Waste reduction is a hot topic these days, with a call for the food industry to address. Did you know 4%-10% of food purchased by foodservice operations is discarded before it reaches guests? This paired with Caymans ever-increasing “Mount Trashmore,” leaves us all as a community to find a solution and help minimize waste.
Food dumped in landfills is not just wasted. It is damaging to our environment, too. Decomposing organic waste generates methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas. (It is significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.) All the energy and resources that went into producing and shipping the food are also wasted. An estimated 11 percent of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the food industry are attributed to wasted food. Proper commercial food waste disposal practices keep organic waste out of landfills, preventing the production of those damaging greenhouse gases.
Cayman has yet to impose any fees associated with commercial waste disposal due to lack of or limited resources to implement and collect these fees, as stated in the below article by Cayman Compass based on findings from a report conducted by Earnest & Young in 2014 “The EY report notes that waste disposal fees were “effectively abolished in 2010 due to difficulties and costs of collection.” However, with the major growth expected to occur in The Cayman Islands, the resurgence of these fees may be imminent.
In 2016 KMPG released a study stating that over 60 000 tons of waste are produced in the Cayman Islands each year. Of that, food waste totals 120,600 kgs. We look at how the rest of the world is working towards on-site composting and recycling bins to see if these practices can be replicated in our own local establishments.
The United States of America. In the United States, 30 percent of all food, worth US$48.3 billion (€32.5 billion), is thrown away each year.
Composting saves landfill space and produces valuable fertilizer. On-site composting is an easy way for foodservice businesses to operate more sustainably while providing added value to the local community. By pairing the composting of food waste with biodegradable plates, compostable trash liners, and biodegradable takeout containers, restaurants can further reduce their environmental impact and improve their perception among ecologically minded customers.
To read more on our biodegradable and compostable lines.
Foodservice businesses and institutions have several options depending on feasibility and specific restraints. If the land is available, you may compost the food waste on-site in rows or bins. If minimal space is available or if appearance, odor, and leachate containment is an issue, such as the case in Cayman, in-vessel systems or aerated containers are other options that require little attention and labor. Finished compost may be sold for added income or used internally to beautify landscapes or reduce landscape and soil amendment costs. Finally, the best option may be to export the food waste to a central compost facility or a local farmer. Farmers can start food waste composting by using their own kitchen scraps. On a larger scale, farmers can receive free compost feedstock by setting up a system of picking it up from businesses and institutions or having them deliver it to the farm site. Some operations may pay the farmer to pick it up or drop it off for disposal of their waste. Farmers can adapt to the scale that best fits their agricultural system. Larger inputs of food waste may be composted and sold off-farm. Agricultural systems may include manures, crop residues, and other organic farm waste as feedstock to the compost if desired.
Operators are pushing for food waste reduction to become standard operating procedures. One of the more popular pieces of on-site composting equipment for the restaurant industry is the FoodCycler or Onklin.
Research shows more than 70% of drain blockages within a commercial kitchen are caused by the build-up of FOG (fats, oils, and grease) generated from washing pots, pans, and plates — blockages that can cause kitchen closures, rancid odors, and unwanted pests.”
While many restaurants are getting better at reducing food waste that is discarded, the hospitality sector can do a lot more to reduce food waste. PDL can help you with systems that can help make your restaurant or commercial kitchen much more efficient and eco-friendlier when it comes to food waste and commercial waste disposal. The following are five steps you can take to optimize commercial waste disposal at your commercial kitchen or restaurant:
Start with a commitment to reducing your facility’s food waste. Hold a meeting with key management to brainstorm what you and your staff can do to meet this goal in the short and long term. Contact PDL for advice and get an expert assessment of what you can do to reduce and address your waste output. Reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible.
The mismanagement of produce purchasing and inventory can lead to excess food waste as well as wasted revenues. If it wilts or spoils, it cannot be used and must be discarded. Make a concerted effort to monitor your productivity levels and usage. Place orders accordingly so that you do not order too much.
Another factor in excess food waste is when the food is not stored at the optimal temperature. Check your refrigerators and freezers’ storage temperatures to ensure that all food will retain its freshness for as long as possible. Contact the PDL service department to ensure your refrigeration equipment is serviced thoroughly and regularly. For more on planned maintenance:
CLICK HERE
In addition to minimizing food waste, be more mindful about recycling in all other aspects of your business. Bulk produce and other supplies often come in large cardboard boxes and containers. Are these being recycled properly? Cans and bottles should also be rinsed and recycled properly. Recycling instead of discarding as much as possible helps to reduce waste and improves your establishment’s carbon footprint.
Once you have developed a plan for optimizing commercial waste disposal, set up a meeting to inform all your employees about your recycling strategy, once every member of your team is on board and aware of your plans, your strategies will be far easier to implement.
Food waste and other types of waste are a reality of doing business but optimizing commercial waste disposal can make your establishment far more eco-friendly. Implement these five tips and contact PDL for professional recycling and commercial waste disposal equipment.