A really important aspect of running a successful commercial kitchen is how you handle your water. It’s a part of the process of a more efficient service, improved recycling and hygiene efforts. Staff should be guessing how to dispose of different items or lingering over which bin each piece of waste needs to go in. Things need to be clean, clear and functional so there’s no guesswork, just immediate action when required.
It can often be an overlooked aspect of commercial kitchens, but waste can make or break your kitchen. It can introduce contamination, trip hazards and encourage vermin and lower standards that can impact your hygiene ratings and reputation. Seriously. It can be that impactful.
So let’s take a look at what you need to know in relation to waste handling in commercial kitchens.
Separate Waste Streams Clearly at Point of Disposal
Your waste will need to stay where the staff need to dispose of it. You need to explicit points of separation exactly where staff need to dispose of them.
This means having spaces for food scraps to be separated so they’re not ending up in your recycling, or you need spaces for paper, plastic, etc., to go to be recycled and not with waste that can’t be recycled. Because if you don’t, at some point during service, everything will get mixed and contaminated, and you’ve got a problem.
This then impacts staff actions and behaviour, operations also and people hesitate. But you can remove this by having clearly marked disposal areas, by labelling bins with clear signage that shows staff what goes where. It’s improving decision fatigue and guesswork, and giving staff a setup that works.
Use Clear Visible Recycling Signage on Every Bin
Not just one bin. On all of them.
The thing is, when the pressure is on and kitchens get busy, people don’t stop to read; they react. And you need clear signage that reflects this. You need something clear that points your team to the right place for waste disposal and recycling materials.
A well-placed, clear recycling sign helps here; you need to place these signs on every bin or location where it’s applicable so staff can tell what goes here at a glance without reading.
Consistency helps here, too. The same colours for the same type of waste, if the sign is one colour, then the bin needs to be too. This is pattern recognition, and people know that colour presets a certain condition, so they do it automatically without thinking about it.
Keep Bin Set Up Consistent
You need your team to be operating without pause. It needs to be smooth and smooth for the most part, and this means having your bins in the same places at the same time so everyone knows where to find them.
You want to focus on the same positions, the same layouts, and everything. People need to know, wherever they are in the kitchen, that things are the same, especially for waste. When things are busy, the last thing you need is people stopping to find the right bin or putting waste in the wrong places. This creates confusion and chaos. Instead, keep the same set-up everywhere so staff know exactly what to expect.
