Tips For Setting Up A Recycling System In Your Restaurant

Your restaurant may seem to generate a lot of waste, but the good news is that most of it can be recycled and reused. This means you don't have to overload the local landfill and you can make your restaurant greener. The following tips can help you implement a system:

Back of House

Compost Successfully: A lot of the waste coming out of a restaurant is food waste. Although many restaurants now donate edible food to shelters or livestock farmers, there is still an issue with truly spoiled food, vegetable scraps, and leftover food from customer plates. Choosing a trash company that also provides compost services can solve this conundrum. You will be provided with separate bins for all food waste, which the company will pick up regularly to compost.

Divide and Conquer: Your kitchen is likely the busiest environment in your business, so you don't want to stress your cooks more by implementing a complicated system. In most cases, a simple three-way divided bin system is sufficient. One for compost, one for single stream recycling, and another for actual garbage. Make sure they are clearly labeled and kept in the same location at all times, so they are easier to use.

Front of House

Manage the Wait Stations: Wait stations shouldn't be a place of waste. Most non-reusable items that go through a standard wait, hostess or cashier stand should be recyclable. This includes napkins, paper cups, and receipts. Keep two small trash cans in your wait stations, one for the trash and one for food items. Chances are all the trash can go to your recycling center, while the food items are perfect for the compost bin.

Make It Easy on the Customers: More and more consumers are on board for recycling, but you need to take the effort out of the process. Start by using primarily recyclable materials, including cups, plates and flatware. Next, opt for a single-stream recycling option. Most customers are more than happy to dump their tray in a single recycling bin, but they may become frustrated or make errors if they have to divide the plastic from the paper.

The key to greening your restaurant's waste disposal is to choose the right service. You need a company that offers single stream recycling so you nor your customers are sorting waste, while also offering industry specific options like a compost service. Finally, select a service that provides everything you need to implement the system, including disposal containers and signage to use throughout your business.

To learn more, contact a company like E.L. Harvey & Sons.