recycling in the kitchen

[lavender luv]

hi there,

i work in a fairly large kitchen where, i am ashamed to say, in 2004 we do not recycle. i mean, ok, we recycle wine bottles, etc but these are returned for a refund.

most of the waste is plastic jugs/bottles, glass jars, aluminum cans, you know, the usual.

how does commercial recycling work? i'm trying to get a program set up asap, it kills me that so much packaging is going in the garbage! anyone aware of the cost involved? as usual the 'powers that be' are more concerned with profit than enviroment when it comes right down to it!

any help would be appreciated

teresa

[mike]

Well over here our local council does a weekly doorstep pickup free of charge of all recyclable stuff. I live in a very small town & would be suprised if your own local authority doesnt do the same.
Particularly as Canada & BC pride them selves on your lovely environment...

[coolJ]

Do you deal with Canadian waste managment ??, that's the company that disposes of our cardboard, oil and trash where I work. My kitchen is pretty reasonable about recycling, pretty much everything that can be used again, is. however you can only use portion bags at max twice, before they are garbage. We make our own garlic bread, so rathher than having new bags for that, we save all our bread bags. There would probably be alot more recycling done, if all you hand to do was drop off you items at the recycling depot but with all the stipulations about no waxed cardboard, only flattend aluminum cans with out labels, etc, it gets to be a hassle to recycle as much as one should. Personally I think there should be a place where you take your recyclables and just drop them off and let the recycling companies take care of sorting and packing.

[Suzanne]

Since I'm in the States, I don't know whom you might contact. Sorry.

BUT: I can tell you that it will take a lot of staff training to get everyone used to doing it automatically. Do not be discouraged if it takes months and months, and then you'll have to train the new staff and retrain the old periodically. And, of course, you'll have to make it easy for them by having separate trash containers for the recyclables; don't want to make anyone sift through the total trash, do you?

You may also have to demonstrate to your boss(es) that it is more cost-effective to recycle -- that regular haulage costs will go down, and/or that you'll actually make some money on the recyclables, if that is indeed the case. Alas, being a good citizen often loses out to short-term commercial interest. But I hope you manage to get your program in place.

[coquille]

Just smak them over the head !! Big time !!
LOL

Just joking... It helps if you tell all the peolple who work in the kitchen what things kost. Usely they dónt have a clue !!

[fodigger]

We recycle everything possible. We have 2 dumpsters a week hauled out of here plus our green waste from which they make fertilizer. All in all it cost us about $300.00 a month which may seem like alot of money it would be 3 -4 times that to have it hauled as trash. And on top of that, eventally we will run out of landfill space even sooner if we don't. You know the old adage"not in my backyard" So I applaude your efforts. And good luck

[lavender luv]

you bring a couple of blue bins in the kitchen and war breaks out...
everyone's enviromentally friendly until you ask them to rinse out a tin can...wow!!! I MEAN REALLY IT TAKE'S 2 SECONDS!

[wett-chef]

The problem is generally recycling is not user friendly. And yes it seems like a huge chore to ask someone to rinse out the cans. But heres a thought, Yank one out of the garbage, grab a spatula, and show them how much is being thrown out. Proceed to tell them that when it comes time for raises, their work performance will be rated not only on their production, but their frugality.

[Headless Chicken]

It becomes a habit when you do this on a regular basis. I rinse out all cans and bottles, I crush all plastic containers, collaps all boxes, granted this is at home but I like to think of it as my own kitchen have run it the way I would like to see a professional kitchen being runned from the cooking to waste disposal that includes seperation of organic waste from the synthetic.

Truth is, I've done this in all my jobs were I'm the underdog. I can say that it takes no time at all and takes even less time if you've done it as long as I have and know how to do such things quickly.

I applaud you for rising up and taking the initiative to introduce recycling.

[lins]

We have to recycle, if we don't we face a big fine!
We have lots of recycling places, in town at the side of the roads they're everywhere!
It does take up a lot of time! O.K two seconds to rinse a can, you wash your hands grab for a paper towel, ooops has to go into the paper recycling!
How many times do you wash your hands a day! I'm always at it!
It's hard, and when you're busy it's harder.
You need separate bins for everything, and space for the bins!
Old habits die hard, it's a case of time, practice and self discipline.
Even at home we have a container in the kitchen for compost stuff, a bin for glass, one for tins, then there's cardboard etc...
At home we do a lot of in-house recycling, i.e cardboard egg containers make good firelighters so do milk cartons. The dog eats any leftover bones etc..
If we can make use of it we do, if we cannot it gets recycled.
But I hate polystyrene, you cannot use it, burn it or recycle it yet most things get delivered and wrapped in it. Any ideas?

[Nicko]

It is good to hear that so many people are taking this serious. I am sad to say but I can't remember one kitchen I worked in that recyling was a thought. Waste was always an issue, but no one took time for recyling.