Reducing Environmental Risk by Applying a Polyvalent Model of Waste Management in the Restaurant Industry

Abstract

A series of concerns regarding the circular economy and linked to a responsible attitude toward environmental protection, have been approached in this paper. These represent essential demands in order for restaurants to be profitable and sustainable in the future. The cost of food wastes has been taken into consideration as a strategic problem in the restaurant logistic chain. A literature review shows that there is a lack of appropriate knowledge and technology in dealing with eco-waste management. The paper presents a functional polyvalent model of the logistic chain of a restaurant, represented in the form of interconnected processes covered by the flows of food goods and wastes in different stages and operations, having associated the flows of optimized costs. The application of the sustainable technology model and waste management system is illustrated by a case study from Brașov County, Romania. The research proves that applying the “polyvalent model of improvement of waste management practices” has positive effects concerning the possibilities of minimizing physical waste to reduce the volume of waste from restaurant activity, to reduce costs with waste elimination, and to create value-added, by reusing and recycling food raw materials. Results show that by applying the TEWAMA-R model to food preparation, the total amount of reused beef waste per month increased to 33.4% and the recycling of waste increased to 41.1% (given that all waste was disposed of in application of standard technology). The disposal was reduced from 100% to 25.5%. The presented model allows for environmental impact reduction in the restaurant industry by reducing/eliminating waste or by-products that are carriers of huge resources of water and energy.

Circular economy and sustainable strategies in the hospitality industry: Current trends and empirical implications

“…References to circular economy seem not to appear before 2018, with few exceptions (Velazquez Abad et al, 2015; Tatàno et al, 2017), whereas research related to farm to fork and sustainability perspective seem to be focused among 2017 and 2018. Overall, waste management represents a common thread to quite all articles, being heterogeneously analyzed along the entire timeline, from 2013 (del Mar Alonso-Almeida, 2013) to 2021 (Gruia et al, 2021). As far as concerns research items, it is possible to underline at least three macro-categories, as follows: (a) food waste management, from measurement (Tatàno et al, 2017) to valorization (Carmona-Cadello et al, 2018, 2019; Erälinna and Szymoniuk, 2021) and energy recovery (Velazquez Abad et al, 2015); (b) choice architecture, intending the development of strategies towards sustainable consumption (Filimonau et al, 2017; Filimonau and Krivcova, 2017), dietary habits (González-García et al, 2020) and healthy options (Bacon and Krpan, 2018), as well as awareness campaigns through monitoring (Pulkkinen et al, 2016); and (c) local food strategies, enhancing the role of short food supply chains (Scozzafava et al, 2017; Paciarotti and Torregiani, 2018).…”

“…As regards food waste management practices, latest research have tried to address circular economy strategies to ensure economic or environmental savings, in terms of profitable performances and sustainable operations, through the application of a polyvalent model which helps minimizing waste, reducing costs and creating value-added products by reusing and recycling food raw materials in Romania (Gruia et al, 2021; Velazquez Abad et al, 2015). Besides, in the field of catering businesses, Camilleri (2021) illustrates the opportunities offered by creating sustainable menus, increasing local procurement of products, reusing and recycling surplus foods, curbing food waste through a sharing economy platform and recycling inedible food into high-quality compost and natural fertilizers.…”

The Impact of Religiosity and Food Consumption Culture on Food Waste Intention in Saudi Arabia

“…Restaurants could also encourage their customers to return their surplus of food for reuse to serve poor people and/or animals [80]. This could be done in collaboration with non-governmental associations concerned with environmental problems and food loss [81].…”

Hospitality SMEs and the circular economy: strategies and practice post-COVID

“…Operational perspectives, such as lean management use in reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions also exists (Orynycz and Tucki, 2020). Gruia et al (2021) state that restaurant food waste is substantial but largely avoidable, pointing to its presence at every stage of the culinary technological process. They advocate the exploration of minimising waste through recycling activities in which food could be recovered as raw materials or made a by-product, which could bring added value to restaurant logistics.…”

“…Operational perspectives, such as lean management use in reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions also exists (Orynycz and Tucki, 2020). Gruia et al . (2021) state that restaurant food waste is substantial but largely avoidable, pointing to its presence at every stage of the culinary technological process.…”