Hospitality Sector Waste - Managing the Costs

Hotels, restaurants, pubs, and all other food service establishments are some businesses that find it challenging to manage waste due to their nature in the hospitality sector. Since the industry thrives when customers are happy, and transactions get done quickly, significant waste comes with that success. The energy consumption of waste management in the afterthought areas such as kitchens contributes significantly to a business's bottom line and can be sustainable. This article reviews some cost-effective measures hospitality businesses must consider when dealing with costs involved in waste management.

Key Takeaways

• Effective waste management is crucial for the hospitality sector to control costs and enhance sustainability.

• The industry is not immune to waste, but, as with food and single-use plastics, more generally, these are challenges that we all face in reducing avoidable landfills.

• A well-thought-out waste management plan can help save you a lot of money in terms of disposal and significantly reduce your environmental impact.

The Scale of Waste in the Hospitality Sector

Waste Statistics

In the UK alone, the hospitality and food service sector produced some 1.1 million tonnes of wasted food, representing around 12% of all UK-generated waste nutrient reserves. The biggest wasters are restaurants, generating 915,400 tonnes per year, with more than a fifth (21.7 per cent) of its food waste - an estimated 199,100 tonnes. Pubs follow closely with 873,800 tonnes of waste, of which 173,000 tonnes is food waste. Hotels, while producing less overall waste, still contribute significantly, with 289,700 tonnes each year, including 79,000 tonnes of food waste.

Challenges in Waste Management

Like many other sectors, hospitality is dominated by small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that find waste management difficult due to bin size restrictions and helping hands at additional tutorials. Plenty of waste also comes from leftover food on customer plates in general waste bins.

Categories of Waste in Hospitality

General Waste

Non-recyclable materials and mixed waste that cannot be separated are known as general waste, which goes to landfills. With the high landfill tax rates for a significant proportion of general waste, any reduction can make quite an impact on disposal costs.

Glass Recycling

There is Pub and hotel glass, which can be broken down into less than 100% recyclable material. When raw materials are appropriately segregated and recycled, glass saves costs and the environment.

Mixed Recycling

It is intended for recyclable waste, like paper, plastic bottles (but not bags), cans and cardboard. Careful separating of these materials improves reusing proficiency and brings down costs in waste the board streams.

Food Waste

Food waste forms a vital component of hospitality sector waste. Today, anaerobic digestion is one process that could recycle food waste and transform something bound for landfill back into useful commodities: renewable energy production and fertiliser, along with a suite of environmental advantages.

Environmental Impact of Waste

Single-Use Plastics

Non-biodegradable single-use plastics represent a substantial environmental hazard. However, replacing these plastics with environmentally friendly alternatives can greatly offset this in well-regulated recycling systems.

Carbon Footprint

Landfill waste produces greenhouse gas emissions. The hospitality industry can help reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to a circular economy by sending waste to recycling or other sustainable waste management facilities.

Strategies to Reduce Waste Costs

Conduct a Waste Audit

This audit identifies the types and volumes of waste municipalities produce. The data provide insight for creating a custom waste management plan specific to a business's needs.

Educate Staff

Training staff on proper waste segregation and disposal practices is essential. Staff must properly collect waste and manage it to assist environmental health.

Partner with a Reliable Waste Management Service

A reliable waste management company, such as the UK Construction Waste Co, can also help you dispose of your rubbish responsibly. Similar recycling bins are sold to hundreds of these companies and thousands more across the country, all offering their expert advice on how many bins, what types of bins you need, and whether your waste pickup needs to be done once per week.

Implement Food Waste Recycling

Service that includes food waste recycling can save weight and cost on general rubbish. On the environmental and economic sides of the green economy, anaerobic digestion technology creates energy from food waste (inverted into fertiliser).

Conclusion

Hospitality waste management is among the easiest ways these businesses could save money by going green. Businesses that learn these wasteful kinks and apply best practices in waste management can save on disposal costs while also shrinking their environmental footprints.

At UK Construction Waste Co, we want to help hospitality businesses do their best with the waste they produce along the way. Do not hesitate to contact us and discover services that can help you create a comprehensive waste management solution customised for your logistic prerequisites while being environmentally beneficial.

For more information, visit our website UK Construction Waste Co.