Supermarkets and Distribution Centers Gear Up to Divert Organic Waste
By Arlene Karidis, Waste360.
Large commercial generators of wasted food are facing some of the tallest tasks to move forward. These two businesses are partnering with waste companies and food donation organizations and looking for economically and environmentally sound food waste prevention and reduction strategies.
Commercial waste generators face barriers like limited storage space for organics awaiting recycling and little infrastructure to move food fast and see that it is put to beneficial uses.
Meanwhile, large supermarkets will likely have an easier time than the smaller businesses. They will have lower costs to comply with the program. They can leverage their distribution centers and freight to backhaul organics to a central depot and then realize lower pickup and tip fees, says Steve Sutta CEO of environmental consulting company Green Planet 21.
Sutta will speak at a WasteExpo session called: Food Waste Reduction, Recovery, and Organics Recycling for Supermarkets, and Distribution Centers Tuesday May 9 at 5:00 PM in New Orleans.
“Single stores and small market chains will struggle with higher costs and spottier service [for collections and processing],” Sutta says. “There will be squawking from them. But they will have limited options.” He adds that they lack the economic power to get lawmakers to hear them out and to affect a call to action.