Food Waste Collection for Businesses: Everything You Need to Know

May 21
5 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

If your business deals with food in any capacity (whether making it, ordering it, staff bringing in lunches), there's a good chance you need a proper food waste collection service.

But what we find is that many business owners are unsure about...

What counts as food waste
Whether food waste collection is legally required
What type of bin they need
How often collections should happen
What size food waste bin to choose

This guide explains everything you need to know about food waste.

What Is Food Waste?

Food waste is exactly what it sounds like: Food and food-related materials that your business throws away.

This includes waste created during:

Food preparation
Cooking
Serving customers
Cleaning kitchens
Spoiled or expired stock
Leftovers from staff meals

Food waste is normally collected separately from general waste and mixed recycling because food waste is processed differently and should be diverted away from landfill.

What counts as Food Waste?

Many businesses underestimate how much food waste they actually produce. You might think, hang-on, we're not a restaurant - we don't need this.

But, even businesses outside hospitality can generate food waste.

Food Waste typically includes

✅ Leftover food

✅ Plate scrapings

✅ Fruit and vegetable peelings

✅ Expired ingredients

✅ Tea bags and coffee grounds

✅ Bread, rice and pasta

✅ Meat and fish waste

✅ Dairy products

✅ Food preparation waste

✅ Spoiled stock

For example:

A café may throw away food prep waste, leftovers and coffee grounds.

An office kitchen may generate sandwich waste, tea bags and expired milk.

A pub may dispose of food scraps and expired stock.

A supermarket or convenience store will need to throw away spoiled or damaged packaged food.

What should NOT go in a Food Waste bin?

Food waste bins are only for food-related waste. They should not be treated like a general rubbish or recycling bin.

Avoid putting these in your Food Waste bin

❌ Plastic packaging

❌ Drinks cans

❌ Glass bottles

❌ General rubbish

❌ Cardboard packaging

❌ Chemicals or cleaning products

❌ Electrical waste

❌ Non-food packaging materials

For example:

A banana peel belongs in food waste. But, the plastic wrapper from the banana bunch does not.

Do businesses legally need Food Waste collections?

In the majority of cases, yes.

Businesses in England are increasingly expected to separate food waste as part of workplace recycling requirements.

But, the rules can vary across the UK, and requirements depend on business type and location.

A good rule of thumb is that businesses producing larger amounts of food waste should certainly ensure they have suitable food waste collection arrangements in place.

You may also see older guidance referring to a 5kg per week food waste threshold, which has historically been referenced in some regulations and guidance.

For most businesses, the practical question is simple:

If your business regularly produces food waste, you will usually benefit from a dedicated food waste bin and collection service and soon it will be legally required for all businesses. Or risk being fined or your waste collector refusing to collect your waste.

Why separate Food Waste?

Throwing food into general waste creates a lot of problems for business owners

Food waste is heavy and It smells.

Separating food waste can help businesses:

Reduce overflowing bins
Improve hygiene
Lower general waste volumes
Improve recycling and sustainability efforts

For hospitality businesses like pubs and restaurants, especially, food waste separation is essential.

What Bin does Food Waste require?

Food waste is usually collected in a dedicated 240L food waste wheelie bin.

Unlike general waste and mixed recycling, food waste collection has only 1 bin size.

And that's a 240L bin (this is because it's such a heavy type of waste that if a larger bin was filled with food waste a waste truck wouldn't be able to lift it).

Food waste itself should also be placed in clear bin bags.

If your business produces larger amounts of food waste, instead of larger bins (not permitted) you'll need multiple 240L bins.

Food Waste bin sizes explained

240L Food Waste Bin

Best for: Most businesses producing food waste.

Typical businesses include:

Restaurants
Pubs
Cafés
Hotels
Schools
Offices with kitchens
Convenience stores
Catering businesses

Typical food waste includes:

Food leftovers
Preparation waste
Tea bags and coffee grounds
Expired ingredients

Typical collection frequency: Weekly or multiple scheduled collections depending on food waste volume.

What if one bin is not enough?

If a business produces larger waste volumes, multiple 240L bins are recommended.

For example:

Business Type	Typical Setup
Small office kitchen	1 x 240L bin
Small café	1 x 240L bin
Busy pub kitchen	2+ x 240L bins
Restaurant	Multiple 240L bins
Hotel kitchen	Multiple 240L bins

How often should Food Waste be collected?

Food waste usually needs collecting more frequently than general waste. This is because food waste decomposes quickly.

This causes smells, hygiene concerns, and pests.

Getting the right collection frequency for your business will depend on:

Waste volume
Kitchen size
Storage space
Number of customers or staff

Typical collection frequencies

Business Type	Typical Frequency
Small office kitchen	Weekly
Café	Weekly
Pub kitchen	Weekly or multiple scheduled collections
Restaurant	Weekly or multiple scheduled collections
Hotel	Weekly or multiple scheduled collections
School or care home	Weekly

For most businesses, weekly collections are common.

Higher-volume hospitality businesses may require more frequent scheduled collections.

Fortnightly is rare and many waste collectors won't offer this option due to the hygiene concerns mentioned earlier.

Which businesses need Food Waste collections?

Food waste collection is not just for restaurants. Many businesses generate food waste every week. Such as...

Restaurants & Takeaways

Common food waste includes:

Plate leftovers
Prep waste
Spoiled ingredients

Pubs

Common food waste includes:

Kitchen prep waste
Expired stock
Food leftovers

Offices

Common food waste includes:

Tea bags
Coffee grounds
Staff lunches
Expired milk and food

Hotels & Hospitality

Common food waste includes:

Breakfast waste
Kitchen preparation waste
Guest food leftovers

Schools & Care Homes

Common food waste includes:

Meal leftovers
Catering waste
Kitchen preparation waste

Convenience Stores

Common food waste includes:

Expired products
Spoiled food items

Common Food Waste Mistakes Businesses Make

Putting Food Waste into General Waste

This quickly increases general waste volumes. And food waste is often the heaviest material businesses throw away. So less food in your general waste, less general waste collection costs.

Using the wrong bin setup

One small bin may not be enough for a busy hospitality business. Multiple 240L bins are often the better solution.

Waiting too long between collections

Food waste left sitting too long creates hygiene problems (especially during warmer months). You don't want a business that smells or has rats.

Contaminating Food Waste

Plastic packaging, cans and general rubbish should stay out of food waste bins. Otherwise, your waste may be refused by your collector and regular failure to keep food waste separate will inevitably result in fines enforced by the government.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as business food waste?

Food waste includes leftovers, preparation waste, spoiled ingredients, tea bags, coffee grounds and expired food stock.

Do businesses legally need food waste collection?

Requirements vary by location and business type, but many businesses are expected to separate food waste where it is produced as part of workplace recycling requirements.