Deutsche Bahn meals are now served in reusable dishes, an initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. If Germany has taken the lead in managing its waste, Quebec is lagging behind in defining options for action.
Posted at 6:00 am
For a good start in 2023, Deutsche Bahn relies on green catering: Passengers in the intercity trains of the public company can snack or drink from ceramic and glass dishes.
Previously, the sustainable option was only offered in first class or in the dining car, Deutsche Bahn explained in an email. But since January 1, all restaurateurs in Germany have been obliged to offer reusable packaging for take-away products.
In trains, “the reusable version is offered free of charge, without a deposit and on request in the on-board bistro for all orders,” Deutsche Bahn specifies.
Deutsche Bahn strives to offer its customers various sustainable solutions on board. No less than 50% of the food served on trains has been vegetarian or vegan since last March. There are also 100% organic dishes on the menu.
PHOTO OLIVER LANG PROVIDED BY DEUTSCHE BAHN AG
Ceramic tableware is used to avoid the accumulation of waste.
“Deutsche Bahn is continuing its green transformation in in-flight catering. […] We not only offer our customers a [solution de rechange] sustainable down to single-use packaging, but we also create quality enjoyment just like at home,” Michael Peterson, director of long-distance passenger transport for the company, is quoted as saying in a press release.
Quebec backwards
In Quebec, “we could expect changes in this direction over the next few years, but it’s happening slowly,” says Amélie Côté, source reduction analyst at Équiterre. Rather, she has noticed a setback in dealing with residues since the pandemic.
Canada’s rail network will not overtake Deutsche Bahn anytime soon. Last December, on a trip to Toronto on a VIA Rail train, Amélie Côté was refused a refill on her reusable tea cup, she says.
“Although many of the COVID-19-related policies implemented during the pandemic have been lifted, some officials may feel uncomfortable reusing personal items provided by passengers,” the agency wrote in response to the complaint filed by Amélie Côté .
Currently, only meals in Business, Prestige and Sleeper Class are served with reusable tableware, VIA Rail confirmed via email to La Presse. “We do not plan to use reusable tableware for all other meals and products served in Economy Class due to space constraints,” the government body wrote.
However, in its Sustainable Development Plan launched in 2021, VIA Rail Canada plans to introduce a “zero waste train” between Quebec and Windsor by 2025, increase its recycling by 60% and collect compostable waste “at priority locations”.
Also according to the report, VIA Rail Canada will “strengthen greenhouse gas reduction targets to support the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.”
“Reusable should always be the priority solution if we want to reduce our ecological footprint and the amount of waste material generated,” adds Amélie Côté.
In her opinion, Quebec remains a “big producer of waste”. The Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) had set itself the goal of eliminating 525 kg of residues per inhabitant by 2023, a mission that the commission of inquiry ultimately described as “unlikely”.
As many as 9 of Quebec’s 38 engineered landfills (LET) “should have reached maximum permitted capacity by 2030,” according to the BAPE report released in January 2022. If the trend continues, 13 more locations could be added to the list by 2041.
“All you need is willpower, because the solutions exist,” says Amélie Côté.
A headache for airlines
Have you ever eaten with bamboo cutlery on board an airplane? This is what Air Transat offers to reduce its ecological footprint. This bamboo cutlery, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, “comes from responsibly managed forests that offer environmental, social and economic benefits,” promises the international NGO.
“Crockery is certainly an attractive option for a railway company, but much less relevant for an airline as it has a higher carbon footprint due to its weight,” explains Bernard Côté, Director, Marketing, Public Relations and Social Media, Air Transat.
Waste management is a constant challenge for the aviation industry, given the “asymmetric regulations” from one country to another. International legislation on catering waste “often” mandates the landfill and incineration of recyclable or compostable packaging, he admits.
Bernard Côté assures that the Canadian airline prioritizes products with minimal environmental impact while meeting the requirements of the airline industry. By the summer of 2023, travelers flying Air Transat will be served their drinks in paper glasses – recyclable but not reusable.