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Restaurant Owners: Disposal Options That Are More Sustainable

In any restaurant setting, there is going to be waste. No matter how careful you might be to cut down on waste -- which is obviously important if you want to cut costs -- you will have to dispose of certain things that come out of your kitchen and dining area. Luckily, there are sustainable options for some of the common waste items in a restaurant, so consider looking into these options so that you can feel good about the way that you run your business.

Grease Trap

First of all, you should think about how your grease is disposed of. Luckily, there are great options. For example, when hiring someone to come out and get rid of the grease from your grease trap, look for a company that recycles the grease and uses it to be made into methane gas. Then, you'll know that your grease isn't actually being wasted but that it is instead being put to use to make a cleaner type of power.

Food Waste

In your restaurant, you might have taken as many steps as possible to reduce food waste. However, inevitably, you might find yourself throwing away ingredients here and there. Luckily, there are sustainable options for different types of food waste. If you have ingredients that have not been used and that aren't expired but that are nearing their expiration date, you can try donating them to a food pantry in your area. Prepared foods that have not been served to others but that are being wasted -- such as if customers don't pick up their take-out orders -- can sometimes be given to soup kitchens or to homeless people in the area. Some farmers will take food scraps and waste to be fed to livestock. All of these options are great ways to help others and make sure that your food isn't actually wasted, which can help take away some of the sting from the cost of throwing away food in your restaurant.

Recyclables

If you aren't currently making an active effort to recycle plastic, paper and metal, now is the time to do so. One good way to start is to set up recycling bins alongside all of the trash cans in your kitchen. Then, train staff members to recycle what they can throughout the workday.

As you can see, there are various areas of your restaurant where you can focus on sustainability. Try implementing these tips so that you can feel good about lessening your restaurant's impact on the environment. For more information, contact companies like Tierra Environmental & Industrial Services.