THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 25, 2025 Page 9 FOOD WASTE | FROM PAGE 8 regional systems for the collection and processing of food waste into valuable resources. With the Commonwealth of Massachusetts support, we could expand our composting eff orts. We ask the State to put in place concrete plans, funding and technical assistance to increase composting infrastructure, working in partnership with communities like ours to divert food waste and minimize the climate impact of discarded food. An expansion of sustainable waste management practices will benefi t our residents and our economy. Communities like ours are ready to partner with the state to expand composting in MA. • Now is the time for Massachusetts to accelerate progress, as we must more than double our rate of organic waste diversion to meet the state’s 2030 solid waste master plan goals. As you well know, the state’s landfills are filling up. In 2022, Massachusetts collectively exported 2,590,000 tons of waste, an increase of 20,000 tons from 2021 to 2022. Exported waste is costly, often being sent to other states as far away as Alabama. Massachusetts exports wood, brick, asphalt and other debris, much of which is banned from our landfills. That waste accounted for almost a third of what’s buried in Maine’s state landfi ll. Every year, Bay Staters throw away 6 million tons of garbage. Nearly 25% of that garbage is food. Some of this food is likely to be edible while other food waste is better handled via composting. Meanwhile, a recent U.S. Census survey found that 21.9 percent of Massachusetts households with children do not have access to suffi cient or quality food, despite the abundance produced. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and while landfills such as Chicopee, Crapo Hill, Fitchburg-Westminster, Granby, Plainville, Quarry Hills, Southbridge, and Taunton collect landfi ll gas and use it as an energy source, according to EPA data, landfills are one of the largest sources of methane emissions in our state. The environmental and health implications of methane emissions are well-documented, contributing to cliExperts say that discarded food waste accounts for up to 25% of the total waste stream in Massachusetts landfi lls (shown above). Local municipal offi cials are calling on Gov. Maura Healey to support responses to address the situation. (Courtesy Photo) mate change which disproportionately aff ects our most vulnerable communities. These impacts align closely with our shared commitment to environmental justice, ensuring that all Massachusetts residents have the right to a clean and healthy environment. We urge you to take executive action to spur the diversion of organic waste from landfi lls. By implementing and supporting policies that encourage composting and other organic waste processing methods, we can signifi cantly reduce methane emissions and slow the rate at which landfi lls are fi lling. The benefits of such actions extend far beyond environmental protection. Food diversion and composting programs should be considered an environmental justice priority to reduce pollution in vulnerable and over-burdened communities. Diverting organic waste from landfi lls can also unlock numerous benefi cial products, such as compost, which enriches our soil and supports local agriculture. Moreover, this shift can stimulate economic growth FOOD WASTE | SEE PAGE 10 LIVE INDEPENDENTLY ON TOP of IT ALL. Discover The Delaney® at The Vale, where open, welcoming spaces and delicious dining options come together in Greater Boston. Get it all with access to on-site care and the added luxury of financial flexibility. LEARN MORE AND SCHEDULE A VISIT TODAY BY CALLING 781-512-6801. INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE 300 Began Way | Woburn, MA 01801 | At the top of the hill 781-512-6801 | LIFE@DelaneyatTheVale.com | DelaneyatTheVale.com
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