Reducing Plastic Waste in Professional Kitchens - and the Costs You Can't Ignore.
The foodservice industry is facing a significant waste challenge. According to WRAP, the UK's hospitality and food service sector produces approximately 1 million tonnes of food waste each year, with an estimated 75% of this waste being avoidable. Food waste is not only an environmental issue for businesses in this sector but also a direct factor affecting profitability.
In addition to the need to reduce food waste, single-use plastics have been a long-standing concern. The frequent replacement of damaged chopping boards contributes significantly to this problem. Even the most durable cutting boards will eventually wear out and end up in landfills. When boards become scored, cracked, or warped, they can become breeding grounds for bacteria, necessitating more frequent replacements.
In the fast-paced environment of your commercial kitchen, every decision impacts both your bottom line and your environmental footprint. Are you aware of the hidden costs associated with your chopping boards?:
- Financial Impact: Replacing chopping boards regularly adds up. Considering the average cost of a commercial-grade chopping board, the expenses can be substantial, especially for large-scale operations.
- Environmental Impact: Discarded plastic chopping boards contribute to landfill waste and potential microplastic pollution. This is a growing concern, as awareness of microplastics in food preparation increases.
Operational Inefficiency: Frequent replacements disrupt workflow, create downtime in the kitchen and add unnecessary purchasing tasks.
Recycling Challenges: Traditional plastic chopping boards are often difficult to recycle due to their composition and contamination with food waste. This means they often end up in general waste streams, contributing to landfill and incineration.
Nella's resurfacing service offers a powerful solution to this waste problem, helping commercial kitchens reduce their environmental impact without compromising safety or performance.
Case Study: A National Pub Chain's Sustainable Transformation
- reduce plastic waste
- achieve net zero or reduce their carbon footprint
- improve health inspection scores
- reduce the risk of food contamination and maintain or reduce overall costs.
- During our initial assessment, we discovered that chopping boards were being used beyond acceptable safety standards. The boards were stained and damaged, making proper cleaning difficult. Despite having new stock available, older, worn boards continued to be used. Warped boards also presented safety risks.
Case Study: How we tackled each challenge
1) Reducing Plastic Waste & Carbon Footprint:
- Instead of recommending costly and wasteful replacements, Nella introduced its chopping board resurfacing service.
- This process extended the lifespan of the existing boards, significantly reducing the need for new plastic materials and the associated carbon footprint of manufacturing and transportation.
- By embracing a circular economy model, Nella helped the pub chain minimise their environmental impact.
2) Improving Hygiene & Reducing Risk of Food Contamination:
- Nella's resurfacing process effectively eliminated the staining, gashes, and warping found on the existing boards
- The resurfaced boards provided a smooth, hygienic surface that was easier to clean and disinfect, meeting the stringent requirements of FSA guidelines.
- This drastically reduced the risk of bacteria build-up and cross-contamination, directly addressing the pub chain's concerns about food safety.
3) Maintaining or Reducing Overall Costs:
- By opting for resurfacing over replacements, the pub chain achieved substantial cost savings.
- Nella's service offered a cost-effective alternative that delivered comparable performance to new boards, reducing the financial burden of frequent replacements.
- The service provided a consistent high-quality product and replacement service, to ensure hygiene was regularly maintained and remained the focus.
4) Enhancing Operational Efficiency:
- The resurfaced boards performed consistently throughout the kitchen, improving workflow and reducing the risk of accidents caused by warped boards.
- The boards were easier to clean, saving valuable time and labour for kitchen staff.
- The regular service provided by Nella, meant that the customer had a reliable supply of high-quality boards, without having to worry about ordering new stock, or disposing of old stock.
Positive Trial Feedback:
- The trial with the National Pub Chain yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback.
- Kitchen staff found the resurfaced boards to be as effective as new boards, with the added benefit of easier cleaning.
- The regular service ensured that any signs of wear were promptly addressed, maintaining the boards in optimal condition.
Expanding on Waste and Recycling
- By choosing resurfacing, you're actively participating in a circular economy model. This means:
- Reducing the demand for new plastic production.
- Minimising the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills.
- Potentially reducing the need for energy-intensive recycling processes (depending on local recycling capabilities).
The Nella chopping board resurfacing service provides a cost-effective and sustainable solution for ensuring compliance and contributing to long-term sustainability goals.
- Reducing the demand for new plastic production
- Minimising the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills.
- Potentially reducing the need for energy-intensive recycling processes (depending on local recycling capabilities).
We're proud to have diverted over 1.5 million chopping boards from landfills, preventing 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste - the equivalent of over a billion plastic bottles and saving almost 4 tones of CO2 emissions. Join us in our mission to create a healthier, safer and greener environment.
Complete our online inventory form and get a custom quote for your kitchen
Need advice or want to know more? Call Paul Higgins on 0800 028 1105.