Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Canteen wastes come from a wide variety of different businesses including:
Canteen waste includes:
“Catering waste” means all waste food including used cooking oils originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens.
You must comply with your duty of care responsibilities. Only transfer your waste to a person or business authorised to deal with it, otherwise you could be held responsible. You must provide a written description with the waste and you must also keep records of all waste that you transfer or receive for at least two years.
Duty of care - your waste responsibilities
From 1 January 2014 new regulations affect food businesses in Scotland. Food businesses that produce more than 5Kg of food waste per week must segregate their food waste. There are special arrangements for businesses in rural areas.
Scottish Government: Duty of care: A code of practice
Zero Waste Scotland: The Waste (Scotland) Regulations FAQs
SEPA Guidance: Food waste management in Scotland
New duties for food businesses in Northern Ireland
If you are a food business and produce more than 5kg of food waste per week (roughly one kitchen caddy full) you will be required to separate that food waste from the rest of your waste for separate collection.
NIEA: Duty of Care – A Code of Practice
NIEA: Food waste – Are you compliant?
DAERA: Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
The waste water your business creates might be classed as liquid waste (trade effluent), you must check with your water company to see if you require a permit.
Water UK: Contact your water company
Scotland on Tap: Water and sewerage providers in Scotland
Trade effluent – discharge to sewers
You must not dispose of used cooking oil with the rest of your canteen waste.
If you produce waste cooking oil, you must:
Find your nearest recycling and disposal services using the NetRegs Waste Directory.
If your catering waste includes animal by-products, you must only send it for disposal at authorised premises including:
You may be required to segregate your catering waste to exclude meat if you send it to an approved biogas or composting plant.
If you produce catering waste from international transport ie from planes or ships you must dispose of it by incineration, rendering or burial in a licensed landfill site.
It is your responsibility to ensure the correct disposal of your canteen waste. It must not contaminate the environment and must never be fed to livestock.
There are specific rules that apply to animal by-products, which cover all animal, fish and shellfish waste.
Scottish Government: List of approved premises
DAERA: List of Approved Premises and Operators
If you dispose of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), such as microwaves, kettles and vending machines, you must comply with the WEEE regulations.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
You should not pour waste cooking oil and fats down drains or sewers. This can lead to:
Noise, odour and other nuisances
You can install fat traps or oil interceptors in your drainage system which will reduce the chances of blockage.
You can reduce, reuse or recycle a large proportion of waste created in canteens:
Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste
You can compost food waste and it is a good way to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
If you compost animal by-products you must have an authorisation from:
If you are unsure of compost options and which type of composting will best suit your business, check the NetRegs compost page.
The water industry opposes the use of food waste macerators because of the potential for blockages. In Scotland the use of macerators to dispose of food waste in the sewer system has been banned from 1 January 2016, except for domestic premises and food producers in rural areas.
Food Standards Agency: Waste cooking
Health and Safety Executive: Catering and hospitality
SEPA Guidance: Food waste management in Scotland
Read more Managing Waste Materials topics on NetRegs
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