A new survey of the hospitality industry has revealed a lack of understanding about waste management that could be stopping hotels, pubs and restaurants saving thousands of pounds a year.
phs Wastekit, a leading supplier of balers and compactors, conducted a survey to gauge attitudes towards waste management and identify the current waste management practices used by a range of sectors including hospitality.
41% of hospitality respondents said they do not own or rent a baler or compactor – equipment that could save thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs every year. This was the highest percentage of any sector surveyed.
“Hospitality businesses have an enormous opportunity here,” said Jason Smith, Managing Director of phs Wastekit. “Our survey showed that the average business in this sector produces 350kg of waste cardboard every week, which is a lot to manage and dispose of in an environmentally friendly way. In fact, it was more than food manufacturing and retail sectors are handling, which was surprising.
“Using a baler or compactor significantly reduces the volume of waste you are dealing with, meaning reduced waste disposal costs and reduced transport costs. It’s good for business and the environment, which we know is important to this sector.
“Our survey showed that 80% of respondents in hospitality had a CSR strategy and 71% had a carbon reduction plan in place. Proper waste management is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint so it should be the obvious choice.”
The survey also revealed a lack of knowledge about, and engagement with, the waste rebates available to the sector. 21% of respondents in hospitality did not receive any rebate for their waste cardboard or plastic, and 10% had never heard of the rebates available.
“Cardboard in particular is a sought-after commodity these days. Using a baler gives you the opportunity to bale and sell your waste cardboard to recycling companies, bringing in extra revenue. This could be significant given the volumes of waste cardboard hospitality is reporting in the survey. This could be particularly reassuring income stream for hospitality businesses during quieter trade months.
“31% of hospitality respondents identified a lack of understanding and knowledge as one of the main barriers to them using waste management equipment, so we need to ensure that they are made aware of the opportunities and types of equipment available to them and feel confident to make improvements.
“Balers and compactors are really cost-effective pieces of equipment. For example, a compactor can save a business up to 90% of their waste disposal costs, which is an incredible saving. They also come in many shapes and sizes so there is always something to suit every business size and building type too.
“The key is to speak to an expert to find out what your business can do to improve its waste management. We offer a free, no obligation Waste Saving Audit so businesses can see for themselves what type of equipment would work for them and what savings they would make. It takes away the guess work and reassures businesses that it is a worthwhile investment.”
As well as supplying high quality baler and compactor machines for rent or purchase, phs Wastekit offers servicing, maintenance and safe operations training services across the UK. It can also facilitate partnerships with recycling companies to support customers.
The phs Wastekit survey questioned over 200 decision makers in key sectors across the UK in December 2022.
