit process for anaerobic digestion. For more information on anaerobic…
This article from the Berkshire Eagle gives an excellent overview of the many businesses and institutions in the Berkshires who are adapting to the food waste ban with outstanding success. In an especially encouraging case, Berkshire Health Systems found that the food waste diversion program at one of their facilities had saved so much in disposal…
Learn how RecyclingWorks helped Worcester State University set up a successful off-site composting program to comply with the commercial organics waste ban and divert 60 tons of food waste annually.
The Massachusetts College and University Recycling Council (CURC) will meet Tuesday, January 14th at 9 AM to discuss the issue of textile recycling. The robust and innovative market for re-purposed textiles will be discussed and success stories shared from the industry. Speakers will include: Bill LaBelle – Goodwill Industries – “Goodwill Not Landfill” – http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-were-doing/waste-reduction/goodwill-not-landfill/ Larry…
Check out this article from the Boston Herald highlighting the proposed Massachusetts commercial food waste ban. Highlights include Clark University, which saves $3000 annually diverting food waste: http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/07/food_waste_law_could_make_dollars_and_sense
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) publishes an annual report that details the impacts of our outreach, technical assistance, hotline, presentations, resources, and more. We recently published the annual report for Fiscal Year 2023. Key successes included: Approximately 1,430 tons of material diverted from disposal, contributing to an overall cumulative direct program impact of nearly 324,000 tons…
On March 23rd, 2023, MassRecycle held their annual Conference and Trade show at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough. MassRecycle is a Massachusetts organization that assembles stakeholders to provide solutions to waste reduction and recycling issues as well as advocates for practical and effective legislation. The conference and trade show welcomed a large…
On November 1, 2022, several changes to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) waste ban regulations will go into effect. These changes include lowering the threshold for the existing commercial organics food disposal ban from 1 ton to ½ ton per week and adding mattresses and textiles to the list of waste ban materials.…
Clearly labelling all waste containers and collection areas is key to increasing waste diversion while also reducing unnecessary contamination. Signage that references common materials generated on-site can boost employee confidence around recycling and serve as a great educational tool. Posting clear and easy-to-understand signage on recycling, organics, and trash containers is also important for public-facing…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Recycle Smart MA initiative is celebrating its second birthday this month, as highlighted by Waste360. Since 2018, this initiative has been increasing awareness around recycling in Massachusetts and empowering Bay Staters to collect the proper materials for recycling at home, school, and work, without introducing contamination from problem…
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recently released Recycle Smart, a statewide initiative focused on putting the right materials in recycling bins and separating “problem materials” that cause contamination and drive up the cost of recycling. The goal of this initiative is to reduce contamination in materials sent to Massachusetts Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs).…
Use Industry Standards RecyclingWorks has compiled industry data from published reports and studies, which can be used as guidance for facilities with little to no current food waste diversion program in place. The purpose of this tool is to help businesses and institutions in Massachusetts determine whether it is likely they are subject to the…
This blog post from Spoiler Alert, a company based in Cambridge (MA) that has an “app” for connecting generators of surplus food to food recovery organizations, provides a visualization of food waste generation throughout the state and within the Boston metropolitan region. Staff at Spoiler Alert utilized publicly available food waste generation data from the state of…
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…
This article from the Huffington Post focuses on the ways the food waste ban helps to ensure food security and feed the hungry in Masssachusetts. The food waste ban incentivises donations of unwanted but usable food to Food Rescue Organizations such as those listed on our Food Donation Guide. Note: The article mentions that there are 17,000…
This article from the Boston Globe highlights UMass Lowell and Signature Breads, two recent additions to the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, a program which encourages participants to reduce their food waste by 5% each year. The article explains how the organizations have increased donation and composting, helping to feed hungry people while producing natural compost fertilizer…
This article from Masslive highlights the work being done by Martin’s Farm, a family-owned Greenfield farm which has been taking in compost for 20 years, helping Franklin County to lead the way in commercial composting. The article gives an especially incisive look at the steps involved in commercial composting, from intake of waste through processing…
Check out these recent articles about the creative ways organizations around the country are tackling the problem of food waste. Rock and Wrap It Up! and NFL Feed the Hungry With SB48 Food from FiveTowns Patch This article details the effort made by Rock and Wrap It Up and the NFL to recover uneaten prepared…
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