Commercial food waste collection service
The introduction of Simpler Recycling means your business must separate waste into three bins: general waste, dry recycling, and food waste.
Who will be affected?
For all businesses with ten or more equivalent full-time employees, the changes will take effect from 31 March 2025, while businesses with less than ten full-time employees will have until 31 March 2027.
Commercial food waste recycling service
We plan to offer a complete range of collections and are currently working to ensure we can provide these services. To let us know your commercial waste requirements, please complete the online form
The form should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Request a commercial waste quote
What you can put in your food waste bin
The food waste bin will require a separate collection and includes the following food products:
- tea bags
- coffee grounds
- meat and bones
- fruit and vegetable peelings
- leftovers
- dairy
What you can put in your recycling bin
Dry recycling can be collected all together in one bin. The items we accept are:
- paper and cardboard
- plastic bottles
- plastic pots, tubs and trays
- cartons
- glass bottles and jars
- food and drink cans
What you can put in your general waste
General waste will require a separate collection and includes:
- coffee cups
- polystrene containers
- crisp packets
- paper towels
- sweet wrappers
- single use cutlery
Frequently asked questions
What is a full-time employee (FTE)?
An FTE is a unit of measurement that represents the equivalent number of full-time employees needed to perform the same amount of work. This is typically 35 to 40 hours per week.
Our head office has more than 10 FTEs, but our branch of the company has less than 10 FTEs. Do we count?
Yes. Even though your branch of the company has less than the required 10 FTEs, you need to include the size of your head office when calculating the number of FTEs.
Can we introduce the food waste collection services if we want to, even if we have less than 10 FTEs?
Yes, you can. It means you will be set up ahead of the deadline of 31 March 2027 for all businesses.
Which sectors are covered by this legislation?
Health and social care, hospitality, retail and wholesale, transport and storage, food and drink manufacturing, education, and office and service sectors are covered by this legislation.
The following relevant non-domestic premises will also be required to start recycling:
- places of worship
- penal institutions
- charities, including shops which sell donated items
- residential hostels, which provide accommodation only to people with no other permanent address or who are unable to live at their permanent address
- premises used wholly or mainly for public meetings.
Will bins be provided?
Yes, we will provide bins for the new food waste service. Organisations can purchase their own caddies to collect waste.
Can we use liners?
Yes. Liners can be used to collect food waste internally, ideally made with industrially compostable materials.
How often will the bins be serviced?
Food waste collection frequency will depend on the volume of food your organisation generates.
Can food waste be composted on-site?
On-site composting and community composting schemes are compliant with Simpler Recycling. However, if you produce any additional food waste you do not compost yourself, you must arrange for this to be collected separately for recycling. Consideration should be taken for on-site composting of food waste containing animal by-products.
Are food macerators allowed?
No. All businesses must comply with the new regulations by 31 March 2027, which means you can no longer put your food waste into the general waste or dispose of it in the sewer system, even if pre-treated.
We only produce a small amount of food waste from employees' lunchtimes. Why should we recycle?
The new legislation will affect all businesses, so you must follow them, even if you only produce a small amount of waste. Existing regulations also place a 'duty of care' on all businesses that produce waste, regardless of the amount. They require anyone dealing with waste to keep it safe, make sure it's handled responsibly, and that it's only given to businesses authorised to take it.
Further information
For more information about how this new recycling legislation affects your business visit:
Business Waste | Norfolk Recycles
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