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You should also review these general guidelines and best practices for managing waste throughout the hotel.
Food Waste
Food waste comes in three types and is either edible or non-edible. Banquet scraps are edible non-contaminated leftovers from client functions. Non-edibles are guest plate and food preparation scraps which are unusable portions of fruits and vegetables, cooking losses, spoiled leftovers, packaged failures and spillage. Waste oils and grease are those leftover from cooking and hasn't been mixed with water. All these types of food waste make excellent candidates for reduction, recovery and reuse programs. Composting waste is another alternative to consider. The following are opportunities and methods for reducing your waste stream:
- Begin a composting program
Composting is a process, which begins whenever you place moist organic materials together. The organics naturally begin to decompose into smaller materials and eventually you have compost. Keeping the materials covered and routinely turning while adding additional moisture can accelerate this ongoing process. A small amount of paper, as well as food waste and mulched landscaping yard waste, are all good candidates for composting materials. Organic material composting programs on-site or off-site can reduce the hotel's solid waste substantially and be ut5ilised in your landscaping program.There are many guides for composting available, but one of the best places to start is your local Cooperative Extension Service. They will assist in setting up a program and help troubleshoot if problems arise.
- Determine landscape waste disposal method
If you lack the space or decide composting is not for you, then you should still ensure that your landscape debris are handled in a responsible manner. Find out what your landscaper does with his cuttings and if he is using composted products. Most landfills mulch landscape waste and do not add them to the landfill. These materials can then be used for your landscape.
- Create a food waste reduction policy for scraps
Banquet scraps are edible foods that still have a beneficial use. Too much food prepared or leftovers that have a short shelf life may have secondary usage, such as grilled chicken breast to chicken casserole or chicken soup. Too much food prepared can also be donated to a local food bank or food donor rescue program or used in the employee cafeteria. Establish a plan contact with food banks so procedures are in place. All food must be kept at the proper temperature to be reused and monitored for spoilage.
- Develop a plan for food scraps
All plate scraps are non-edible and can be collected straight from the guest plate into a collection bin labeled "food waste only" in the back of the house. Solid food preparation scraps can be dumped in the same bin. Scrap food can be saved for farmers (pig, cattle, and poultry). Coffee grounds/salty foods are harmful to livestock and should be composted. Prior to enacting a food recycling program, consider storage, how often collected or collection process after large functions, and freshness of food scraps.
- Consider donating food waste to local farmers
Farmers who collect food waste can be found by placing an ad in a local newspaper, visiting a farmers market, asking another facility that collects its food waste or contact your local Cooperative Extension Office. The farmer is required to have a permit to accept waste and must cook meat products prior to feeding to animals. They may provide reusable airtight containers for storage. The storage area should be inaccessible to pests, covered and in a cool place.
- Good Samaritan laws have been enacted in all 50 states and protect food donors
The language of the law varies with each state; however, most of the laws provide some level of protection from civil or criminal liability unless injuries are caused by gross negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct of donor.
| National Food Bank Information |
| USDA |
1-800-GLEAN-IT |
Hotline for food recovery and how to donate. |
| Food Chain |
1-800-845-3008 |
Provides list of local organizations that accept prepared and perishable food for distribution. |
| Second Harvest |
1-800-532-FOOD |
Provides list of local organizations or food banks that handle packaged and non-perishable food donations (i.e. canned, dried, pre-packaged goods). |
| Perform an internet search for food banks and see what is available in your area. |
Other Waste Reduction Practices
Glass makes up the majority of material that is recyclable from these areas along with tin/steel cans, plastics bottles / containers and corrugated cardboard. You may consider sharing recycling efforts with neighboring businesses. During a 2001 study of a hotel's waste stream, 96 % of the tin/steel cans were being recycled, which is the highest recycling rate of any other material at the hotel. Approximately 74 % of green glass containers, 70 % of corrugated paper, 69 % of HDPE containers, 63 % of brown glass containers, 41.5 % of plastic buckets, and 39.5 % of clear glass containers were recycled. The recycling rate for aluminum cans was almost 20 %, and PET containers were recycled at a rate of 13 %. Overall, the hotel's recycling rate during the time period represented by the sorting event reached 61 %.4 Some additional recommended practices that should be considered are:
- Buy less food
Keep good inventory and use first in-first out distribution to keep items fresh. Track amount of different types of food that are consumed and bought. Order food in bulk and closer to the time needed. Many food distributors are able to deliver in a short period of time. Redesign restaurant menu to improve secondary use of edible food i.e. sliced fruit to fruit salad, chicken to chicken salad or soup. Inquire about repackaging of items to allow less waste disposal.
- Avoid centrally locating items in the restaurant
Co-locating several items in one part of the restaurant or takeout areas tends to generate more usage and waste. Keep condiments on tables in containers or make patrons ask for items and quantity needed.
- Avoid over-packaging in take-out orders
Limit use of disposable items: napkins, cups, utensils, etc.
- Use rubber mats around sinks and dishwashers to reduce glass breakage
Rubber mats will cushion surfaces which tend to cause breakage.
- Ask your vendor to take back empty two, five, and 30-gallon plastic containers
If they are unable, clean them out and re-use them in other hotel operations such as in maintenance and grounds shops or give them to employees.
- Recycle plastic six, four and nine-pack rings
- Contact local POTW to find out about local rendering facilities that accept oils/grease
POTW stands for Publicly Owned Treatment Works (i.e. your local utility).
- Use washable hats and aprons instead of disposable ones
Reduces waste.
- Use locally grown produce
Locally grown items may be less costly due to lower transportation cost.
- Offer half-sized portions to patrons in the restaurant
To help decide what items should be at half size, do a survey for about a week with wait staff noticing and recording the amounts left uneaten.
- In the restaurant, use bulk straws instead of individually wrapped
There will be less paper to throw away.
- Create a pallet control policy
For pallet control, require the vendor to remove the pallet in the contract. Contact a local pallet vendor about repairing, reusing, or recycling excess wooden shipping pallets.
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