organic waste ban

MA Organics Waste Ban – Goes In Effect TODAY!

in Uncategorized  by Erik Levy 0 comments

Why Should YOU Compost? MA Organics Waste Ban

This summer has been abuzz about composting and organic waste diversion in leading cities across the nation.

 

Today, October 1, 2014, marks the day that Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban goes into effect. After more than two years of planning, the day has arrived!

What does this ban have to do with YOU?

This ban is the first in the nation of its kind. It establishes regulations for commercial generators of organic and food wastes. The regulations require that any institution that generates over 1 TON (2,000 lbs) of food waste per week divert the material from the landfill, and from incineration.

Org waste

The regulation will affect mainly institutions, colleges and universities, hospitals, supermarkets, hotels, nursing homes, corrections centers, and food processing/service companies. It will also affect property managers and building owners of properties where waste from multiple food-waste generating tenants/spaces (restaurants, cafes, office kitchenettes) are aggregated at a final point of waste collection.

 

In total, the disposal ban affects approximately 1,700 businesses and institutions. Though it does not affect smaller restaurants, cafes, office buildings (below the 2,000 lb/week threshold), we are seeing A LOT of businesses gaining interest on getting ahead of the composting curve. Residents are jumping on board too!

 

“The food waste ban provides a win-win-win-win-win-win for residents and businesses in the Commonwealth,” said MassDEP Commissioner David W. Cash. “It will reduce waste, save money on disposal costs, create renewable energy, cut emissions from fossil fuel use, produce a rich fertilizer for farm use, and grow jobs and stimulate the economy.”

More Resources on the Organics Waste Ban: 

  1. EOEEA Press release from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Patrick administration.
  2. New MassDEP website – MANY relevant resources from the MA Department of Environmental Protection and RecyclingWorks.
  3. BioCycle Magazine article – insights on successful organic waste diversion and collection. Featuring: segment on Save That Stuff! 
  4. Boston Globe magazine article – “Massachusetts’s new composting rules: What they really mean.”

Food-Waste

The majority of the food waste Save That Stuff collects is processed into high-quality, nutrient-rich compost at Brick Ends Farm, in Hamilton, MA. The final product is re-sold under the Kidz-B-Kidz brand, and proceeds support youth arts programing.

Kidz B Kidz

One of the first steps towards diversion is to think of waste as potential RESOURCES.

Depending on how YOU divert, the food waste you dispose can support agriculture in Boston!

Help support this next step towards our One Goal. Zero Waste. 

organics

Read more about Save That Stuff’s composting and organic waste diversion programs.

Contact us to talk about setting up composting at your business.

info@savethatstuff.com
(617) 241-9998

Compost

Composting-PDF

 

Will it Break Down in a Landfill? Compost and Zero Waste in Boston

in Uncategorized  by Erik Levy 0 comments

Hello all!

This is Matt Messer, Save That Stuff’s Account Manager. I’m a research junkie and I’ve had a question that’s been bothering me. My research and my findings are something I feel you may be interested in.

If compost can break down on its own, why shouldn’t we just send it to a landfill via our trash?

A friend of mine, working for Harvest Power, recently answered this question.

First off, let’s make sure we know the key terms. Aerobic digestion involves a breakdown in the presence of oxygen and anaerobic digestion simply means without oxygen.

When our organic waste goes into landfills (via our trash bins), it sits under piles of trash indefinitely. This effectively creates a vacuum and the organic waste breaks down without oxygen. When food breaks down like this (anaerobically) , it creates methane, a greenhouse gas that is 23x more environmentally damaging than CO2!

Big picture fact: America throws away more than 30 million tons of food waste per year. That food waste is responsible for 34% of ALL methane emissions in the US.

 

 

When your organic waste is hauled by Save That Stuff to one of our partner farms like Brick Ends Farm in Hamilton, it is broken down aerobically into compost. This way, the food does not rot and methane is not released.

In a future blog post, I delve into the second reason composting makes you or your business an environmental superstar. As always, this information is new to me and I value your comments. Please let me know if I’ve missed something or misstated and I’ll make the appropriate corrections!

 

Recycle on,
Matt
Matt Messer, Account Manager
LEED Green Associate

Waste Management and the Upcoming Organic Waste Ban

in Uncategorized  by Erik Levy 0 comments

An important item for companies in Boston to keep an eye on this year is the Organics Waste Ban. It is moving forward through the draft phases now. Targeting large businesses and institutions that generate more than 1 ton of organic waste per week.

 

It is estimated that 3,000 businesses will be required to add composting to their waste management programs. As one of the largest composting and waste management companies in Boston, Save that Stuff will be monitoring this legislation closely.

 

The program will be enforced by MassDEP and the organic waste ban will not include: Yard waste, biodegradable paper, recycling and non-organic trash.

 

For steps on how to reduce your organic food waste, visit EPA Food Waste Reduction or consider contacting Save That Stuff to discuss the right waste management solution for you.