Your restaurant generates a lot of waste of various types. You can cut down on the cost of waste removal by recycling as much material as you can. The first step is to hire a commercial recycling company to help you establish waste stations for different materials such as grease, food, paper, plastic, glass, and cardboard. It may seem like a lot of work to separate your trash, but once your staff gets used to it, it doesn't take long at all. Here are some tips for making it easier for your restaurant to recycle.

Make Waste Stations Convenient

If you serve beverages in cans or glass bottles, then keep a recycling container near the busing area or attach small bins to the busing cart so your staff can quickly toss the cans and bottles where they belong. It's easier to separate trash for recycling when it's done right away rather than piling it all together and sorting it out later. Your restaurant will also accumulate a lot of cardboard waste from packaging. Keep a bin near the receiving area to collect cardboard, and be sure to label it so no other trash is mixed in. Another idea is to send the empty boxes back with the food delivery service and let them reuse or dispose of them.

Reuse What You Can

While you can recycle large plastic containers, you can also reuse some of them to increase their usefulness. For example, large plastic pails with lids come in handy for all kinds of jobs around the restaurant or in a private home. If you routinely buy pickles or other food by the bucket, consider giving the buckets away to people who can use them, such as schools or daycare centers. You can even give them to your customers to use at home for storing items or to use as a mop bucket. Plastics that can't be reused should be placed into a recycling container. Be sure to ask the company if you can recycle plastic food wrap and plastic bags too. These are often processed differently than hard plastic and some recycling centers may not accept them.

Reduce What You Buy

One way to limit the amount of waste you have to throw out is to limit the amount you buy. Instead of buying cases of individual condiment bottles, buy the condiments in bulk and refill the bottles. This will save you from throwing out several small glass or plastic bottles each week. Also, be sure to ask your recycling service if your staff has to wash food off the containers before putting them in the bin, as this could affect productivity.

You may also want to buy linens, glasses, and dishes that can be cleaned and reused each day rather than using paper napkins and tablecloths that are thrown out. By being conscious of what you buy, you can reduce your waste and help the environment. For example, you can buy recycled paper products for your office and bathrooms to further the recycling effort.

Recycling at your restaurant is similar to the process you use for recycling at home. The difference is that you face a lot more waste and a wider variety of waste. Therefore, you may need the guidance of a commercial recycling company like E.L. Harvey & Sons to get set up properly so your recycling efforts run smoothly and don't interfere with your restaurant's operation.

Share