A Look At The Typical Components Of Well-Designed Waste Stream Management In Food Service

Waste stream management in a food service industry looks much different than what it does for other industrial settings. Food can serve many purposes, even food that is left over after the food service has used what they need for their own operation. Take a look at some of the typical components (listed from most desirable to least desirable) in a waste stream management plan for a restaurant or other food service business. 

1. Reduce the amount of food waste. 

The most desirable thing for any food service business owner to do is to reduce the amount of food waste they are producing on any given day of operation. Reducing waste always means reducing costs. For example, if workers are throwing away a lot of sliced tomatoes at the end of the day, this is an expense that could be avoided by implementing strategies to only slice tomatoes as they are needed. By reducing how much food is wasted, there is also less waste produced by the place of business. 

2. Use food overflow to feed those in need. 

Not all, but some food businesses do take part in programs to feed those in need. For example, unexpired foods can be donated to an organization like Feeding America or a local soup kitchen or pantry for those in need. Many restaurant owners donate prepared foods to soup kitchens, and some will donate unused ingredients that are soon to be expired if they know they will not be used. 

3. Make use of food waste to feed animals. 

Some waste management companies now collect food scraps that can be used to feed farm animals. For instance, a fresh produce store may have a lot of produce that is not sold and cannot be donated, so they can place the waste in a receptacle separate from the ordinary trash. The waste is then collected by the waste management company and used to produce food for animals.

4. Utilize certain waste products as a recyclable industrial product.

Some food waste products can be recycled into industrial products. Used fryer oil, for instance, can be used to create certain types of fuel. When possible, many restaurant owners do reduce their amount of oil and grease waste with this method. 

5. Send remaining waste to waste collection centers.

In the end, everything that cannot serve another purpose must be sent to a landfill. Of course, this food waste does tend to break down faster than a lot of other industrial waste, but it is still more desirable to reduce the amount of trash by following other plans of making use of the waste.

Contact a company like H & H Metals Co to learn more.