Sentinel Solution (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a Malaysia-based company specializing in providing non-toxic, non-chemical, natural green solutions to hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, factories and condominiums and even individual households, to solve their waste issues.
In this issue we focus on food waste management, highlighting some of the challenges and the solutions for turning food waste into zero waste.
​Sentinel Solutions currently operates a ‘Zero Waste Circular Economy Organic Farming Pilot Program’ - Boonyakiat Hydroponic Farm at Minburi, Bangkok - and welcomes hoteliers and other hospitality professionals to visit to see how compost fertilisers work in the production of organic produce. In this article, we talk to waste specialist Sean Too, Managing Director of Sentinel Solution (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Q. What are the main challenges for hotels and other establishments in managing their food waste in a sustainable and cost-effective way?
A. Hotels in general over-produce daily food supplies for their guests due to the prevalence of buffets and multiple dining outlets, with the result that their food waste facilities are usually filled with leftovers that are often good enough to feed needy elements of the local community.
As such many hotels already work with local NGOs to support underprivileged groups providing food that is still fresh and not expired or donate it to local farmers for pig feed.
However, there continues to be a call for local authorities to create more landfill sites as they don’t seem to be able to decompose the waste effectively - 60% of the daily garbage collected comprises organic food waste.
This also creates problems, as landfill generates GHG methane gas (4 times more damaging than CO2) by the anaerobic process of breaking down food waste. Such gas emissions contribute to the global rise in temperature which in 2023 was 1.5 C .
Q. What are some of the solutions to these challenges?
Hotels need to segregate and measure daily food waste because it’s through data collection they can calculate food waste as well as money wasted.
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As they say, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!”
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Generally, there should be 4 separate bins to categorize food waste:
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Plate Waste / Staff Canteen Waste
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Prep Waste
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Perishable/Rejected Waste
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Buffet Waste
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Why 4 bins? Because this enables you to measure the wastage at the root cause, which may be one of several problems such as no QC during delivery of food supplies, excessive preparation waste through unskilled staff, poor use of ingredients and planning in serving buffets and such.
Once the volume of waste is established, food purchasing can then determine the possible losses and find solutions to fix those problems.
A key issue is better planning and control during the procurement and preparation stages to avoid over-ordering and unnecessary waste.
A review of food service policies can also play an important role, such as serving smaller portions, controlling food served on buffets, use of smaller serving plates, educating F&B staff on the ordering process and such.
Whatever waste that’s genuinely destined to landfill can then be treated and turned into compost fertilizers.
We at Sentinel have been running a compost-hydroponic farm for the past 3 years growing salads using compost fertilizers from our clients .
Q. Tell us about compost fertilizers?
A. Composting is a biological process utilizing microbes and enzymes which break down and decompose organic waste such as food, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and aid plant growth.
Before chemical fertilizers (primarily the petrochemical byproducts) which are defined as any synthetic compound substances created specifically by man to increase crop yield, local farming used composting to create fertilizers for their agricultural activities.
Synthetic fertilizers help modern commercial farming with cheaper, accessible, high-yield solutions but at the same time cause problems with soil fertility.
Through recent advancements in technology, scientists have created composting machines that utilize microbes and enzymes, as well as temperature, to decompose food waste into compost fertilizers effortlessly and in as little as 24-hours.
Q. How do you identify which composting machine to choose for maximum results?
A. Just like any emerging and advancement of technology the market tends to be flooded with various selections of suppliers. Therefore, how do the consumers know what’s the best technology to choose from since every supplier of such machine claims that are composters.
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Here’s some of the qualities to look for in deciding which machine is best for you.
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Compost fertilizer should contain a good NPK value. Many machines failed to pass the lab test when it comes to compost NPK analysis i.e. Nitrogen [N], Phosphorous [P], and Potassium [K]. NPK provides the nutrients for plants to grow and flourish. Without NPK the output from the machine is merely dried garbage that is not yet fully decomposed. A lab test is the best way to confirm if the discharge is compost fertilizer or not. As a guideline, a good compost should carry the reading above the official requirement of the NPK value at 1%/0.5%/0.5%, and we are able to produce the compost from hotel food waste that have N 3.55%, P 0.77% & K 0.72%. Upon lab analysis, a complete compost should also carry other trace elements such as calcium, iron, manganese & other micronutrients too.
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High efficiency microbes and enzymes are key to a good composting. They can effectively break down and decompose the waste into NPK & other micro-nutrients in less than 24 hours. Any machine that does not use a set of good microbes and enzymes will not be able to complete the decomposition process hence the “dried garbage” will not be usable in agriculture activities, not at least another 6 to 9 months. It is the microbes that do the decomposition process and not the high heat of the machine.
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Able to compost almost all organic waste, paper & 100% bioplastics. Some machines only perform a dehydration process with temperatures of as high as 120C which is not high enough to “incinerate” the paper or bioplastic waste. A genuine composting machine can decompose waste via biological process rather than dehydration.
Q. Why is composting such an efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective solution?
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A. Composting should be encouraged among hotels and other operators not merely for the CSR or Greenwashing element, but to truly eliminate the need for landfill and reduce carbon footprints. And with good composting technology, they will be able to implement ‘Farm to Table’ programs with food produced from internal food waste with minimum environmental impact. This could be a profit center since the hotel can now grow the vegetables internally and this can also enhance guests’ hospitality experience with a hotel farm visit.
Before engaging in any ‘Zero Waste Program’ it’s advisable to seek advice from those who have successfully implemented such projects. Sentinel Solutions currently operates a Zero Waste Circular Economy Organic Farming Pilot Program - Boonyakiat Hydroponic Farm at Minburi, Bangkok - and welcomes hoteliers and other hospitality professionals to visit. Such as the management team of the Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel.
“Turning your food waste into an invaluable part of a ‘Self Sufficient Circular Economy’ not only eliminates the need for landfill and reduces GHG emissions, but you also get to serve your hotel guests with safe and delicious "hotel grown organic produce" from food waste. Let’s go!!! Green Team Onyx. #onxyhospitality #zerowaste #sustainability #organicproduce
Sentinel Solution (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is a company specialized in providing non-toxic, non- chemical, natural green solutions helping facilities & establishments such as hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, factories, condominiums and other businesses solving waste issues.
Sentinel produces composting machines with the following capacity: Commercial size from 50kg up to 500kg daily capacity for hotels and larger establishments, these can also be tailor-made according to the client’s specific requirements. The company has also introduced a 3kg unit which is suitable and available for domestic use and ideal for private villas.
Sustainability, safe, effective, simple and easy to use are the key features of their products. And all inquiries are offered an on-site consultation, free of charge.
For more information about the full range of composting machines available from Sentinel Solutions, visit: www.eatdgrease.com or call 085-1486 777 for free consultation.
Contact: Sean Too | Waste Specialist | Sentinel Solutions Thailand Co., Ltd.
Address : 10/164 (2003C) The Trendy Building 20th Floor, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Sukhumvit Rd.,
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
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Tel : +66 (0) 2258-0665
Fax : +66 (0) 2258-0664
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