Food Waste Recycling and your Business

A Brief History of Waste

As a Business, your dumpster is probably the last thing that you think about when it comes to the cost savings. Trash is one of those things that we’ve become accustomed to over the years, and that's just the reality. Waste is often given little thought after it’s tossed in the bin, after all it just magically disappears right? 4 billion years on this planet and nature has always had a plan for everything it creates, from every drop of water, every plant, and animal to be used and then return to something new one day. Nature's systems are perfect giving us fresh air to breathe and food to eat, but with the birth of the industrial age, and the migration of people into our cities humans created new waste streams that mixed with nature, that we eventually ended up naming Trash.

Cities were never properly designed to dispose of this fast pace of human waste or this trash, adding horses and farm animals into these cities made animal waste a real challenge as well. Waste was just tossed onto the streets and began to affect human health and even safety issues from mismanaged waste that would cause fires in the cities. Dumping waste into nearby streams, and bays in cities were common, creating even worse challenges. Waste simply had no management until it came to a breaking point in the United States in the early 1900’s. The birth of the modern garbage truck collection system taught us that it was okay to waste, and so we did. Not knowing the real consequences of our actions we became champions of the trash can and started putting trash cans with plastic bags out everywhere, that would replace and start the process all over again.

The Current State of Waste

Our modern garbage collection systems have been in place for over 100 years now in this country, and worldwide cities have adopted various methods of dealing with what they consider waste. The United States has become very efficient at getting the trash out of our cities, giving the appearance of a thriving modern society. Taking a deeper look, and we're really just efficient at burying a much bigger problem. Big trucks swoop in, take what we've deemed has little or no value, and we gladly pay them to do so. The chilling fact is that over 60% of the waste we produce in this country heads to a landfill, that number grows drastically as we head around the globe. Globally waste by weight has escalated to over 1.3 billion pounds sent to incineration or landfills.

Organics by the Numbers

Inside these piles lays billions of dollars in resources, and visibly you can see we have a major opportunity, and also a global obligation to find better solutions. Some of these solutions will take time, but taking a page from nature and a closer look at what actually ends up in a landfill (See Graph), you can see that organics make up a significant amount of the materials that end up in a landfill. Organic waste by percentage including food waste makes up over 40% of those big trash piles. Many landfills are now at capacity or shutting down making this problem even bigger, and there is also that little issue of us running out of precious topsoil since we have been taking topsoil without replacing soil for crops for years now. 4 billion years of nature's systems have been disrupted, and with over 7 billion people on this planet, change needs to come fast.

Natures Systems vs. Humans

For nearly 40 years now, basic recycling programs have been operating throughout many cities in the United States. Organics recycling adoption in the United States has been slow in its growth, with only about 5% of all organics and food waste getting recycled, leaving 95% heading to the dump. So what's the big deal, food waste is just trash right? organic waste sent to landfills is contributing to an even larger issue in regards to climate change. As organics head to a landfill to be buried, that organic material creates methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas that seeps out into the environment. Organics need to naturally decompose, and when mixed with plastics, rubbers, electronic waste, etc. in a landfill they cannot do that. The methane gas within a landfill is difficult to capture and thus is responsible for 20% of the damage that's done to our ozone layer. We won't get into all that leachate brewing below the surface, just breathe easy and know that those landfills are sealed with 40 Year Tarps, and the surrounding waterways are monitored in case that nasty sludge gets into our drinking water supply...I know I'll sleep well tonight.

You Gotta Keep em' Separated

There are now a handful of states and cities around the country that are calling for food waste and organics separation for businesses, and these numbers will multiply quickly. How do we get started though, especially after so many years of just mixing it all in, and tossing it in the bin. I will go over the "How To" in full detail during the next article, with all the new tech coming online to assist Companies and Communities with this challenge. I've been through just about every headache situation you can imagine setting up a large scale company organics recycling programs, so please leverage my experience if you have any questions. My goal here is to educate and collaborate with those looking for solutions to waste in their organizations. If you are just starting this journey, I can say with full confidence that after diverting over 1 million pounds of organic material from landfill, it's worth every small little hick-up along the way. Yes, this is a behavioral change but we'll make sure you get the best tips to assure that that your organics recycling program goes off without a hitch.

Getting started in diverting your food waste from the dumpster really begins with a commitment. Some will say it has to start from the top, but when's the last time someone in the corner office had to change a trash can? I always teach that your waste problems start at the bin, and work backwards. A top-down approach to getting an organics recycling program set up requires the involvement of those involved in the in the everyday waste process. Are those employees full time, is there regular turnover, are your communication methods consistent throughout? Something as simple as food waste/organics recycling can get stopped just as quickly as it gets started if the basics have not been covered. When the basics are covered, a commitment to leadership has been established, and the communication is consistent then that's a good start. It's important to audit the process either through old-fashioned pen and paper or through a waste tracking software that can monitor, measure, and report your waste diversion. It's also a good idea to start collecting this data if you plan on starting a Zero Waste to Landfill program. Those numbers will serve as a baseline, and can even tie-in the cost reduction of your overall waste program.

Golden State goes big on Organics

California’s AB1826 organics recycling law took a bold step, by focusing the on businesses producing 4 cubic yards of organics/food waste after January 2017. The law takes an even more aggressive leap by January of 2019 that produce 4 cubic yards of solid waste must divert that waste through organics recycling, source reduction, or traditional recycling. The law finally caps producers of 2 cubic yards of solid waste by 2021, which includes even very small businesses that produce to get that waste to the right place. These steps may seem like a speed bump to a business, but the fact remains that we are running out of space for waste in this country, and globally as landfills are at maximum capacity. Understanding and complying with these laws in their early stages, however, can lead to several benefits to actually propel your business, and save our environment in the process. The restaurants and hotels I've spoken with in California have been very positive towards these changes. The connection of sending food waste back to the earth or to animals for feed just feels good. These changes also allow for a deeper look into the organization's operations for greater opportunities to prevent food waste from even becoming waste in the first place. Operating your business like nature does, and seeing nothing as waste couldn't be a bad thing right?

Using Technology to Recycle Food Waste?

Feeling overwhelmed, well technology has given us some amazing options for recycling organics, lowering your waste bills, and even weighing your food waste onsite. The ORCA Food Waste Recycling Technology is the future and truly allows for waste to be treated at the source. The ORCA machine will process your food waste onsite into earth-friendly water that flows to the sanitary drain in 24 hours. Replacing garbage cans with bus tubs to feed the ORCA while the ORCA weighs, measures, and tracks your waste is a big advantage. The ORCA reports this data to the cloud, allowing your organization greater visibility into your operations while reducing the hassle of dealing with wet food waste that before was just tossed in a trash bin to rot. 

Managing a facility that went through thousands of plastic and compostable bags just to manage our waste, the ORCA provided huge cost savings from day 1. Movement of waste can be challenging in a small kitchen, just as it can in large factories and commercial buildings. Lifting heavy wet bags of food waste presents safety and ergonomic issues as well. The ORCA allows you to feed the machine at the source, and at waist level avoiding any twisting of the body. It's exciting to see technologies like the ORCA solving issues like food waste, and know that food waste is a major cost of most restaurants and hotels the cost savings benefits can often be seen in 18 months or less. ORCA FOOD WASTE RECYCLING PAGE: https://bit.ly/FoodWasteRecycling

The Benefits of Organics Recycling 

All right, so we know that waste is an issue, and we know that laws are now in place for organics recycling, but my goal here is really is really twofold. First, getting awareness out to those about organics recycling. Second, I want to sell you on the benefits of getting started with your organics recycling now. To help with that, I've highlighted 3 major benefits that will impact your business once you do get started. I’ve often heard the conversation about what a hassle it was to reduce waste, the training, double checking your employees, how do I get started? It doesn’t have to be that way though, and this is coming from my personal experience. Getting a 5 million square foot factory to a Zero Waste Facility was a challenge in the beginning, but we eventually did it. You can do the same for your business, ANY business can. This article is really about taking that first step and how the benefits from taking that first step will create will not only reduce the waste you send to landfill but can reduce your costs in your business and increase your Environmental Credibility with your Customers. I will warn you though that this process is contagious, and your employees will be encouraged to want to do more with less. So here's the top 3, if you're ready…let’s go!

Reduce your waste increase your revenue?

The first 90 days that we started our organics recycling or compost program at Tesla, something amazing happened…we saved money. Organics recycling nationwide is generally less expensive than traditional tipping fees going to landfill. We reduced our waste bill by over 30% in just those first few months. That's the difference when you start recycling organics, is that you can actually make money with organics recycling. The material can be transformed into a commodity that Organics Recyclers can sell to make a profit. At a landfill, your waste is treated like you are the Renter, and the Landfill is actually your Land-Lord. Paying "Rent" on the waste you send there is the hope of your garbage hauler, we talked about this in the beginning. These new organics laws are actually giving your business the opportunity to not only do what's right for the environment but save your business some money in the process.

Gaining Customers Loyalty Going Green

We live in a social world that's beginning to pay to allot more attention to companies focused on doing what right for the environment. The days of simply offering a product or experience are not enough, and your customers want to know where the ingredients of the meals they purchase are sourced from, is it a sustainable process, and what is the company doing to minimize their waste and environmental impact. It's necessary that your company take these steps because if you don't, your competition will. Start with signage when your customer comes in the door, advertise on your company website, but something that solidifies that your business is committed to reducing food waste, and also recycling food waste to assure the leftovers go back to create something new again.

Reducing waste is one of those activities that unlike solar panels, air-water systems, green roofs you name it, that your customers and employees can actually play a part in. They didn't buy the solar panels, but they were the ones that made sure the compostable coffee cup heads to the right bin for disposal. It's something that all employees can get behind, very actionable items, and an easy decision that everyone can make.

Employee’s go “ALL IN”

Getting your employees on board with your Zero Waste/Recycling program may seem like a quite the task but is actually the opposite. When your employees understand the "Why" behind your business initiatives, besides just making money it gives them purpose. In fact, a recent survey indicated that 76% of Millenials would take a pay cut in order to work for a company with Social and Environmental commitments when deciding where to work. Employees with children realize the impact of their work on their kids as they grow, and this greatly impacts the loyalty of these employees towards their careers.

Tesla's savings on our waste bills were just the beginning and ultimately led to revenue generation as our program really started to crank up. Watching our Environmental program going from losing money the first year, into last year making over $30 million in revenue from our combined efforts was a major catapult to many more of our future environmental initiatives. Starting a Recycling program, even making the decision to go "All In" on Zero Waste sends a clear message to of commitment to your employees. It shows that the company that they work for cares, and therefore these employees will generally have more loyalty and pride in their workplace. Waste reduction programs save the company, and as this commitment becomes solidified can also be an additional revenue source as well. So that's it, that's my pitch. ZeroFill Solutions will be creating some video content to really break down these articles, but if you do have questions see the contact information below.

Thanks...and see you all soon, Jeff