It is estimated that just one full-service restaurant is capable of creating over 2,000 pounds of disposed waste a week. If this fact is scary to you, perhaps it is time to consider just how your food establishment can recycle all of that extra waste. While you might think that the steps to becoming an eco-friendly eatery are costly and time-consuming, you would be shocked at just how easy it is and how much money you’re able to save. Follow the recycling ideas below to get your eatery headed in a greener direction.

Which Materials Can Your Restaurant Really Recycle?

Before you start your restaurant’s recycling initiative, find out which materials your current waste management provider recycles and how they have to be separated. Once you have figured out which materials can be recycled, speak to both your front and back of house staff so they will understand how to dispose of the recyclables. Also, make sure to emphasize to all of your employees the importance of rinsing out their containers before they toss them into their respective bins. Most accepted recyclables are made up of steel, paper, aluminum, and cardboard. Plastic products like jars, bottles, and jugs can also all be recycled, but recycling facilities do not collect plastic bags and anything made of Styrofoam. H.C. Walterhoefer has recyclable and eco-friendly paper products of all sorts. So if you’re looking to stay environmentally friendly in your eatery, come in today to buy what you need in bulk!

How to Recycle Your Food Waste

Restaurant waste can be broken down into both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. Pre-consumer waste is anything that is thrown away before food is served to your guests, like rotten food that hasn’t been used, byproducts from prep work, or packaging that your ingredients came in. Post-consumer food waste includes food scraps that your guest leave behind. Before any steps are taken in both recycling phases, it is crucial to run a food waste audit on your restaurant. While food waste might not seem harmful to the environment, decaying vegetables and fruits emit methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas. This is the last thing you want your kitchen employees or anything outside inhaling.

Over 5,000 Products For Your Home or Business

At H.C. Walterhoefer we have over 5,000 products ranging from paper goods to cleaning supplies to meet your personal or business needs. If you want something that we do not offer in our store, just ask us for it, and we will do our best to get it for you. Our store has everything you need! Stop by today to get supplies for your next event, all your restaurant needs, and the best cleaning products at the best prices. We even deliver! So call us today at 410-368-5070. We are located at 2331 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21230 and we are open from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and to stay up to date with everything H.C. Walterhoefer.