Recycling food waste from commercial kitchens takes some time and effort.  If you've decided to hire a food waste service, then your kitchen staff are probably already on board. They may be pleased you're looking to boost your restaurant's green credentials.

However, to make food recycling really work, you need to set up an efficient disposal system that doesn't add too much extra work for your kitchen staff. How can you do this?

Explain Food Recycling Rules

While you should be able to dispose of most of your kitchen food waste in your recycling bins, there are things that shouldn't go in the bins. For example, your waste recycling service may ask you not to put paper towels or serviettes into their bins.

It's important to make sure that your staff all know what they can and can't recycle. If you contaminate food waste, it may not end up being recycled after all.

So, have a staff meeting and explain the recycling rules you've been given. Put signs up by all recycling points stating what should and shouldn't go in the food waste bins.

Create Plenty of Recycling Points

Your food waste recycler will provide you with a large outdoor bin to hold your food waste. They may also ask you if you want some kitchen caddies.

These small bins are useful. Your staff can simply throw in food waste as they work, and the bins can then be emptied into the main bin when they're full.

To keep things simple for your staff, make sure they have easy access to caddies where and when they need them. Pay particular attention to food preparation areas.

Your staff are more likely to use food waste bins if they are close to where they're working. It's also an idea to site caddies close to where your staff used to dispose of food waste as they prepped.

It's easier to make the switch to recycling if your staff don't have to change their prep habits that much. People are less likely to recycle if you make it a lot more work for them.

It's also a good idea to have someone take responsibility for regularly emptying the small caddies into the main recycling bin. If caddies get full when your cooks are prepping, then they may default to throwing food waste into regular bins.

To get more ideas on how to effectively switch to food waste recycling, ask your recycling company for advice. They'll know what works and what doesn't in a commercial kitchen.