Prior to October 2014, Massachusetts businesses could dispose of organic waste in any way they saw fit. That changed with the introduction of the Commercial Food Disposal Ban, enacted by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The ban requires any entity that disposes of one ton or more of organic material per week to donate or re-purpose the usable food. Although the food waste generated by restaurants, grocery stores and other sources may be inedible, it still has value.

The 2014 ban requires that food waste in excess of one ton be composted, converted, recycled or reused. One way to stay compliant is to have your organization’s food waste shipped to an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility where it is converted to clean energy, or sent to composting and animal feed operations.

Even if your organic food waste production is below the legal threshold, it’s a good environmental practice to try to keep this material out of landfills. An estimated 52 million tons of food is sent to American landfills each year. Diverting organic waste to be transformed into energy or compost is a small way that your business can make a difference in improving the environment. And as food recovery legislation gains traction around the nation, voluntarily participating in organic recycling is a good way to show that your company is dedicated to conservation efforts.

Miller Recycling is able to assist you with the proper handling of your organic food waste. Our years of experience with organic food disposal, composting, and clean energy give us the expertise to professionally review your current operations and recommend the most efficient and cost-effective organics processing and removal program. This recommendation may include on-site equipment, collection containers, scheduled removal and transportation, and proper, permitted, and licensed disposal.