1. Environmental Issues within the Catering Industry

2. Looking after the environment is really important to help prevent global warming. The hospitality and catering industry has a part to play in this, by reducing the amount of waste it produces and by recycling as much as possible.

3. In catering there are three ‘Rs’ that relate to looking after the environment.
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

4. Reduce Hotels can reduce the amount of waste within the kitchen by:
Using products with less packaging
Sending waste to local farmers, for animal feed
Buying foods in bulk
Recycling glass, tins, cardboard and paper

5. Reduce
Restaurants can reduce waste at breakfast time (and save money) by:
Running a buffet style breakfast (that way people will only take what they like and fewer members of staff will be needed.)
By putting condiments such as jam in dishes rather providing individual ones (which cost more and produce more waste)

6. Packaging Packaging Advantages Disadvantages Paper and card
Easily printed
Can be recycled
Strong when dry
lightweight
Crushes easily
Weak when wet
Recycled paper and card cannot be used for food
Glass
Strong
Reusable
Recyclable
Can carry liquids
Brittle
Easily broken
Metal
Rigid
Must be coated inside or reacts with food
Cannot microwave
Uses valuable energy to extract from ground
Plastic and polystyrene
Flexible
Does not react with food
Causes litter problems
Limited resources
Not easily recycled

7. Take-away food establishments
These in particular use a lot of packaging.
Pizzas are sold in corrugated card boxes
Sandwiches are often sold in clear plastic boxes
Many Indian and Chinese foods are sold in plastic containers or foil containers with card lids
Burgers are sold in polystyrene cartons

8. Food manufacturers are trying to reduce the amount of packaging used for food products. Customers are encouraged to reuse and recycle food packaging whenever possible

9. The hospitality and catering industry can do their part in helping to reduce waste produced by themselves and their customers. By putting signs around the establishment encouraging customers to help reduce waste they will in turn gain a good reputation, as they are trying to help the environment