MassDEP Organics Subcommittee Meeting Summary April 2, 2012 MassDEP Updates John Fischer provided several MassDEP updates:

Organics Action Plan and Study MassDEP has prepared a revised Action Plan document based on comments received. This document is currently undergoing final review at MassDEP. Once approved we will post it on the Organics Subcommittee web page and send an email notice to the Subcommittee email distribution list. This plan will be presented as an update at the next full Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting on April 26. Organics Funding And Assistance Matrix Now Available - As part of the Clean Energy Results Program, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has established a new webpage that lists and describes all state sources of financial and technical assistance for anaerobic digestion and other organics processing facilities. This listing was developed jointly with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the Clean Energy Center. The page provides links for more information about each source of assistance. For more information please visit the page at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/energy/funding_organics.htm. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts Program This new program provides assistance and information to help Massachusetts businesses and institutions to reduce waste and to increase recycling and composting. The program is funded through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Sustainable Materials Recovery Program and administered by the Center for EcoTechnology (CET), a non-profit organization based in Northampton and Pittsfield. The short-term program focus will be on increasing diversion of food waste from large generators such as supermarkets, colleges and universities, and hotels. For more information, please visit the program web site at www.recyclingworksma.com. State Agency Food Waste Management Survey Working with the Massachusetts Leading by Example Program, MassDEP conducted a survey of state facilities with food service operations to determine how they manage their food waste. Twenty-five of 38 facilities that responded divert some

This information is available in alternate format. Call Michelle Waters-Ekanem, Diversity Director, at 617-292-5751. TDD# 1-866-539-7622 or 1-617-574-6868 MassDEP Website: www.mass.gov/dep Printed on Recycled Paper

portion of their food waste from solid waste disposal. Of the 13 facilities that do not currently have a program, 10 expressed interest in receiving assistance to start a program. A summary of the survey results is posted with this meeting summary. MassDEP will use these results to inform the development of technical assistance and grant programs to increase food waste diversion at state facilities, particularly those that do not yet have programs, but have expressed interest in starting a program. Process/Schedule for Waste Ban Development John reviewed a draft proposed process and schedule for developing the waste ban on commercial and institutional food waste. This is a working schedule and will be adjusted as needed. The key steps and timeframes are: o Complete framework for implementing ban (September 2012) o Propose draft regulations and waste ban guidance (fall 2012) o Public hearings and comment period (spring 2013) o Promulgate final regulations (June 2013) o Revised facility waste ban plans due (March 2014) o Effective date of ban (July 2014) A participant asked about the schedule for promulgating the final revisions to 310 CMR 16.000 and 19.000, and 314 CMR 12.000. MassDEP has completed the public comment and hearing process on these proposed regulations and expects to promulgate the regulations and issue the response to comments document in summer 2012. The proposed regulations can be found online at http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm#regulations. Define Important Components of Waste Ban Framework The group discussed the key components that will comprise the framework for the waste ban on commercial and institutional food waste. Key elements that will need to be defined include: Should the ban have a size threshold for what size food waste generators will be subject to the ban or exempt? (e.g., generating more than x amount/week or food service establishments with more than x seats) If so, what is the best measure for this and where should the threshold be set? How will the ban be implemented at solid waste facilities, particularly if only certain size/types of generators are subject to the ban? How will MassDEP work to ensure compliance for this particular banned material?

Participants raised a number of comments and suggestions, including: MassDEP should consider whether the ban may result in unintended consequences (e.g., food waste being diverted from disposal that may result in other problems).

MassDEP should work with other neighboring states (Connecticut and Vermont in particular) to ensure consistency with how the waste ban is implemented and to potentially develop ideas for how best to implement the ban. In thinking about setting a threshold for the 2014 ban, that should be compared against the Solid Waste Master Plan goal of 350,000 tons/year of additional diversion and perhaps set as an interim diversion goal. MassDEP should graph the number of generators versus tonnage amounts to better determine how generation is distributed. Is this a case of the 80/20 rule where the top 20 percent of the generators account for 80 percent of generation? If there is a size threshold, would this be set per location or per company? The scope of the ban needs to be kept simple so that it is easy for generators and haulers to know who is subject to the ban. In the interest of keeping the ban implementation simple, maybe the ban should apply to all businesses in defined sectors. For businesses in that sector that do not generate much food waste, they would not need to divert food waste to comply with the ban (e.g., hotels without restaurants). Would MassDEP ask individual generators to register? Seat count or meals served seem like good measures for food service establishments.

Stakeholder Involvement Defining Key Participants The group discussed other stakeholders that should be involved in the Subcommittee discussions. Suggestions included: Equipment and service providers Associated Industries of Massachusetts Northeast Water Environment Association Local health department officials, including representatives of the Massachusetts Health Officers Association and the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards Local health officials with concerns with food waste collection Massachusetts Hospitals Association Restaurant Association Grocery Manufacturers Association Dairy Marketing Institute Food service providers Aramark, Sodexho, etc. Food banks and other food donation programs

Next Steps MassDEP will send out an email notice with the revised Organics Action Plan once we receive final approval. This also will be presented in summary form at the April 26, 2012 full SWAC meeting. MassDEP will send the group a summary of the survey results on state facility food waste management. MassDEP will conduct initial analysis of the Massachusetts database of food waste generators to estimate how much tonnage is generated by different sectors and sizes of food waste generators. Participants should forward any suggestions for additional stakeholders (including specific people and contact information) to John Fischer at john.fischer@state.ma.us.

Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 12:00 on Monday, May 7, at MassDEPs Boston office, 2nd floor conference room.

State Agency Leading by Example Survey on Food Waste Management Preliminary Results Summary: April 2012 Responses Received Received responses from 38 Facilities o 22 colleges/universities (incl. UMass Medical School also hospital) o 8 corrections o 6 hospitals (incl. UMass Medical School also university) o 3 other Sum of meals served/week about 350,000 Overall Food Waste Management 25 divert some food waste from solid waste disposal (diversion categories not mutually exclusive) o 4 - food donation o 11 pig farm (plus 1 chicken farm) o 7 off site composting o 2 on site composting o 7 garbage disposal Specific Food Waste Management Estimates of % diverted range from 5-95% - average = 59% Type of food waste collected o 21 collect kitchen prep waste o 16 also collect plate scrapings o 1 collects compostable plastics o 4 did not answer this question 11 programs managed by facility staff, 11 by food service contactor, 3 non-responses

This information is available in alternate format. Call Michelle Waters-Ekanem, Diversity Director, at 617-292-5751. TDD# 1-866-539-7622 or 1-617-574-6868 MassDEP Website: www.mass.gov/dep Printed on Recycled Paper

Interest in Expanding or Starting Programs 8 of 25 with existing programs interested in expanding program somehow o Either expanding to different food service locations or to include plate scrapings 10 of 13 without program interested in starting program Interest in Technical Assistance and Equipment Grants 18 of 25 with existing programs interested in grants or TA specific requests included: o Compost bins/containers (7) o TA/information (4) o Refrigeration unit to store (1) o Toter washer (1) o Windrow turner (1) o Signage (1) o Compostable dinnerware (1) 10 of 13 without existing programs interested in grants or TA specific requests included: o TA/information (5) o Bins/containers (1) Issues Encountered Education/information/training for consumer and food service vendors Collection logistics Limited storage space/equipment Staff time required Electric cost of on-site composting unit Collection not cost effective for all areas