Garbage crisis: operators must act now

Nation's Restaurant News, June 26, 1989 by Charles Bernstein

Garbage crisis: Operators must act now

A huge garbage study sponsored by the National Restaurant Association earlier this year showed that of extensive samples which a leading archeologist sorted in municipal land-fills, only 0.2 percent represented fast-food wrappers, paper, plastic, or foam. This would lead one to believe that the much-ballyhooed solid-waste disposal problem is a figment of someone's imagination as far as food-service operators and fast feeders are concerned.

The infinitesimal ratios prompted then-NRA president Jim L. Peterson to declare that "officials who think they can solve the solid-waste disposal crisis by penalizing fast feeders are wrong. The issue is far bigger than any one industry, and its resolution will involve a concerted effort by all elements of our society."

In theory, Peterson was absolutely correct.

However, in practice, both state and local governments are proceeding with recycling and fast-food-packaging legislation. The food-service industry is very much in the limelight and on the spot, regardless of all sorts of statistics that can be produced to maintain that the fault lies elsewhere.

The NRA's 1989-'90 president, Harris (Bud) Rusitzky, contends that "the media tends to focus disproportionate attention on the role of food service in solid waste" and that "we hope to change that public perception because the fact is that our industry contributes less than one-third of 1 percent of the waste to the solid-waste stream."

Perception becomes reality in this media age of images. Most consumers would agree with Milwaukee restaurateur Barbara Mueller's statement in this newspaper last month: "Fast-food packaging is one of the major causes of America's huge garbage problem."

Rather than debating the relative merits of who is or is not to blame, the industry needs to arm itself with a positive response by developing new packaging that will directly answer the problem rather than denying it.

The industry can learn from McDonald's and follow its example. McD has led the way by admitting the situation does exist, and it has shown a tremendous commitment to reduce the amount of waste.

Among other things, it has cut the weight of paper used to wrap its sandwiches, dropped flaps from the sandwich containers, changed to frozen-concentrate orange juice to curb the packaging, and improved the efficiency of its french-fries packaging to save more than 2 million pounds.

In fact, McD is probably saving as much as 80 million pounds of packaging annually on all its innovations. In addition, it has made its polystyrene and plastic packaging thinner. It also is going to great lengths for maximum garbage compaction at all possible sites.

We can argue that it simply isn't so, that fast-food packaging contributes only a tiny proportion of solid waste. Yet this does not convince consumers who see enough fast-food wrappers flying around to believe otherwise.

With many landfills approaching their full capacity, some communities won't allow any fast-food refuse at their landfills. States and communities are trying to reduce the amount of garbage by taxing food containers and banning all disposable packaging. Indeed, recycling and packaging laws are the order of the day.

Iowa has passed a law requiring the recycling of one-fourth of all plastic products by 1992 and one-half by 1993. A proposed Illinois bill would ban polystyrene or polyvinyl containers, while a projected Wisconsin bill would eventually ban polystyrene foam plastic.

Meanwhile, test recycling programs are being tried in Wisconsin, with positive incentives being eyed to encourage restaurateurs and other businesses.

Actually, states and cities from coast to coast are jumping into solid-waste and environmental legislation. Pending bills in Minneapolis and St. Paul would severely restrict plastic packaging by enacting special taxes whose revenues would go toward recycling. New York City is preparing to mandate the recycling of wastes, and Berkeley, Calif., and Suffolk County, N.Y., have barred the use of polystyrene plastic for packaging.

But restaurateurs can seize the initiative to show they are serious about cleaning up the environment.

Paper can be recycled for all sorts of purposes, including cash receipts, place mats, and order pads. The use of unbleached coffee filters and biodegradable trash bags may cost a little more, but it is a price restaurateurs must be willing to pay.

As Rusitzky asserts, "If our industry does not involve itself in solving this crisis, we will pay the penalty in restrictive legislation and higher collection fees."

It is imperative that operators find the solutions at any cost and implement them to avoid further government crackdowns. Operators must fulfill their responsibilities for improving the environment and fostering customer goodwill.