SM Group Rolled Out New Tech to Reduce Food Waste in Hotels

​In keeping with the group's mission to reduce waste, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC), the hotel operator of the SM group, recently installed a new technology in the Taal Vista Hotel called the ORCA (Organic Refuse Conversion Alternative) Biodigester, which converts food waste into filtered wastewater under 24 hours.

Over 40,013 kg of food waste have been diverted since the ORCA was installed at Taal Vista, saving 20,406.63 tons of carbon dioxide emissions to date.

“With the adoption of the ORCA Biodigester, we have transformed our food waste management process from a weeks-long process to a streamlined green-friendly one-day cycle, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and our environmental impact,” said SMHCC Vice President for Quality and Sustainability Leah Magallanes.

Food waste is a worldwide problem. According to a recent UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, 783 million people experience hunger annually. Every year, 2,954,580 million metric tons of household food waste were produced in the Philippines. Because of the difficulties in controlling inventory and surplus food, especially given the volume of guests that are served on a daily basis, the hospitality sector frequently has serious waste problems.

The Taal Vista Hotel is now using the biodigester. Initiatives to reduce food waste responsibly, including bokashi composting, are being implemented throughout the SM Hotels portfolio.

Activators, or biological additives, are put over food waste in specialist kits used for bokashi composting, allowing the compost to ferment for ten to fifteen days. The solid residue can be buried or composted, while the liquid that remains can be collected and used as organic fertilizer.

The Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Park Inn Bacolod and Iloilo, and SMX Manila are the five SM Hotels properties where the bokashi composting technique was introduced. Since then, it has diverted over 198,640 kg of food waste, or 101,306.4 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2E.
 
“Our combined efforts support our gardens and foster community-driven, eco-friendly practices through partnerships with local farmers and producers.” Ms. Magallanes added.

Employee engagement has improved as a result of the reduction in the overall processing time for food waste, and this has changed the duties and responsibilities of the workforce.

Rather than physically weighing and computing waste parameters, designated staffs are more focused on managing and monitoring because biodigesters are producing more precise data.

In addition to improving customer satisfaction, offering sustainable solutions for food waste management enhances SM Hotels' properties. It reduces the quantity of garbage that needs to be transported and stored by implementing more conscientious methods of diverting food waste on site. It also results in the prevention of pest harborage, making the environment for visitors safer and more hygienic.