Chipotle marks sustainability goals with innovative ‘glove story’
By Sara Shaw • May 1, 2019Emerging from years in food-safety crisis mode, Chipotle Mexican Grill has good reason to make sure food handlers are using plastic gloves responsibly. But 95% of those gloves ended up in a landfill with no commercially viable recycling alternative available.
On Tuesday, Chipotle outlined an innovative solution to its plastic glove problem, which CEO Brian Niccol described as “a waste blind spot for our industry.” The chain is now piloting a program that would turn its plastic gloves into trash bags.
Emerging from years in food-safety crisis mode, Chipotle Mexican Grill has good reason to make sure food handlers are using plastic gloves responsibly. But 95% of those gloves ended up in a landfill with no commercially viable recycling alternative available.
At least, until now.
In its second comprehensive report on how the Newport Beach, Calif.-based chain is meeting sustainability goals, Chipotle on Tuesday outlined an innovative solution to its plastic glove problem, which CEO Brian Niccol described as “a waste blind spot for our industry.”
Partnering with Salinas, Calif.-based Revolution Bag, Chipotle is piloting a program that would turn its plastic gloves into trash bags.
First tested in eight restaurants in Portland, Ore., Chipotle said the program is expanding to 17 restaurants in Sacramento.