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Step
4: What and Where to Recycle
Identify
eligible materials for recycling.
Selecting
Recyclables
Based
on your waste audit findings, you can now select
potential materials for recycling. If an item was
not a candidate for waste reduction or reuse, you
may be able to keep it out of your trash dumpster
with a recycling program.
You
will have to work with a hauler offering recycling
services to determine which materials will be economical
to recycle (see Step 5: Working
with Your Hauler). The following materials are
common recyclables collected by hotels and restaurants.
|
Common
Recyclalbes
|
| Paper |
corrugated cardboard |
| |
bond
paper |
| |
computer
paper |
| |
boxes |
| |
newspaper |
| |
telephone
books |
| |
magazines |
| Metal |
aluminum
cans |
| |
tin/steel
cans |
| Glass |
clear,
brown, green bottles and jars |
| Plastics |
narrow
neck bottles made of PET #1 and HDPE #2 |
| Office |
copier
and printer cartridges |
| Maintenance |
motor
oil |
| |
antifreeze |
| |
paint |
| Other |
wood
pallets |
| |
polystyrene
containers |
Collection
Tips
A good collection system will help you capture a
high percentage of your recyclables. Read the following
tips for ideas.
- Be
sure that recycling and trash bins look different
from each other and are clearly marked. Both types
of bins should be conveniently located in the
kitchen and bar areas so that employees will use
them.
- If
your establishment is self-serve, post signs letting
customers know that you are recycling and what
they should do with their bottles and cans. Either
put out a bin for these items, or have customers
leave them on a designated counter for collection
by your staff.
- If
space is a problem, specially designed equipment
such as can, glass and plastic crushers are available
to reduce the volume of your recyclable materials.
- Some
fast food chains are operating recycling programs
for polystyrene containers.
- Make
sure that bins in public areas are well-marked.
It is best to choose bins with specialized openings,
such as a hole for cans or a slot for newspapers,
for these areas.
- Hotels
and motels should recycle the "wet" and "dry"
materials received through their offices, guest
rooms, restaurants, and cafeterias. Dry recyclables,
from offices and guest rooms, include different
grades of paper. Wet recyclables, from the restaurants
and cafeterias, include cans and bottles as well
as food waste, which can be used for pig chow
or for composting in some areas of the country.
- Set
up appropriate recycling programs in administrative
offices, food service areas, guest rooms and public
areas. It is best to concentrate on areas that
produce significant amounts of particular materials.
- Set
up a log book or a receipt system to record the
volume of recyclables leaving the premises. This
will enable you to receive proper compensation
for your materials and to take appropriate action
if volumes decrease.
- The
wood pallet and container industry is the largest
user of hardwood lumber in the United States.
Recycled pallets are used for poultry litter,
livestock bedding, fuel, mulch, soil amendment,
particle board, and furniture.
Contamination
Contamination turns your carefully separated recyclables
back into garbage. Keep your recyclables clean.
Locating the recycling containers near trash cans
can cut down on contamination. Clearly mark all
collection containers and make it as difficult as
possible to contaminate the recyclables. For example,
use lids with only a small hole in the top for the
collection of aluminum cans.
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Recycling