Business Waste Reduction

Note: The Eat Your Vegetables restaurant is no longer in business, but this fact sheet is still being made available because waste reduction activities the restaurant engaged in may be helpful to other businesses or organizations. For current information about food waste, see Food Recycling, Food Scrap Management, and the Waste Prevention Information Exchange Food Waste page.

In 1989, Eat Your Vegetables (EYV), a Sacramento restaurant, opened its doors for business and began finding ways to reduce waste. Ted Jones, owner of EYV, and his employees implemented an array of waste prevention activites and are now diverting an impressive 88 percent of the waste they generate* from two restaurants! EYV restaurants have surpassed the AB 939 State-mandated goals of 25 percent diversion by 1995 and 50 percent by the year 2000.

Furthermore, Jones found that waste reduction saves money! He says he has benefited from cost savings and adds, "By letting customers know about your efforts, it helps create customer loyalty." Although local jurisdictions must meet the AB 939 requirements or be fined, "restaurants also have to face up to the reality of AB 939 goals and do our part," Jones says.

Restaurant Background
What effect has waste reduction and recycling had on EYV's garbage volume?
Does waste reduction save money?
Where do I go for more information?
To order a copy...

Background

EYV has two cafeteria-style restaurants specializing in baked goods, soups, salads, pasta, and baked potatoes. Customers can return for as much as they like. Each restaurant also has a complete bakery and beverage bar. Together the two restaurants have 7700 square feet with seating for 205.

Getting Started

Ted Jones started his waste reduction efforts by taking a look at the waste his restaurants generated; this is referred to as a waste audit or waste assessment. "It helps you understand your waste stream and see the major areas that need attention," Jones says. "Then pick one area of waste where you can reduce, donate, reuse, recycle, or compost. Do one thing at a time and use common sense." He adds, "Follow up and follow through!"

Jones started with glass recycling and then cardboard reuse. Now he and his employees donate, reuse, recycle, or compost almost all the restaurants' waste. They further support recycling by purchasing goods made from recycled materials.

How do employees know what to do?

• EYV has formal training for new employees.

How does EYV prevent waste in the first place?

• EYV uses washable plates, silverware, and glasses for meals eaten in the restaurant.
• EYV offers condiments in bulk dispensers rather than in individual packets (e.g., cream, salt and pepper, sugar, honey, artificial sweetener, toothpicks, and straws). Bulk dispensers are kept at a central location instead of at individual tables.
• EYV purchases products in bulk, when possible, to reduce packaging. For example, milk is purchased in one-gallon HDPE plastic containers rather than half-gallon paper containers.
• EYV sells nonfat frozen yogurt in cones or washable bowls and spoons, rather than in single-use paper cups with plastic or wood spoons.
• Beverages are dispensed into washable cups at a beverage bar. This reduces cost, labor, and trash generation.
• Employees cover refrigerated foods with reusable plastic covers rather than with plastic wrap.
• Employees clean up with washable rags rather than paper towels; the rags are washed on site and reused.
• Management posts messages to employees on erasable boards or bulletin boards.
• EYV makes double-sided copies whenever possible and has their toner cartridges refilled.
• EYV has always had a practice of checking the quality of incoming produce to assure quality, thereby reducing produce waste.

What does EYV do with unused food, old uniforms, and food containers?

• EYV donates these items to food kitchens and shelters. This includes about 250 lb weekly of leftover, unused food (8 percent of waste stream), used clothing such as shirts, aprons, and employee donations (10 lb weekly), and used food containers (cottage cheese, 5-gallon pails).

How else does EYV prevent waste through reuse?

• EYV purchases about one-third of their beer in refillable bottles; they are picked up when new beer deliveries are made. EYV pays a deposit for these and they cost about 5 percent less than nonrefillables.
• EYV uses returnable and reusable containers, such as bowls and serving trays, in its catering operations .
• Employees reuse plastic garbage can liners.
• Paper used on one side is collected and taken to EYV's printer where it is made into note pads.
• Strawberry baskets are saved and collected by the distributors during peak season. In the offseason, empty baskets are taken to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, which gives them back to produce farmers.
• EYV asked its produce delivery vendor if they would pick up cardboard boxes. Jones reports that "they were more than happy to do so." Produce delivery people collect empty waxed and other cardboard produce boxes so that they can be reused.
• People who raise exotic birds pick up over 525 pounds per week of produce trimmings (17 percent of the waste stream). Employees bag and store the trimmings in the walk-in (refrigerator) until collected.

What about composting?

• EYV has participated in Sacramento County's pilot composting program since July, 1993. Employees place table scraps, food preparation waste, paper towels, napkins, individual milk cartons, flour bags, some office waste, and landscape clippings into a separate container that is collected by Sacramento County on a weekly basis. This amounts to about 1000 lb per week (about a third of the total waste stream).
• In return for participating in the county's composting program, EYV received free compost to use in its gardens.

What does EYV recycle?

• A private hauler provides a bin, picks up glass, and pays EYV a minimal amount--about $100 each year.

• The Sacramento Local Conservation Corp picks up other recyclables for no charge.

What effect has waste reduction and recycling had on EYV's garbage volume?

• Initially, EYV had two 4-yard dumpsters picked up twice weekly, in other words, they were generating 16 yards weekly. Now they generate 1.5 yards per week--about 90 percent reduction in volume.

Does waste reduction save money?

• Waste reduction saves money in two major ways. One is from avoided disposal costs, the other from savings in purchasing costs. Below is a list of costs and savings from EYV's waste reduction efforts.

Total annual savings from waste reduction $4,805*
*Note: changes were labor neutral and have not affected employee payrolls.

What is EYV still throwing away?

• They are throwing away plastic liners, plastic wrapper, aseptic packaging from soda syrup boxes, and a little office paper.

Does EYV Buy Recycled? Yes!

• They purchase recycled paper with postconsumer content for menus, flyers, brochures, business cards, envelopes, frequent diner cards, and computer paper.
• Other products made from recycled materials without postconsumer content are unbleached coffee filters, unbleached paper towels, toilet paper, and napkins.

How is toxicity reduced?

• Cleaning supplies are biodegradable.
• EYV uses unbleached paper towels.

What about energy and water conservation?

• SMUD and PG&E (local utilities) gave EYV awards for energy efficiency. EYV converted lighting from incandescent to compact flourescent. So far the flourescent bulbs have lasted 5.5 years. EYV also purchased energy efficient equipment for their kitchens.
• EYV installed low-flush toilets to conserve water.

Have there been problems?

• EYV experimented with paper, rather than plastic straws, but these did not hold up during use.
• Finding someone to take the produce trimmings took about a year. Several unsuccessful contacts were made including a local zoo and several individuals who kept animals.

Where do I go for more information?

• Foodchain: 970 Jefferson St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, 800-845-3008. Contact Ruth Rogers. Call to learn about food donation programs that collect prepared foods from restaurants and commercial kitchens in your region.
• California Restaurant Association, 3435 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 2230, LA, CA 90010, (213) 384-1200.
• The Composting Council: 114 S. Pitt St., Alexandria, VA 22314, (713) 739-2401.

Publications:

• A Buyer's Guide to Green Goods. California Restaurant Association. Lists restaurant supplies made with recycled content. No charge to California restaurants, call 213-384-1200 to order.
• Conservation Guidelines: Saving Water and Energy in Restaurants. California Restaurant Association. No charge to California restaurants, call (213) 384-1200 to order.
• Food for Thought, Restaurant Guide to Waste Reduction and Recycling. CIWMB and City of San Francisco. Order online or call (800) CA-WASTE or (916) 341-6296 to order a copy. Available in English and Chinese.
• Food Service Waste Reduction Tips. CIWMB.
• Recycling Programs for Restaurants: How to Get Started. California Restaurant Association. No charge to California restaurants, call (213) 384-1200 to order.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: It's Good Business. A Guide for California Businesses. CIWMB. Explains how to set up and operate a waste prevention and recycling program.
• The Green Sheet, a bimonthly newsletter for restaurants. California Restaurant Association. Call 213-384-1200 to order.

Publication #500-94-055

To order this or other Business Waste Reduction publications, or for more assistance, please contact us! If you have questions, information, ideas, educational materials, etc., please share it with us so we can share it with others!

Last updated: November 01, 2007