Cutting back on waste

Waste and its disposal is a huge and growing environmental problem in our high consumption society. Waste disposal is a major challenge. Ever increasing amounts of waste are going into landfill sites, or into the sea. Waste not only takes up large areas of land in landfill sites and is often a waste of the resources from which it is made. It also contains toxic chemicals and other materials hazardous to our health and the environment. With waste, it is a mistake to adopt the attitude of “out of sight, out of mind”. Cutting down on waste starts at the point of purchase. Unnecessary packaging costs you money twice – you pay for it in the purchase price and then you pay again for it to be taken away. Recycling and re-use are also important principles to follow.

Individually wrapped portions of evaporated milk, sugar and breakfast foods are no longer environmental good practice. There is nothing in the hygiene regulations to prevent the unwrapped presentation of items such as butter, milk, honey, jam, cheese, cold meat, cereals or bread. It is important to gauge the demand for food in the breakfast buffet so that they do not stand open for more than an hour at most. Dispensers can be provided for items such as honey, jam or milk.

It is probably common knowledge now that reusable bottles make more sense than canned drinks or disposable bottles. A great deal of material and energy is required to manufacture these containers, and there are limits to the recovery from scrap.

There are many opportunities to reduce waste by means of greener purchasing strategies. The following examples demonstrate how this can be achieved by selecting package sizes to reflect your consumption needs and by using returnables:

Butter can be purchased in big slabs.
Fresh milk can be delivered in large containers.
Use returnable bottles or dispensers for soft drinks and fruit juice.
Purchase salad, fruit and vegetables in returnable crates or boxes.
Ask suppliers to bring fresh meat and fish in reusable containers.
Buy certain groceries and cleaning agents in large containers.
Buy cleaning agents and washing powders in concentrated form to reduce packaging.

The manufacture of packaging material uses up substantial energy and material resources. Its recovery or disposal pollutes the environment. Plastic packaging is the worst offender. For one thing, there are many different types of plastic, and when they are mixed it is harder to process them into new products. In addition, the soiling rate of the waste is particularly high, because it weighs so little in proportion to its volume. The various technologies for sorting and treating plastic waste are intricate and expensive. For these reasons, plastics should always be purchased and used sparingly.

One major step towards reducing waste volume is to use recycled paper. Recycled paper is a clear and visible signal to guests that the organisation has adopted environmental principles. The use of recycled paper is a considerable factor in protecting the environment. Gone are the days when this product was grey and unappealing. Recycled paper can be used without reservation for many purposes: toilet rolls, sanitary bags, kitchen rolls, paper towels, office paper, etc.