Waste Stream Refresh

In late 2019, FLIK Hospitality Group at Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC) in Chicago, IL began composting in their kitchens. Between two cafes, a Starbucks and a catering operation, FLIK diverted between 3 and 4 tons of organic material per month on behalf of the building.

Since then, FLIK has been working to bring this positive change to its front-of-house operations. The project requires a team approach from HCSC, FLIK operators, the waste hauler, paper product vendors and, now, the waste stream manufacturer.

“The CleanRiver waste stream containers from CleanRiver Recycling Solutions have been a wonderful enhancement to our business,” says General Manager Megan Kopfensteiner. “With indoor bins placed through the café, waste disposal is now an intentional part of our guest experience every time they visit. It’s satisfying to see their enthusiasm in helping us be a part of bettering our environmental impact.”

FLIK at HCSC continues to transition more and more disposables to compostable materials. The outcome is twofold: inherently, more waste is diverted and simplified sorting also leads to increased guest compliance.

“The pandemic has led the hospitality industry to be heavily reliant on disposables, which presents a sustainability challenge,” says Kopfensteiner. “In partnership with our environmentally conscious client, transitioning our disposable options to compostables and adding front-of-house commercial composting has kept sustainability as a top priority.”