Pollution source identification and waste loading reduction at Chinese fast food restaurants

The sources of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and oil/grease generated from f ast food restaurants were identified and some waste reduction strategies pr oposed in a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for food processing. Aft er the implementation of the new SOP in three test restaurants, there were positive improvements in meeting the governmental discharge standard for sm all to medium restaurants, but no improvement for larger restaurants. Furth er analysis involving long-term water bills and revenue in 30 other restaur ants substantiated the finding that the ratio between the increment of wate r consumption and the increment of business revenue was much less than unit y. This means that, as more food is prepared in larger restaurants, the inc reased water usage is not capable of diluting the mass loading of COD and o il/grease that comes from their food processing. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.