Waste Report Outlines Opportunity To Save Millions In The Hospitality Sector

7 July 2011

£724m a year could be saved by tackling food waste in the UK hospitality sector, according to a report published today (7 July 2011) by WRAP

The Composition of Waste Disposed of by the UK Hospitality Industry estimates that over 3.4m tonnes of waste - typically food, glass, paper and card - is produced by hotels, pubs, restaurants and quick service restaurants, aka fast food (QSRs) each year.

Of this, 1.6m tonnes (48 percent) is recycled, reused or composted, while almost 1.5m tonnes (43 percent) is thrown away, mainly to landfill.

Of the waste going to landfill, 600,000 tonnes was food waste, two-thirds of which (400,000 tonnes) could have been eaten.

The industry has increased its efforts to recycle, but the amount of waste going to landfill remains an issue, according to the report, with 70 percent of the mixed waste currently sent for disposal that could be recycled using existing markets.

It is also estimated that as much as 950,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions could be saved if the recyclable waste disposed of by the hospitality industry was actually recycled, which amounts to the equivalent of removing 300,000 cars from UK roads for a whole year.

The amount of CO₂ equivalent emissions that could be saved would increase further if the avoidable food waste could be prevented.

Richard Swannell, Director Design & Waste Prevention, at WRAP, believes the findings suggest there is a real opportunity to reduce waste and costs further across the hospitality sector. "It is clear from our findings that much work has been done by the hospitality sector to reduce waste to landfill in favour of increased recycling and more could be done," he said. "Businesses are keen to recycle, or recycle more, but often come across barriers, such as a lack of space.

"Working together, there is a real opportunity to reduce waste and recycle more, delivering reductions in CO₂ emissions, as well as generating cost savings."

Breakdown of key mixed waste materials in mixed waste sent for disposal that could be recycled:

For more information on hospitality and food waste CLICK HERE