A disposer’s service life depends on what items it grinds, the foods’ composition and how long the unit is operating. These systems can last as little as 3 years up to 20 years. The average service life is about 5 years for units that are properly cleaned and maintained.
Because some municipalities have regulations regarding the use of disposers or prohibit their use altogether, foodservice operators should first check with local zoning or municipal boards to ensure they can use these units in their businesses. Some local requirements may impact the units an operator can specify including ordinances that dictate the use of grease traps or interceptors.
Foodservice operators typically install disposers in dish tables and pot/pan sinks as well as in vegetable prep, salad prep and meat prep areas. This equipment helps reduce trash hauling costs by minimizing the amount of food tossed in the trash and reducing staff trips to the dumpster.
Commercial disposers provide an efficient and convenient method of eliminating food waste and are beneficial to kitchen sanitation. These units not only help reduce garbage and dumpster odors, which can attract insects and vermin, but also lower trash hauling costs since the amount of overall waste being dumped is decreased.
Disposers in commercial foodservice operations can help reduce trash-hauling costs by decreasing waste, eliminating food waste odors and decreasing labor by minimizing trips to the dumpster.
Service Q&A: Richard Smith, general manager, Cooking Equipment Specialists, Mesquite, Texas
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