Zero Waste Zones Frequent Questions
The ZWZ Team compiled a list of frequently asked questions encountered during meetings with prospective participants. Below are the questions and answers are broken down into Business, Logistical and Environmental categories. ZWZ Business Questions:
Why should I join the ZWZ Program? First, meeting the ZWZ Criteria makes good business sense as sustainability is core to consumers’ purchasing/dining decisions. Second, the collective ZWZ tonnage of material recycled and composted is valuable promotion tool for a city when courting conventions, sporting/entertainment events, and corporate headquarters. Third, meeting ZWZ Criteria is important for the Environment.
Will meeting the ZWZ criteria cost money? The program is designed as cost-neutral with material redirected from the landfill to a recycling or composting facility. There are some upfront costs for the organics collection bins. Many Participants experience some overall cost-savings after the upfront costs are amortized over a short time period.
How much is participation in the ZWZ Program? Participant fees start at $250 per location and max at $500 per location. For chains or restaurant groups, volume discounts are available.
What about space constraints at my facility? Almost 100% of prospective participants express space constraint concerns. Since the quantity of waste removal does not change (it is reorganized into different containers), 100% of participants to date found existing space was fine with a little re-organization. In general, landfill dumpster/compactor sizes are reduced, making room for recycling containers.
What kind of impact can I expect on revenues? With sustainable practices now integral to business decisions, meeting ZWZ Criteria is important for revenue generation and/or retention. Due to ZWZ practices, Affairs to Remember Caterers can directly attribute $165,000 to their recycling and organics collection practices over an 18 month period.
ZWZ Logistics Questions:
What about the smell and rodents/insects around the organics collection bins? Organic collection bins are air tight resulting in no smell or rodent/insect issues in the loading dock area. Further, organics are collected every 48 hours.
Why should I care about metrics collection at ZWZ? The ZWZ program consolidates the tonnage NOT taken to the landfill via the metrics collection tool, quantifying the success in diverting these materials from landfill. The more participants, the higher the metrics, the better the community appears in marketing efforts for conventions, sporting/entertainment events and corporate headquarters.
What if my grease collector does not meet the ZWZ Biofuel Standards and there is time left on the contract? Most grease collectors are willing to sell a portion of their collected grease to biofuel production in an amount equal to collections from their ZWZ customers. If the collector is not cooperative, a Participant meets ZWZ Criteria as long as they agree to change to a collector who meets the ZWZ Biofuel Standards at the end of the existing contract.
If my landlord handles the waste hauling contracts, can I still participate in ZWZ? Absolutely, take the first step by joining the program and completing the pledge to show your intention to meet the criteria. Next, encourage other restaurants/foodservice operators in your building to participate in the ZWZ Program. Once a majority of the restaurants are on-board, the ZWZ Team is available to meet with the property manager/owner to present the importance of implementing organics collection and recycling programs.
Why can’t I give my food waste to a local farmer to compost? First, it is not permitted by most state regulations for a farmer to compost organics collected from outside of his property. Second, the farmer will most likely only accept fruits, vegetables and possibly egg shells.
ZWZ Environmental Questions:
What does the commercial composter accept? Basically, anything that was living is accepted at commercial composting operations. This includes fruits, vegetables, protein including bones, dairy, wooden products (toothpicks, stirrers), paper products (paper towels, napkins, parchment paper) and limited waxed cardboard.
Why can a commercial composter accept meat/bones while I cannot include them in my backyard pile? Due to volume, the windrows (the high mounds of organics decomposing) reach a much higher temperature at which meats, bones, dairy and other organics will decompose. Regulations require certain temperatures be maintained for specified periods of time to ensure pathogens are killed. In backyard compost systems, piles do not reach a temperature appropriate to kill pathogens. Also, backyard compost systems with protein and dairy may encourage unwanted rodents or pests.
I understand organics produce methane gas in landfills. Do they produce the gas in the composting process? In a well-run food composting operation, there is no methane gas produced. When organics decompose in an anaerobic (without air) environment such as a landfill, methane gas is generated. When organics decompose in an aerobic (with air) environment such as in a commercial composting system, no methane gas is generated. In a commercial composting system, the windrows are turned on a regular basis to introduce air into the decomposition process.
What about waste-to-energy options? Are they accepted as a destination for food waste? Yes, if there is an operating facility within a distance that makes sense from a transportation viewpoint. As waste-to-energy options become more available, a POWER (Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling) committee will determine if the proposed technology meets ZWZ criteria.
