Characterization of waste materials originating from Quebec supermarkets and an assessment of recycling potential

This study evaluated, both qualitatively and quantitatively, waste materials from several major Quebec grocery stores. Averaged over nine sampling dates, cardboard, paper and wood products represented 43 and 74% of waste material, based on weight and volume, respectively while organic matter including fruits, vegetables, baked goods and meat products represented 40 and 10% of waste material based on weight and volume. Plastics, wrapping and bagging materials, represented over 7 and 13% of waste material based on weight and volume, respectively, and other recyclable waste materials such as glass, metal and various miscellaneous objects, represented 4 and 2% of waste material based on weight and volume. On average, 60.6 kg waste/employee per week was generated by the three stores. Store size was not a determining factor in the composition of grocery store waste material. These results suggest that costs associated with supermarket waste disposal may be substantially reduced by source-separation of recyclable and compostable materials while reducing pressure for incineration or landfill. Therefore, the adoption of recycling and source-separation programs, and studies to determine problems and costs associated with the implementation of such programs are recommended.