Catering waste as organic matter potential for compost production

Abstract

The aim of the week long field/pilot study was to conduct research on the identification and physicochemical evaluation of waste fractions from selected food service units. During the field study, food waste was segregated for each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or lunch-and-dinner) at each research facility. Each segregated waste fraction was weighed and then samples were collected for physicochemical testing. Preliminary pilot/field studies indicate that the amount of catering waste generated by one guest staying in the investigated health resorts or hotels for the Kamien Pomorski commune and surroundings can range from 76.4 kg/(M-a) according to the results obtained for the “Jantar” resort to 256.2 kg/(M-a) according to the results obtained for the Mieszko Nowe health resort. The physicochemical analyses of food wastes indicate that the dry matter content of catering wastes ranges from 17.94 to 28.51% (mean 24.43%) and the organic matter content from 70.41 to 94.93% (mean 87.54%). The content of heavy metals in the analyzed samples did not exceed the content permitted by legal acts. This waste can be used as material in the composting process. However, it should be remembered that food waste should first undergo a hygienization process. This is in line with the European plan for a resource-efficient Europe. This plan aims to introduce waste management as a resource by 2020.