Recycling for restaurants is important. Throughout New Mexico, many restaurateurs are recycling and going green. Join the club! How and where do you start? Crush your cardboard.
There is no one standard for all cities. Starting a big, complex recycling program is challenging. Training staff takes a fair amount of time. Not everyone wants a large front-of-the house recycling bin system. But you CAN make a start, with something simple. The National Restaurant Association has some tips.
Why Cardboard?
Cardboard alone takes up an average of 25% of your dumpster space. This small step can make your restaurant part of the solution. It will reduce the amount of trash that needs to be processed. Recycling and going green is important for everyone. Cardboard is a valuable resource in making new paper products. The NMRA is at the forefront of keeping restaurateurs in the know.
“Focusing on recycling your cardboard will help you get big bang for your buck by reducing the size of your waste stream and the need for a big dumpster to hold your ‘trash,'” says Jeff Clark, program director for the NRA’s Conserve program.
7 steps to successful cardboard recycling
- Find out if you can recycle on premise.
- Train staff to safely cut up boxes and lay them flat in the cardboard bin.
- Put only cardboard in the cardboard recycling bin.
- Ask your recycler whether he or she accepts waxed cardboard from foodstuff deliveries.
- Find out who will pick it up. You also can find cost-saving vendors to dispose of your recyclables. GridWaste.com is a site where companies bid for your business.
- Get baled out. Save space. Ask the recycling company about a cardboard baler to crush and bind the cardboard.
- Log your savings. Revisit your efforts. Keep track of what’s working for you and keep it up!
