In 2019, the number of reported commercial customers increased by 26% to 2,900 from the previous year, representing an additional 600 businesses and institutions source separating and diverting organics. At least 40 companies are offering organics hauling services for commercial entities. Massachusetts’ commercial organics disposal ban went into effect in October 2014; businesses and institutions generating >1 ton/week of food waste are required to divert it from disposal.
Source: RecyclingWorks Massachusetts
CET also reports that MassDEP recently updated the list of Sites Accepting Diverted Food Material. The sites, displayed as a map, include 26 composting facilities, 8 anaerobic digesters, 6 animal feed operations, and 5 animal feed+composting operations. RecyclingWorks also maintains a list of Sites Accepting Packaged Food Material for Depackaging. Eight companies are accepting packaged food for processing. A 9th depackaging facility is in development (as of Dec. 2019).
