How to Reduce Waste When Delivering Food and Takeaway
According to Grubhub’s ” Year in Food ” annual report , the food delivery platform handles more than 450,000 orders per day on average. For some unknown reason, cauliflower pizza was also the most ordered dish in 2019.
And we understand that (at least delivery, not cauliflower pizza). When you’re tired or feeling lazy, nothing beats the thrill you get when the doorbell rings and food comes to your doorstep. However, this tendency to rely on what is most convenient is often a waste of money. Think for a moment about all the plastic and paper trash you have accumulated over the past year in food delivery orders, especially if you are a frequent customer. (In countries like China, this convenience of food delivery applications has led to a surplus of disposable plastic waste, as reported in December by the New York Times .)
Of course, the easiest way to cut down on food delivery or takeout waste is to not order at all , but let’s say you’ve tried this and it wasn’t as successful as you’d hoped (or calling ahead of time for a meal is just too convenient to ever give up). If you’ve ever wanted to minimize shipping losses, here are some ideas on how to minimize damage.
Ask for what you don’t want
Our first suggestion when it comes to getting rid of unnecessary waste is simple: ask them not to include what you don’t need. When you place a delivery or takeaway order, you will likely receive a bunch of other items, such as dishes, seasoning bags, or napkins; depending on your curbside recycling program, the last two are non-recyclable. Assuming you’re using an online shipping service like Seamless or Grubhub, make it clear that you don’t need additional supplies in the Notes section of your order. (It is possible to opt out of cookware specifically on Seamless and Grubhub, but from personal experience, most restaurants tend to ignore this request.)
In my orders, I note that napkins or dishes are not needed, and they must also be put in a plastic bag along with the words “thank you”. (On rainy days, a restaurant may use a plastic bag to keep your order from getting wet; I don’t make it a must in every case.) If this is a place you order from regularly, you might know exactly what to avoid based on your orders – and restaurants are more likely to respond to your request as it helps them too. The goal is to ask for as little one-time waste as possible, so think about anything that is unnecessary and could be wasted.
Bring your containers
If you are going to a restaurant to place an order, please bring your own reusable container with you if possible. The restaurant will probably be more than happy to accommodate you.
Of course, this strategy is pretty limited. If you order delivery or call ahead to arrange pickup, the restaurant will likely be unhappy with placing your order in your container when it has already been prepared in another. Stick to this strategy when you are physically present to order – and of course you have a reusable container.
Reuse and recycle what you receive
Ideally, after you’ve requested as few supplies as possible in your order, you will have very little junk to dispose of. Of course, you should reuse these materials whenever possible, but if you want to get rid of them, here’s what you need to know.
Depending on the rules of your curbside program, generally speaking, paper bags can be recycled along with other paper materials, provided the bag is not dirty or in direct contact with any food. (If so, it could mean throwing it in the trash.) According to Eloise Orozco, senior corporate communications manager at Waste Management , it is important to keep any food and liquids out of the trash can, she said in an email. … Accordingly, forget about recycling pizza boxes : since they come in direct contact with your pizza, they are often too dirty to be recycled. As far as plastic bags are concerned, they generally cannot be recycled in the blue bin; instead, find your local pharmacy or other seller who will accept them for reuse. In most cases, there is a change container at the entrance to the store.
As for any reusable plastic container, you can probably throw it along with the plastic in the trash can if it has been properly rinsed . (But since they are reusable, you may want to reuse them.) When it comes to paper products, keep in mind that in addition to being food-free, some recyclers may not accept certain types of paper containers lined with such materials. like aluminum or plastic, according to RecycleBank . (And remember: Styrofoam containers can be recycled depending on your region, but this may require a visit to the drop-off site.)
If you would like to know the rules for your curbside recycling program , search the Internet or use the Earth911 search locator with the item and your zip code. For food waste, consider composting it if you can. Here’s our beginner’s guide to composting .