TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Regent Taipei has adopted the U.K.’s AI food waste management system Winnow to reduce food waste, CNA reported on Saturday. 

The system utilizes scales, scanners, and data recording equipment to track food waste weight and disposal costs. Within three months, the hotel reached a 15% reduction in food waste.

The AI system can also calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from food waste. As of October, it has recorded 43,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions.

The system provides daily reports for hotel management to help optimize menu options and portion sizes. According to Regent Taipei, hotels and restaurants in more than 30 countries have implemented this technology, leading to a 70% decrease in food waste. 

Regent General Manager Wu Wei-cheng (吳偉正) said the hotel has also established an "herb garden" where guests can harvest fresh herbs. The hotel will continue its partnership with chefs to transform surplus ingredients into new dishes.

Since 2020, Fleur de Chine Hotel has installed food waste recycling machines, which convert food waste into fertilizer for the hotel’s plants. The hotel also collaborated with local farms to turn food waste into pig feed. 

To enhance food waste reutilization, it will continue exploring more uses such as generating electricity from food waste.