Canada’s thriving hospitality industry is a huge part of its business community, registering growing numbers year over year. As the demand for hotels, restaurants, cafés and coffee shops increases in a post-pandemic world, we must take note of their impact on the planet.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the problems created by hotel and restaurant food waste, what it’s doing to our globe and how these challenges could be better managed with food recyclers.
The Impact of Hospitality Food Waste on the Planet
A 2020 study found that food waste created by out-of-home dining is becoming a huge sustainability concern. Canada’s hospitality industry currently contributes a hefty 12% of the country’s overall food waste.
It’s obvious that Canada needs to take control of its commercial waste, but what is the real impact of the restaurant and hospitality industry's carbon footprint?
When food ends up in landfills, it will begin to decompose, emitting methane gas (CH4) which is 25X worse for the environment than CO2. The assumption that "biodegradable" means "good for the planet" is a common misconception.
Decomposing food releases huge methane deposits which end up in our atmosphere, trapping heat and contributing to global warming. Believe it or not, methane actually traps 35X more heat than carbon dioxide, and so food waste should be one of the primary concerns for eco-conscious businesses.
Hotel and Restaurant Food Waste: The Challenges
Food waste has always been a difficult issue to navigate for hotels and restaurants. But it’s not an unsolvable problem. Let’s dive into a few of the challenges owners and decision-makers face when it comes to business waste management.
High Costs of Commercial Waste Management
Running a hotel or a restaurant can be tricky, especially when it comes to balancing the books. When you’ve got essential costs like linen restocks, food supplies and utility bills, paying huge chunks of money for commercial waste management can tip the scale from solvency to unprofitability.
Globally, food waste costs the hospitality industry $100 billion per year, so finding an alternative solution to traditional disposal is certainly something worth considering.
Food waste costs the hospitality industry $100 billion every year
Source: VCM International
Time & Energy Consuming
Commercial waste management can take hours every week. Waste management is also one of the most physically demanding and unappealing jobs performed by hotel and restaurant staff. Food waste accounts for the vast majority of overall restaurant and hotel waste, and is often some of the heaviest materials tossed by staff. Food waste is primarily composed of water mass, which is - needless to say - extremely heavy compared to other waste items, such as napkins, plastic packaging and textiles.
Difficulties with Storage
Storing food waste is one of the primary challenges faced by the hospitality industry. Organic waste consumes large amounts of space, gives off an unpleasant odour and can cause foul-smelling leakage. Further, because food waste decomposes quickly, long-term storage of waste is not possible, even if waste levels happen to be low.
Health & Safety Liability
Food waste can pose health and safety concerns by increasing road and lot traffic, attracting wasps and wildlife, and providing breeding grounds for disease.
How a Food Recycler Could Save Businesses Time & Money
Recycling food is an ideal alternative to sending this waste to landfill. Thousands of pounds of leftover or unwanted food can be processed quickly and quietly every day, reducing organic waste volume by up to 90% and overall waste volume by
The Benefits of a Food Waste Recycling System:
- Reduces costs of commercial waste management
- Saves time spent tackling food waste-related challenges
- Allows food waste to be stored indefinitely in a safe and convenient manner
Where to Find a Hotel and Restaurant Food Waste Recycler
While an indoor compost bin can be a viable option, a commercial FoodCycler is the best solution.
Much like our household food recyclers, the version available to hotels and restaurants turns food waste back into organic matter, ideal for feeding your gardens, or sending it off to a local community project. The FoodCycler dries, chops and compresses food waste, mitigating methane release and eliminating odour entirely.
Here’s how the disposal of food waste is made a lot simpler by a FoodCycler:
- Open the hatch and add food waste
- Turn the switch to ON
- Press Start and let the magic happen
For decision-makers in the hospitality sector, it can be difficult to decide where money is best invested. While a commercial waste FoodCycler reduces your business’ carbon footprint, it also cuts your costs down to a minimum.
Why You Should Invest in a Commercial Waste FoodCycler
Solutions to Suit Every Business
Every business is different, and you shouldn’t be forced to compromise to make greener or less costly decisions. Our commercial food waste recyclers can be adapted to suit any hotel or restaurant, co-designed by our team of specialists to suit your needs.
High-Quality Support Provided
It’s no easy feat to save the planet or cutting down the costs of your food waste. With our friendly FoodCycler teams on hand, we’ll walk you through every step of the process and provide you with seamless support.
Unbeatable Savings
Finances can be tight when it comes to hotel or restaurant management. But with a FoodCycler, you can cut out rising waste hauling costs, lowering and locking down the amount you’re spending on disposal.
Further, making the environmentally sustainable choice can actually provide companies with fresh tax credits and incentives.
Good Optics
Sustainability is increasingly important to consumers. Companies that commit to environmentally sustainable practices and processes can leverage these in marketing their brand.
Sustainability remains a key consideration for consumers in 2021 with 32% of consumers highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Equally important, 28% of consumers have stopped buying certain products due to ethical or environmental concerns.
Source: Deloitte
If you’d like to know more about how a FoodCycler could transform commercial food waste for your business, get in touch today on our website.