Introducing “CIRC” – A Systems Approach to Contamination Mitigation

Meet “CIRC” – (Controls Intended to Remove Contamination) – our brand new program designed to verify that restaurants and other operators are taking important steps to prevent non-compostable materials from being sent to compost facilities.

While food scraps, yard trimmings, and certified compostable packaging can be composted, anything else creates serious problems for composters.

Contamination from non-compostable products is the defining challenge for many composters today, and most have an extremely limited ability to deal with contamination once it gets to their facilities. That’s why foodservice operators must put controls in place to prevent that contamination from ever getting to composters in the first place.

CIRC is designed to help foodservice operators take measures to do just that — verify those efforts so composters can be more confident about accepting material from them. The program features scorecards that foodservice operators will use to show composters and haulers that the necessary controls are in place to generate contaminant-free organics streams. The scorecard is divided up into four sections — Procurement, Operations, Communications and Hauler Engagement — that contain criteria and conditions that are either required or encouraged.

Individual composting facilities would be able to determine their own “passing” scores, and which conditions are required vs. encouraged. Among the criteria that will be used:

• Is there an ordering guide in place for compostable products that has been approved by the composter?
• Is there an agreement in place with the distributor to stock all items on the ordering guide?
• Are employees actively engaged in the management of waste streams?
• Do guests receive clear instructions regarding how to discard compostable and non-compostable foodservice items?
• Is messaging provided in the venue and through labeling on compostable items?
• Is there an on-site sorting process in place to inspect all organics streams before they are picked up by the hauler?

Organics diversion at scale in the foodservice industry is impossible without composter willingness to accept and process post-consumer food scraps and certified packaging. An operator-driven systems approach to contamination mitigation is long overdue.

The program will roll out through our nationwide team of waste diversion experts called “Product & Zero Waste Specialists”. Learn more about CIRC at www.ecoproducts.com/circ