Mandatory recycling and organics can be overwhelming for City of Lethbridge businesses.
But by making small changes in their kitchen, Jeff and Allison Gliege from Firestone Restaurant and Bar realized it wasn’t as daunting as it seemed.
When the Glieges first heard about the City’s program and its requirements, they were dreading it. “There are so many moving parts to a restaurant. This felt like another big thing to add to our to-do list. But once we got started, we realized it was nowhere near as bad as we first thought.”
When new staff are onboarded, they’re shown what the different bins are for garbage, recycling or organics.
“We have signs around the kitchen and staff areas as reminders for what type of waste goes where. It works well for us and our team is happy to contribute.”
The business also arranged for a private waste hauler to empty their outdoor bins on a regular basis.
“Our waste hauler is flexible and able to accommodate our needs,” says Jeff. “We serve about 5,000 restaurant guests every week, so our organics bin needs to be emptied three to four times in that span.”
The Glieges also reduce waste by automated hand dryers they installed in the washrooms, which saves money and cuts down on waste in the long-term.
Waste Diversion Coordinator Lisa Sutherland says the City appreciates all the work that goes into making meaningful changes to manage waste. “By implementing these practices, they help us get closer to our waste diversion targets.”
Whether large, small, family-owned, part of a national corporation, for-profit or a charitable organization, all businesses fall under the Mandatory Recycling and Mandatory Organics provisions within the City’s Waste Bylaw 6146.
The bylaw requires businesses to complete an annual waste report, which is due Friday.
To access the free tools and resources designed to assist with these requirements, including the online waste report submission portal visit lethbridge.ca/businesswaste.
