Wednesday, April 19, 2023
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM (EDT)
Concurrent Session: Technology Innovations To The Problem Of Wasted Food
Room A314 (GWCC)

Better managing wasted food is critical to addressing climate change, feeding more hungry people, and growing our economy. The Center for EcoTechnology (CET) is an environmental nonprofit that helps people and businesses save energy and reduce waste. In the areas where we work, CET is deeply knowledgeable about the marketplace and helps food businesses implement solutions across the EPA food recovery hierarchy to identify prevention, recovery, and diversion opportunities, seamlessly integrating them into existing operations, while meeting each organization’s unique needs.

CET has helped numerous businesses translate theory into action, and thus will present the business case for reducing, rescuing, and recycling wasted food. By removing the weight of wasted food in the trash, businesses can reduce their waste hauling costs. CET will walk through strategies to make this business case by right-sizing containers, maximizing prevention and donation opportunities, and increasing recycling rates. CET will highlight a few success stories on how composting has helped businesses reduce their environmental impact and boost their bottom lines.

CET is partnered with agencies such as the EPA, USDA, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and others to help support state and national goals for recycling and food waste reduction. They have also collaborated to develop tools utilized by businesses nationally, including the Harvard Food Law and Policy Food Donation Legal Fact Sheets and the RecyclingWorks Food Waste Estimation Tool.

Coryanne Mansell
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