Instructions for Sorting Waste at Whole Foods

Um, I’m confused. Photo by confused author.

Thank you for eating at Whole Foods. After bussing your table, please help reduce the amount of material that ends up in landfills by sorting garbage into our six separate bins, and by garbage we don’t mean trash. Trash has its own bin. We mean waste, aka, disposable, single-use, post-meal material. This includes:

* original product packaging

* hot food and salad bar takeout containers

* napkins

* waxed paper water cups

* foil and utensils.

* And reusable dishes. We wash them in back. Also, cans, both recyclable and non. Unfortunately, our soy and nut milk Tetra Paks®​ are not recyclable, though their contents are compostable, but rather than being lazy and pouring plant-based beverages into the dry “Compost” bin, we ask that you use the “Drain.” Same basic idea with takeout containers, sort of: contents go in one bin, container goes in another, though only if containers are clean, in which case ignore the signs and put them in the bin marked “Curbside Comingle Recycling.” If they’re dirty, put them in “Landfill.” In other words, if you used the containers as intended─by putting food in them to “takeout” and eat here at the market (ie, to takeaway, as the British say, from the self-serve station, and take to the dining area where you are currently)─then you’ll need to clean them before you recycle them, by which we mean wiping them with a napkin, removing food bits, or cleansing with your preferred method. We’re not the trash police. We’re only trying to reduce our fingerprint. Otherwise, stuff goes in the landfill, and we’re all trying to avoid that.

It sounds worse than it is. Just follow these simple instructions and please come again:

* Glass Recycling: colored and clear glass, bottles and jars (NO food or liquid, NO wrappers, NO plastic bags, NO lids or caps)

* Curbside Comingle Recycling: paper, plastic bottles and tubs, aluminum and tin cans (NO food or liquid, NO wrappers, NO plastic bags, NO lids or caps)

* Compost: ALL food waste/scraps, paper sample cups, paper towels and napkins. (“NO glass, NO plastic, NO metal, NO wrappers)