Report a food trade waste issue
What is food trade waste?
It includes food waste relating to a food business. This does not include any ‘home’ food matters unless that home is also trading in food as a business or charity.
Food businesses have a legal duty to manage their waste appropriately. That means collecting and appropriately storing waste for collection by an authorised and licensed waste company. Food business waste includes:
- waste oil
- cardboard
- plastic
- vegetative matter
- scraps of meat, skin or bone
How should this food waste be treated?
Waste oil should not be poured down any kind of drain or waterway. The Fats, Oils and Grease Best Practice Guide (PDF) advises the best way to dispose of this type of waste.
Some businesses generate large quantities of waste that is made up of cardboard packaging, sometimes including plastic trays, crates or even pallets. These must be stored away from food after use, preventing access by pests, (including birds and foxes), so that the rubbish doesn’t get spread to other property.
Businesses often engage waste companies to provide large, moveable wheelie bins and a regular collection service to avoid excessive build up. It is important that food businesses ensure they have enough containers and of a suitable size to cope with the amounts of waste generated. Some businesses may use smaller skip type containers, but the principle of frequent collection and pest proofing still applies.
Meat and animal scraps must be collected by a licensed company that specialises in animal by-products, this is to ensure it is disposed of correctly and safely.
Recycling is encouraged wherever possible and some foods can be collected for animal feed purposes, however this requires special permission and only by licenced feed companies.
How to report a food trade waste issue
If you need to report a business that doesn't comply with food trade waste rules, you can use the online form below: