Sustainability is a word used by many companies as a part of their brand definition, and it's a word often used by P.R and marketing companies in an effort to boost their clients brand image.

Unfortunately, a large number of these companies are spending more time and money pretending to be sustainable, rather than being sustainable. This is called greenwashing, a term coined by the American environmentalist Jay Westerveld.

We are publishing a series of blogs, where we will be discussing the environmental impact of the hospitality industry, and how as an industry we can mitigate the negative impact the industry has on the environment.

In this blog we are writing about the use of single use plastic and how we can reduce or eliminate it’s use.

Plastic products are easy to clean and are none porous, therefore hygienic; plastic is also cheap and durable. Unfortunately, the use and dependency of single use plastic comes at a very high cost to our planet.

So, what's the problem with single use plastic? It's estimated the five million tonnes of plastic is used in the U.K each year. As most of us know, most plastic doesn’t decompose in a hurry and ends up in landfill or littering the natural environment; the same natural environment that many hospitality businesses depend on. Yes it’s true, that a lot of our plastic is recycled, but the process still uses water and energy. There is also evidence proving that much of the U.K's plastic waste we assume is being recycled, ends up in Malaysian and Indonesian landfills.

What can we do to reduce or eliminate the use of single use plastic? Here are four ways restaurants and food businesses can reduce their plastic usage.

Use eco-friendly alternatives to take away disposables such as take away food containers, straws, cutlery, coffee cups and napkins.
Don't serve drinks in plastic bottles. Instead use glass bottles or cans, both of which are 100% recyclable.
Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk is usually more economical, and it also reduces the amount of waste an establishment produces. Here is an example; buy a 1 litre container of English Mustard for £8.50 rather than purchasing four 250g
containers for £10.00.
Instead of using condiments that are served in plastic bottles or sachets, use glass bottles that can be cleaned and refilled. This will save money in the long run, and it’s also a more tasteful way to present your condiments.
Use stainless steel containers for mise en place. Although the initial outlay is much greater, it’s a one time investment that will pay off over the long term.

We have put together a plastic audit sheet that can used to list all the single use plastic products used by your business, and what action can be taken to eliminate it’s use. This can be downloaded by following the link below.

Plastic audit sheet

Implementing just a few of our tips on plastic reduction can make a difference on the impact our industry has on the environment. Using less plastic in your restaurant or food business is better for our fragile environment and can boost your organisations image with consumers, and can potentially boost profits.

If you run a hospitality business and would like to talk to us about how we can help your business reduce or eliminate it’s dependency on single use plastic email us at enquiries@create-hospitality.co.uk .

Here are a few suppliers you may want to have a look at

enviropack

vegware

belu water