Turning the Tide on Food Waste: Restaurant Technologies Champions Circular Economy at Climate Week NYC 2026

As the global community converges on Manhattan for Climate Week NYC 2026, the discourse surrounding the climate crisis is shifting from broad environmental goals to actionable, industry-specific solutions. Among the critical sectors under the microscope is the commercial kitchen—a massive generator of food waste and byproduct materials. Taking center stage in this dialogue is Restaurant Technologies (RTI), the industry leader in automated cooking oil management, which is set to spearhead a pivotal conversation on how food service operations can evolve from environmental liabilities into drivers of the circular economy.

On Monday, September 21, 2026, RTI will participate in "Solving Food Waste: A Key Solution to the Climate Crisis," a high-profile summit held at WNYC-NPR Studios’ The Greene Space. Hosted by Food Tank and presented in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food Planet Prize, the NRDC, the Walmart Foundation, CookUnity, and Mill, the event serves as a nexus for policymakers, corporate leaders, and civil society to bridge the gap between waste management and carbon neutrality.

The Mandate: Redefining the Commercial Kitchen

The commercial kitchen has historically been viewed as a linear operation: inputs enter, food is prepared, and significant amounts of organic waste and spent cooking oil are discarded. However, as the urgency of the climate crisis intensifies, industry leaders are recognizing that this model is no longer sustainable—economically or environmentally.

At the upcoming Climate Week event, Diana Geseking, Chief Legal Officer and Impact Committee Chair at RTI, will anchor the panel titled "Food Waste Action in Commercial Kitchens and Food Service." Her presentation will focus on a fundamental shift in perspective: treating food waste not as a costly operational byproduct, but as a valuable resource.

“Climate issues are addressed most effectively when industry, government, and society work together to find solutions,” Geseking noted in a pre-event statement. “Restaurant Technologies is proud to stand alongside UNEP, NRDC, and our fellow co-hosts in advancing practical, scalable solutions to food waste, and to demonstrate how meaningful climate progress can make a big difference in kitchens around the world.”

Chronology of Innovation: A Decade of Waste Transformation

The participation of RTI at Climate Week 2026 is the culmination of years of technological refinement and supply chain integration.

• Foundation Phase: RTI established its core model on the automated delivery, filtration, and monitoring of cooking oil. By removing the manual labor and safety hazards associated with traditional oil management, the company laid the groundwork for a more efficient, data-driven kitchen environment.
• Expansion of Circularity: Recognizing that used cooking oil (UCO) could serve as a high-value feedstock for renewable energy, RTI scaled its collection infrastructure. By 2024, the company had successfully integrated its logistics network with major renewable fuel refineries.
• The 2025 Milestone: The previous calendar year marked a significant achievement for the company, as RTI successfully recycled nearly 400 million pounds of UCO. Crucially, nearly 100% of this volume was converted into renewable diesel, biodiesel, or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), effectively displacing fossil fuel consumption in the transportation sector.
• The 2026 Summit: Climate Week NYC 2026 serves as the platform for RTI to advocate for policy frameworks that incentivize this circular model, moving beyond private industry success toward systemic, government-backed standards.

Supporting Data: The Scale of the Impact

To understand the significance of RTI’s involvement, one must look at the sheer scale of the food service industry’s footprint. With over 45,000 commercial kitchens currently utilizing RTI’s automation technology—including industry titans like McDonald’s, Shake Shack, Sheetz, and Kroger—the company’s operational reach is immense.

The conversion of 400 million pounds of UCO into renewable fuels is not merely a logistical feat; it is a significant carbon sequestration strategy. When used cooking oil is recycled into sustainable aviation fuel, it can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional petroleum-based jet fuel. By intercepting this waste stream at the source, RTI ensures that high-carbon organic waste does not end up in landfills, where it would otherwise generate methane—a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, the data suggests that automation is a key factor in waste reduction. By precisely monitoring oil health and consumption, RTI’s systems prevent premature disposal of oil, ensuring that businesses optimize their resources before the material even reaches the end-of-life stage. This dual approach—optimizing consumption and recycling the byproduct—provides a template for a truly sustainable food system.

A Gathering of Minds: Collaborative Solutions

The panel featuring Diana Geseking is notable for its multidisciplinary approach. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, Food Tank is attempting to dismantle the silos that often hinder climate progress. Joining Geseking on the stage will be:

• Julie Gehrki (Walmart Foundation): Representing the philanthropic sector’s role in scaling food security solutions.
• Adalberto Maluf (Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change): Providing a global perspective on urban environment and water resources.
• U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (Oregon’s 6th District): Addressing the legislative hurdles and opportunities for food waste policy.
• Robert Jones (Culinary Institute of America): Discussing the education of the next generation of chefs in sustainable kitchen management.
• Matthew Jozwiak (Rethink): Highlighting the potential of redistributing surplus food to combat food insecurity.

This assembly underscores a growing consensus: the climate crisis cannot be solved by technology alone, nor by policy alone. It requires the synchronization of supply chain logistics, culinary training, public policy, and corporate social responsibility.

Implications for the Future of Food Service

The presence of RTI at Climate Week 2026 signals a long-term shift in how quick-serve and institutional food service providers will be evaluated by investors, consumers, and regulators.

Economic Implications

For the commercial kitchen, the transition to a circular model is increasingly synonymous with profitability. As carbon taxes and environmental regulations tighten globally, businesses that proactively manage their waste streams will avoid the rising costs of traditional waste disposal. Furthermore, the market for renewable feedstocks is expanding, potentially turning waste management into a revenue-positive arm of the business.

Operational Implications

The automation of kitchen processes, as pioneered by RTI, does more than reduce waste; it creates a more resilient workforce. By automating dangerous and repetitive tasks like oil disposal, kitchens can mitigate workplace injuries and focus human labor on higher-value activities, such as food quality and customer experience.

Policy Implications

The collaboration between RTI, the UNEP, and legislators like Rep. Salinas suggests a push toward more aggressive federal and international standards. If the "RTI model" of tracking and repurposing oil becomes the industry standard, it could lead to mandated reporting requirements for food waste, compelling laggards in the industry to modernize their infrastructure.

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Global Scaling

As the event approaches, the focus remains on the scalability of these solutions. While the 400 million pounds of UCO recycled by RTI in 2025 is a testament to progress, it represents only a fraction of the potential waste that could be captured globally.

The dialogue at The Greene Space will aim to provide a roadmap for other sectors to replicate this success. Whether through technology, policy, or collaborative partnerships, the message from Climate Week NYC 2026 is clear: the path to a sustainable food system is not found in a single breakthrough, but in the persistent, systemic improvement of the daily operations that define the modern kitchen.

By leading this conversation, Restaurant Technologies is not just managing oil; they are helping to manage the future of the planet, proving that when industry leaders prioritize the circular economy, the results can be measured in millions of pounds of waste diverted and tons of carbon emissions avoided.