Organising your restaurant waste collection is vital for all aspects of your business.
The restaurant industry generates a huge amount of waste, particularly food waste.
The concern for restaurant owners is that food waste can be incredibly expensive.
Not only is it investment from your restaurant that is quite literally going in the bin, but putting heavy food waste in your general waste bin can be expensive, often resulting in charges for excess weight.
1. What Waste is Generated in the Food Industry?
It’s no surprise to any restauranteur, takeaway operator or cafe owner, that the food industry generates a lot of waste.
Did you know that in the UK, it is estimated that roughly 9.5 million tonnes of food is wasted every year? If you laid out all of that food waste end to end – it would circle the Earth more than 6 times!
Food establishments are responsible for a significant portion of food waste worldwide.
What Types of Waste do Restaurants Produce?
Most restaurants, takeaways, and cafes produce mostly general waste, food waste, recyclable waste and glass waste.
However food establishments that provide food products that have a smaller niche or may be larger in size may generate other types of waste that need managing.
For hazardous or sanitary waste, you can use our sister company Waste Managed.
They provide extra waste streams with the added benefit of fixed monthly costs.
This means you’ll always know what will be coming out each month, and the best part about it is – there’s no excess waste fees!
Here are some examples of the types of waste that restaurants can generate:
Food Waste
- By-Products (such as the food waste that is made by preparing food. This includes fruit & vegetable peels, or coffee grounds).
- Expired or Spoiled Food Items (this includes any food that has passed its expiry date or has ‘gone off’)
- Leftovers (also known as plate waste and table scraps. Any remaining food that was part of a meal that wasn’t eaten.
- Unsold Inventory (can come from overproduction when a restaurant prepares too many food items).
- Spilled or Ruined Food (any food that may have been spilled on the table or on the floor, or ruined by being overcooked or burned).
General Waste
- Non-Recyclable Packaging: (such as plastic food containers, foam packaging, and non-recyclable paper products).
- Paper Waste: (e.g. disposable menus, napkins, paper towels, and any non-recyclable paper items used in food preparation).
- Plastic Waste: (this could include plastic cutlery, straws, condiment packets, and other single-use plastic items).
- Non-Recyclable Glass: (large pieces of sharp or broken glass that cannot go into glass recycling, or non-recyclable glass like pyrex or mirrored glass).
- Cleaning Supplies: Empty cleaning product containers and disposable cleaning materials.
Dry Mixed Recycling
- Cardboard: (such as cardboard boxes used for food deliveries, packaging materials, and cardboard food containers).
- Paper: (office paper, cardboard packaging with no food residues, and paper bags).
- Plastic Bottles: (e.g. empty plastic bottles for beverages or condiments, used water bottles and soda bottles).
- Cans: (like soft drink cans, food cans, aerosol cans for whipped cream or cooking spray etc).
- Clean Food Cartons: (e.g. as milk cartons and juice boxes).
- Clean Plastic Containers: (plastic containers with recycling symbols, including yoghurt cups, and plastic containers).
- Clean Foil: (tin foil that is clean).
- Clean Plastic Bags: (suh as plastic bags without food residue, such as shopping bags or plastic film).
- Empty Glass Containers: Empty glass containers used for sauces, dressings, or condiments.
Glass Waste
- Glass Bottles: (empty wine bottles, beer bottles, and soft drink bottles).
- Glass Jars: (e.g. empty glass jars used for condiments, sauces, jams, and pickles).
- Glass Containers: (such as containers used for food storage).
- Glass Tumblers: (water glasses, wine glasses, champagne flutes)
- Glass Tableware: (e.g. glass plates, bowls, or serving dishes).
- Glass Condiment Bottles: (empty and clean glass bottles that held condiments like ketchup, mustard, or salad dressing).
At Waste Basics, we can help you with any of your restaurant’s waste disposal requirements for the lowest price possible.
Whether it’s excess food, recyclable packaging, old napkins or wine bottles, you can leave it up to us to look after your waste management needs in their entirety.
We noticed that other more unscrupulous national waste collectors like Biffa, Veolia and Viridor were taking advantage of small and medium sized restaurants with confusing language and hidden costs.
We didn’t like this approach, which is why ever since our founding 12 years ago, we have been completely honest and transparent with our pricing so that our 27,000+ customers always know exactly what they’re paying for.
If you’d like to find out more about how much money our services could be saving your business, use our free instant quote tool today!
Get in touch today by giving us a call now – alternatively, we know how busy our customers can be, so you can even request a callback at a more convenient time for you!
2. Why Is Restaurant Waste Collection Important?
Organising your restaurant waste collection is important because it can save your business huge amounts of money, address significant environmental concerns, and ensure your restaurant does not behave against government legislation.
Restaurants, bars, and cafes generate a substantial amount of waste, including food scraps, general waste, and recyclable materials.
When not collected and managed properly, this waste can end up costing your restaurant far more than it needs to, and ultimately eats away at your bottom line.
Not only does it cost your restaurant more, but it costs the planet too.
Waste that is not recycled or managed properly is more likely to end up in landfills, contributing to methane emissions and environmental degradation.
There is also a legal obligation to dispose of your commercial waste responsibly.
This means your restaurant has a legal responsibility to do everything it can to not only keep waste to a minimum, but also do everything it reasonably can to reuse, recycle, and recover waste.
In April 2024 for Wales, with England soon to follow, food and glass recycling waste streams will become mandatory for all businesses that produce this waste in the UK.
By implementing effective waste collection practices, restaurants can reduce costs, have a positive impact on sustainability efforts and comply with legal regulations.
1. Saving Your Restaurant Money
Organising your restaurant’s waste properly with an adequate number of separate bins is a fantastic strategic move that can lead to significant cost savings for your business.
Waste collection is based not only the type of the waste your collecting, the frequency, and the size of the bin your restaurant has, but actually a large amount of the cost comes from excess waste costs.
By segregating your waste into distinct waste streams (such as having a separate food bin or glass bin) can reduce the weight in your general waste bin or dry mixed recycling bin and help your restaurant avoid the expensive excess weight fees made mandatory by UK regulations.
Even though it may seem more expensive to be ordering more waste bins for your restaurant, many of our customers have found this to be a huge cost-saving tool, particularly in comparison some of the more expensive waste brokers on the market.
Cost Breakdown of Restaurant Waste Collection
Let’s consider the average weight of food waste generated by restaurants each week, which can be substantial.
The cost of the largest general waste bin (1100L) plus the largest dry mixed recycling bin (1100L) for a weekly collection will cost £136 plus twice the VAT amount.
This doesn’t include any excess weight fees, which are hugely common in the food industry due to the heavy weight of food waste.
If your restaurant reduced the size of your general waste bin and dry mixed recycling, and separate your waste into different waste streams, for a fortnightly collection it will cost your restaurant £105+VAT.
This is a saving of £31 per month, which is a saving of a minimum of about £375 per year!
These savings will be even bigger depending on how much money in excess waste fees your restaurant is getting charged.
Ultimately, the upfront investment in a well-structured waste management system can lead to substantial long-term savings, positively impacting a restaurant’s bottom line while contributing to environmental sustainability.
2. Environmental Impact
Our society today is incredibly environmental conscious.
Did you know that according to a Nielsen survey, 81% of global consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment?
Businesses, especially those in the food industry, play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of their waste.
One effective way to reduce your restaurant’s impact on the environment and increase sustainability efforts is to implement separate waste streams.
Having separate waste streams has been proven to reduce waste, reduce costs and significantly benefit the environment.
Here’s why:
Diverting Waste from Landfills
One of the most compelling reasons to have separate waste streams in restaurants is to divert waste from landfills.
Landfills are terrible for the environment, contributing to harmful methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.
Nearly one-third of food is wasted globally, contributing to the landfill crisis.
By segregating waste into categories such as general waste, food waste, and recyclables, restaurants are not only more likely to recycle the waste through the correct waste stream, but the waste itself is much more likely to be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally way.
Decreasing Methane Emissions
The largest amount of waste that restaurants produce is food waste.
If food waste is disposed of through your general waste bin, there is some likelihood that it could end up in one of the UK’s landfills.
When food waste is disposed of in a landfill, it will decompose anaerobically, producing lots of methane gas.
Did you know that methane is over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period?
By separating your restaurant’s food waste and disposing of it through a food waste bin, it will be sent to specific facilities that have the most environmentally-friendly ways of disposing of food waste, helping your restaurant massively reduce it’s carbon footprint – and often saving you money at the same time!
Promoting Recycling
If your restaurant opts to get separate waste streams by ordering different bins, this is proven to encourage recycling, which conserves valuable resources and energy.
Did you know that recycling one tonne of cardboard saves over 17 trees and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 1 whole tonne? That’s roughly 17 and a half Mo Farah’s!
By having dedicated bins for recyclables like cardboard, glass, and plastics, restaurants contribute to resource conservation and reduced energy consumption.
3. Legislation
Your business carries a legal obligation to handle its waste responsibly, which includes the proper disposal and collection of commercial waste through the right channels.
In April 2024 for Wales and then later in 2024 for the England, The ‘Environmental Act 2021‘ will begin to be enforced, meaning that businesses will have a legal requirement to have a separate food and glass waste bin if they are disposing of that category of waste.
The act was initially introduced in the House of Commons in 2020 and passed into law in 2021.
It introduces legally-binding targets for a better environment, with a strong emphasis on how businesses reduce and manage waste responsibly.
Non-compliance with the new waste disposal regulations could potentially result in significant penalties, which is why it is so important for your restaurant, cafe or bar to accurately separate and dispose of its commercial waste.
Don’t worry – that’s where we’re here to help!
We understand that knowing how to manage your restaurant’s waste can be time-consuming and often overwhelming.
We’re here when you want to reach out to us, and we’ll provide you with straightforward and free advice on the bins that best suit your restaurant.
If you want to chat with one of our friendly team, give us a call or request a callback at a time that works for you.
In a hurry?
We’ve got an easy-to-use, free instant quote tool that tells you exactly how much our waste collection services cost dependent on your exact requirements.
3. What are some Restaurant Waste Statistics?
With restaurant waste collection, understanding the alarming statistics surrounding food waste is paramount for both businesses and the environment.
Did you know that in the UK, 9.5 million tonnes of food waste are being wasted annually?
This is the equivalent of approximately 19 billion meals – in a time of 800 million people suffering with food insecurity
Did you know that the demand for food is going to increase by 1.5-2x more by 2050?
That’s less than 30 years away, with an expected rise in the population from 8.1 billion (correct as of 2023) to 9.8 billion people in 2050.
The population at the most risk of hunger is expected to increase by 109%, and when climate change is taken into account, this could increase by a total of 132%.
The consumable food that gets thrown away in the UK every year costs us almost £20 billion pounds.
That’s £296.12 for every single person in the UK right now! (Correct as of September 2023)
UK Households alone have thrown away £13.8 billion’s worth of that figure.
Did you know that the UK emits 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gases every year – just from food waste!
That is more greenhouse gases than Kenya produces in its entirety, which is a country of over 53 million citizens.
Restaurants, cafes, bars, takeaways and other businesses in the food and hospitality sector generate a huge amount of waste that has a severe impact on not only the environment in the UK, but the entire world.
At Waste Basics, we have a thorough annual review of all of our waste collection partners to ensure that they are doing everything possible to reduce their environmental impact.
If any of our current partners do not meet the standards put in place by us, we stop using them completely and safely transfer our customers to another supplier.
If you care about your restaurant’s impact on the environment, and want to partner with a Waste Broker that genuinely cares about sustainable waste management, then look no further than us.
You can get in touch by giving us a call today, or request a callback at a more convenient time for you!
Want to jump straight to the costs? No problem!
You can use our free, instant quote tool to get a price on the exact waste streams your restaurant needs.
4. What Size Bins Do I Need for My Restaurant?
The bin sizes your restaurant will need will change depending on the size of your restaurant, what types of waste you produce and how much waste your restaurant produces.
Most restaurants produce general waste, food waste, dry mixed recyclable waste (including paper and plastic) and glass waste.
At Waste Basics, we offer three different sizes to suit your commercial general waste production, but some customers choose to double up or get multiple sizes, dependent on their waste requirements and storage space available.
At Waste Basics, we offer three different sizes for your restaurant’s waste portfolio.
Depending on the amount of waste your restaurant, cafe, takeaway or bar produces, some customers decide to double up on a particular size or add additional sizes.
If you’re not sure what size you need for the amount of waste you produce, feel free to give one of our friendly team a call and we’ll happily give you some free advice!
General Waste
1100L Commercial General Waste Bin
The 1100L general waste bin is by far, our most popular commercial waste bin, with over 90% of our customers having one!
It can hold up to 70kg before collection which equates to approximately 18 bin bags.
The size of the 1100L wheelie bin is 1.40m tall, and 1.26m wide.
660L Commercial Waste Bin
The 660L general waste bin is another really popular option for most restaurants throughout the UK.
With a pre-collection capacity of up to 40kg, it can easily hold around 12 bin bags.
The dimensions of the 660L wheelie bin are 1.3m in height and 1.26m in width.
240L Commercial Waste Bin
The 240L bin can hold up to 15kg before collection, providing space for about 4 bin bags.
The same size as a standard household wheelie bin, the 240L general waste bin has dimensions of just 1.08m in height and 0.58m in width.
Dry Mixed Recycling
Your restaurant is completely unique, and just like your restaurant, the exact amount of dry mixed recycling you generate along with the space that you have to store your bins will differ from vendor to vendor.
At Waste Basics, we offer three different options to accommodate your restaurant’s dry mixed recycling needs.
Unlike direct waste collectors like Biffa, Veolia or Viridor that may try and manipulate your restaurant business, we will always be 100% transparent about our pricing.
They might try and push you into overpaying for your restaurant’s dry mixed recycling needs, but with us at Waste Basics, you’ll know exactly what your paying and why every single time, with no absolutely no hidden fees.
You can get a completely free of charge quote instantly online, or if you’d like a little bit more support from a real human being then you can get in touch with us today or request a callback at a better time for you.
1100L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
The 1100L Dry Mixed Recycling bin is a very popular choice amongst our 27,000 customers across the UK due to it’s large capacity.
Our biggest commercial dry mixed recycling bin, it can hold up to 40kg of mixed recycling.
That’s approximately 115 medium cardboard boxes, or around 3,300 plastic bottles!
660L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
The 660L dry mixed recycling bin is another great option for restaurants that need to dispose of a medium amount of recyclable waste.
It can hold up to 25kg of weight, which is around 59 collapsed cardboard boxes, or about 2,500 plastic bottles.
240L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
We also have a 240L dry mixed recycling bin which is our smallest recycling bin available.
This recycling bin is the best for restaurants that only have access to small waste stores, or just that bit extra if the 1100L recycling bin isn’t quite big enough.
It can hold up to 10kg of recyclable refuse, which is about 24 empty cardboard boxes, or about 700 plastic bottles.
This size bin is the equivalent of your household wheelie bin.
If you’re not 100% sure what you’ll need, feel free to give one of our friendly team a call and they’ll be happy to help, no-strings-attached!
Food Waste
At Waste Basics, we are an award-winning Waste Broker, and have been helping restaurant, takeaway and cafe owners manage their waste throughout every region of the UK for over 12 years.
We have found that our food waste bin is an incredibly valued choice amongst our 27,000+ customers as it’s a huge cost-saving tool, particularly for restaurants as they produce so much food waste.
They have been proven to save our clients a huge amount of investment over the long-term due to the heavy weight of food waste in comparison to commercial general waste.
Our 240L food waste bin is small in size but can hold a large amount of food waste.
It can hold up to 4 full food disposal bags, and up to 100kg of waste (that’s the weight of a standard refrigerator, or a small piano!)
It measures 1.08m in height and just 0.58m in width which is the same size as your household wheelie bin.
Worried about whether it’ll be big enough for your restaurant’s food waste needs?
Some of our food vendors choose to get multiple food waste bins to ensure that they always have enough room for their restaurant’s food waste.
Glass Waste
The glass recycling bin we offer for our customers is the perfect size for your restaurant’s glass waste production.
We know that many restaurants, cafes, takeaways and bars tend to neglect managing their glass recycling waste due to the common lack of on-site waste storage facilities.
We’ve taken the time to listen to our 28,000+ customers, and we’ve provided an efficient storage solution to your restaurant’s commercial glass waste that has been tried and tested, and proven to be the best option!
Although it may seem like a higher initial investment, we’ve found that our glass recycling bins have saved our restaurant partners a huge amount of money over the long-term in comparison to increasing the frequency of pick up or adding more quantity of general dry mixed recycling bins.
This is due to the large amount of glass waste that restaurants tend to dispose of from lager & beer bottles, wine bottles, and broken glassware.
Our 240L glass recycling bin is the perfect size for your restaurant’s glass recycling waste.
It can hold up to 100kg of glass (that’s the weight of a standard washing machine!)
It measures just 1.08m in height, and 0.58m in width and is the same size as your household wheelie bin.
Dependent on your requirements for glass waste collection, some of our food providers do choose to get multiple bins if they produce a larger amount of commercial glass waste (usually restaurants and hotels).
If your restaurant has access to a secure waste store, our bins dimensions are ideal for small spaces where you might need some safe-saving storage.
Unlike other waste collection suppliers like Biffa or Veolia, you’ll never encounter any hidden fees or variable costs with us.
We will always have completely transparent pricing so you know exactly what you’re paying for when it comes to your glass recycling every time.
Alternatively, you can use our free quote tool for instant access to what your requirements will cost you, or give us a no-strings, free call to find out more.
5. What Will My Restaurant Waste Collection Cost?
The cost of restaurant waste collection can vary depending on the type of waste your restaurant or food establishment generates, the quantity of the waste produced, and how frequently you need your restaurant’s waste collected.
At Waste Basics, transparency is the cornerstone of our approach.
You will always know exactly what you’re paying for, without any confusing expenses or hidden charges.
General Waste
1100L Commercial General Waste Bin
The 1100L general waste bin is the largest option available among our commercial general waste bins at Waste Basics for restaurants and other food providers.
It has the capacity to hold roughly 18 black bin bags, or a maximum weight of 70kg (which is roughly the weight of 70 bags of rice!).
Opting for a weekly waste collection service is priced at just £80+VAT.
If your restaurant needs less frequent pickups, the option of fortnightly waste collections is available at a cost of £40+VAT.
If you’re unsure about the best bin size for your restaurant, or what collection frequency you need, please feel free to contact us today.
Want to jump straight into the prices? No problem!
Get a free, instant quote with our brand-new online quote tool!
660L Commercial Waste Bin
The 660L General Waste Bin is a great choice within our range of commercial general waste bins at Waste Basics.
It has the capacity for about 12 black bin bags or a maximum weight of 40kg (equivalent to the average adult bicycle).
Opting for a weekly waste collection service is priced at £60+VAT, while the bi-weekly option comes in at £30+VAT.
Should you need some extra assistance on choosing the best bin size, or collection frequency for your restaurant’s general waste, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
We’re here to provide you with a completely free, no-obligation quote for your service.
240L Commercial Waste Bin
The 240L General Waste Bin is a great, practical solution within our range of commercial general waste bins at Waste Basics if you’re short on storage space or produce less non-recyclable waste.
It’s designed to handle a total weight of up to 15kg before collection (which is roughly the equivalent to 15 large watermelons).
The 240L will hold about 4 bin bags, and is the size of a standard household wheelie bin.
Choosing to go for a weekly waste collection service comes at a cost of £45+VAT, while the fortnightly alternative stands at £23+VAT.
If you need help deciding on the right bin size or collection schedule for your waste, we’re here for whenever you’d like to discuss your options with a completely complimentary, hassle-free quote.
Dry Mixed Recycling
For weekly collection, commercial recycling bins cost £56+VAT for a 1100L bin, £48+VAT for a 660L bin, and £40+VAT for a 240L bin.
For fortnightly pickups, this costs £28+VAT for a 1100L recycling bin, £25+VAT for a 660L bin, and £22+VAT for a 240L bin.
We noticed that other national waste collectors like Biffa were being purposefully confusing about their pricing in order to ensure they get highest price out of their customers – something they’re still doing right now.
At Waste Basics, we don’t like that approach.
This is why we decided when we opened our business that we would be completely transparent with our costs so that our customers would always know exactly what they were paying for.
Never any hidden costs here.
Over the last 12 years, our 27,000 customers have really appreciated our transparency, which is why they continue to renew with us time and time again.
1100L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
The 1100L Recycling Bin is the biggest size bin available among our portfolio of commercial recycling bins at Waste Basics.
We find this option the most popular with restaurants and takeaways.
It has the ability to hold a maximum weight of 40kg (which is roughly the weight of photocopier or an espresso machine!).
If your restaurant chooses to go for a weekly waste collection service, this will cost just £56+VAT.
For restaurants that have slightly less need for dry mixed recycling disposal, the option of fortnightly waste collection is available at a cost of £28+VAT.
If you’re unsure about the best bin size or collection frequency for your recyclable waste, please feel free to contact us today.
We’re here to provide you with a commitment-free and entirely complimentary quote.
660L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
The 660L dry mixed recycling bin is a great choice within our range of commercial recycling bins for restaurants, cafes and takeaways.
It can hold a maximum weight of 25kg (equivalent to the average microwave or office chair).
If you decide to get a weekly waste collection service is priced at £48+VAT, while the bi-weekly option comes in at £25+VAT.
Should you need some extra guidance on the best bin size for your restaurant, or the ideal collection frequency for your recyclable waste, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team!
We’re here to provide you with a completely free, no-obligation quote for your service.
240L Dry Mixed Recycling Bin
The 240L Recycling Bin is a practical solution for small waste stores for your restaurant.
Designed to manage a capacity of up to 10kg before collection (which is roughly the equivalent of a desktop computer or a paper shredder).
It accommodates a decent volume and is the size of a standard household wheelie bin.
If your restaurant opts for a weekly commercial recycling waste collection service comes at a cost of £40+VAT, while the fortnightly alternative stands at £22+VAT.
If you need help deciding on the right bin size or collection schedule for your waste, we’re here for whenever you’d like to discuss your options with a completely complimentary, hassle-free quote.
Food Waste
The cost for food waste is £40 +VAT per month for a weekly restaurant waste collection, and just £20 +VAT per month for a fortnightly collection.
Unlike other waste collection suppliers like Biffa or Veolia, you’ll never encounter any hidden fees or unexpected costs with us at Waste Basics.
We have always had and always will have completely transparent pricing.
You’ll always know exactly what you’re paying for when it comes to your food waste every time.
Alternatively, you can use our free quote tool for instant access to what your requirements will cost you, or give us a no-strings, free call to find out more.
Glass Waste
The price for restaurant glass collection for a 240L glass waste bin starts at £22+VAT per month for fortnightly collections, and is £44+VAT per month for a weekly collection.
Here at Waste Basics, we are completely transparent and up front about our low-cost pricing.
National waste collectors like Biffa, Veolia and Viridor might try and manipulate your business into paying more than what you need to for your restaurant’s glass recycling.
With hidden fees and unexpected costs, it can be really difficult to know not only who has the lowest price for your restaurant waste collection, but who is the best partner for your business.
Since starting Waste Basics 12 years ago, we knew from day one that we wanted to build the best relationship with our customers, and prioritise transparency above anything else.
And our 27,000+ customers love our approach!
In our experience, we’ve found that most restaurants decide to go for the weekly pick up of their glass waste.
This will cost just £44+ VAT per week.
Alternatively, if your restaurant produces less glass waste, and would prefer to get just 2 collections per month with our fortnightly pick up option, it’ll cost £22+ VAT per month. Simple!
To calculate the exact cost of the waste streams you need for your restaurant bespoke to the frequency of pickups you would like, make sure to use our free quote tool to get access to the price instantly!
Are there extra charges for excess weight?
Excess weight is charged at 20p per kilogram over the maximum weight limit of the specific waste bin(s) your restaurant decides to use.
If your restaurant is prone to generating excess or heavier waste (such as food waste), you may want to consider getting multiple bins, increasing the frequency of your pick-ups, or getting another waste stream (such as a food bin to avoid heavy food weight taking up capacity in your general waste bin).
If you’re interested in getting even better returns on your investment, explore the options at our sister company, Waste Managed.
At Waste Managed, you’ll never be charged extra for overweight general waste bins, and have access to a dedicated account manager who will always be on hand to assist you if you require additional support.
The Waste Managed team calculate the cost of all of your ongoing waste collection needs (for general waste, as well as any other waste streams your restaurant requires) over the year, and then split it into 12 equal payments, so you always know exactly what to expect, with a fixed monthly bill.
6. What Restaurant Waste Collection Legislation Do I Need to Know?
The essential restaurant waste collection legislation your food business will need to be aware of is both current legislation and any upcoming changes that will impact how your business manages waste responsibly.
Current Legislation for Restaurant Waste Collection
The current legislation affecting restaurants in the UK requires businesses to minimise waste by taking all reasonable steps to prevent, reuse, recycle, or recover waste.
So if your restaurant is producing any recyclable waste (e.g. paper, plastic, tins etc.) it is expected that you have obtained the correct dry mixed recycling bin in order to be able to dispose of the waste properly.
Similarly with food waste, and glass waste.
If your restaurant is producing a significant volume of food waste or glass recycling, it is expected that your business orders a specific bin for that waste stream so that it can be disposed of as affectively as possible.
Food waste and glass recycling can be either recycled or disposed of in the most environmentally-friendly way possible when they are collected from businesses and then sent to specific recycling centres for that waste.
By obtaining and using bins for different waste streams, your restaurant, takeaway or cafe can be part of minimising waste and taking all steps to recycle that waste affectively.
If you’d like to get an instant quote for your restaurant’s waste, you can use our online quote tool to get instant access to our prices.
Want to speak to a real human being? No problem!
Give us a call now or request a callback at a more convenient time.
Impending Changes to Legislation Affecting Restaurant Waste Collection
There are some impending changes to legislation that will affect your restaurant’s waste collection.
The ‘Environmental Act 2021’ is going to be enforced in Wales in April 2024 with the rest of England soon to follow.
How will the Environmental Act 2021 Affect My Restaurant?
The Environmental Act 2021 will affect your restaurant by enforcing you to separate your business’ waste.
With the enforcement of the new act, all businesses, not just restaurants, will have to separate their recyclable waste with a mandatory dry mixed recycling stream (for paper, plastic, cardboard and metal), a glass waste bin for all glass waste, as well as a mandatory food bin to dispose of all food waste.
This means your restaurant will be required to purchase a dry mixed recycling bin, glass waste bin, and food bin if it does not possess one already.
Much larger businesses will be required to take more in-depth notes of exactly what waste they dispose of for government records.
Confused around the new legislation and how it will affect your restaurant?
Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
If you’d like to have a no-commitment chat with one of our friendly advisors, give us a call now.
Want to request a callback at a more convenient time? No problem!
We also have an online quote tool where you can get instant access to our pricing now!
7. What is the Restaurant Waste Collection Process?
The restaurant waste collection is just 4 easy steps!
How does restaurant waste collection work, and what are the next steps?
1) Choose Your Bins
At Waste Basics, we make arranging your restaurant waste collection as simple and as quick as possible.
Our commitment to transparency means we proudly display our prices – you can find them on our website, or by using our free quote tool!
The tool shows you the exact cost of the specific waste your restaurant needs to dispose of (including food waste, dry mixed recycling, general waste, or glass waste), the size of the bins you require, and the quantity of bins you need too.
We recognise your need for the best service possible at the lowest available prices, and we’re here to assist you in achieving just that.
If you’d like personalised assistance from a real human being, don’t hesitate to give us a call or request a callback at your convenience!
2) Arrange Free Delivery of Your Bins
When you choose our waste collection services, you won’t encounter any surprise fees for bin rental or delivery, unlike some other providers.
We are committed to delivering the bins you need for your specific waste streams to your business quickly and at no extra cost.
We understand that convenience is essential, so we will work with you to establish a delivery schedule that suits your restaurant best.
Additionally, we’ll handle any logistical challenges, such as access to locked gates or secured areas, so you can focus on your restaurant’s business operations.
Rest assured, we are dedicated to simplifying the entire process for you, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free collection of your restaurant’s waste.
3) Fill Up Your Bins
Once the complimentary bins have been delivered to your restaurant’s location, go ahead and fill them with your waste, ensuring each waste stream is separated into the correct bin.
4) Get Your Restaurant’s Waste Collected
We’ll set out a schedule that suits you and your restaurant, takeaway or cafe, based on the amount of waste you produce.
8. FAQs
How can I dispose of my restaurant or takeaway’s cooking oil?
For restaurants looking to dispose of cooking oil, the best option is always to explore opportunities to reuse the oil within your food establishment.
When reusing the oil is not feasible, it should be stored in a secure container meeting specific criteria, and then arranged for collection by a licensed waste carrier who will ensure proper disposal at a recycling or food waste facility.
The designated container for cooking oil must have a tightly sealed lid, be completely leak-proof and waterproof, and secure enough to prevent any oil spillage.
It’s essential to adhere to the regulations outlined in the Food Safety Act 1990, which strictly prohibits the disposal of your business’s cooking oil down the drain.
There is a common misconception that you can flush cooking oil or grease from a food establishment down the drain with boiling hot water.
Attempting to flush it down with boiling water can result in pipe blockages and other plumbing issues, potentially leading to fines for your business and legal prosecution for individuals.
Don’t worry, that’s where we’re here to help you.
Contact us today for expert guidance on the correct disposal of your business’s cooking oil, and we’ll assist you in establishing a compliant food waste disposal system.
Alternatively, you can request a callback at your convenience.
How can I reduce food waste in my restaurant?
You can reduce food waste in your restaurant with the following easy steps:
- Plan Menu Carefully: Offer a streamlined menu to reduce the number of ingredients you need, and cut down.
- Monitor Inventory: Keep track of ingredients and rotate stock to use older items first to avoid expiry.
- Portion Control: Serve reasonable portion sizes to prevent leftovers.
- Regularly Update Menu: Adapt your menu to use seasonal ingredients and use up as much fresh food as possible.
- Train Staff: Educate your staff about the importance of reducing food waste and proper food storage.
- Use Leftovers: Repurpose food scraps for soups, stocks, or specials.
- Offer Takeaway Options: Provide takeout containers for customers who can’t finish their meals.
- Donate Surplus Food: Consider partnering with a local food bank to donate excess food.
- Regularly Review Practices: Continuously assess and improve your food waste reduction strategies.
- Separate Food Waste: Separate your restaurant’s food waste in a separate food waste bin so it can be recycled.
Call us today for extra help on the ensuring the correct disposal of your business’ food waste to ensure the best recycling.
Alternatively, you can request a callback at your convenience.
What is the average amount of food waste generated per restaurant?
Restaurants in the UK produce an average of 21 kilograms of food waste per person per year.
The average amount of food waste generated per restaurant in the UK can also vary significantly based on various factors such as the size of the restaurant, menu type, and practices.
Keep in mind that this is an average figure, and the actual amount of food waste generated by a specific restaurant may be higher or lower based on its operations and sustainability efforts.
How often should my restaurant’s food waste be collected?
Food waste collection frequency depends on factors like the volume of food you need to throw away, the size of your business, and the size of your waste store.
Restaurants often require more frequent collection, while smaller establishments may opt for fortnightly pickups.
In contrast to more unethical waste collection providers that hide the cost of their collection services to make as much money as possible from the businesses they serve, we make our prices readily accessible on our website and offer a user-friendly, free quote tool.
If you’d like to speak to a human about how often your waste should be collected, you can get in touch with us now, or request a callback at the most convenient time.
What is restaurant waste management?
Restaurant waste management is the planned process of handling, reducing, recycling, and disposing of excess waste created by restaurants.
This usually includes general waste, dry mixed recycling, food waste and glass recycling.
It involves the responsible collection and disposal of unavoidable excess waste.
Proper management of these resources is really important for several reasons.
It helps reduce the ecological impact of consequences such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion from the planet.
Also, it can save a lot of money for restaurants and other food establishments like takeaways and cafes by helping them avoid any legislation penalties and encouraging managing resources better so they don’t get wasted.
Who collects restaurant waste?
Licenced waste collectors collect restaurant waste.
When it comes to managing your restaurant’s waste and waste management portfolio, your business has various choices.
You can handle it yourself (although this is a time-consuming task and you’ll need a proper licence), set up a direct contract with a waste collection provider like Biffa, Veolia, or Viridor, or work with a knowledgeable waste broker – just like us!
Managing your restaurant’s waste on your own may save money in the short term, but can lead to compliance issues, consume your time and resources, and result in disruptions.
It’s also worth nothing that you’ll need a special licence to dispose of any commercial waste yourself (any waste produced by your restaurant).
Direct contracts with large waste collection providers might bring communication problems, environmental concerns, excess waste issues, and long-term commitments.
Opting to use a waste broker (just like Waste Basics) offers expertise on the proper management of your restaurant’s multiple waste streams, as well as market insight, cost savings, time efficiency, tailored solutions, and a responsive point of contact you can depend on.
At Waste Basics, we prioritise transparency, providing clear pricing, and delivering cost-effective waste management solutions.
Whether you prefer an online quote or personalised guidance, we aim to serve your business needs.
How can I dispose of my restaurant’s waste?
You dispose of your restaurants waste through specific bins for the waste you’re trying to dispose of.
Managing restaurant refuse is straightforward when you have dedicated bins for each waste stream.
You can see the prices of our food bins through our handy instant quote tool!
For your restaurant’s food waste bin, it’s vital that you use clear and biodegradable bin bags.
These liners keep odours to a minimum and allow for easy identification of the contents inside when the waste gets to the recycling centre.
What can I do with large amounts of food scraps?
In your restaurant you will generate lots of food scraps that you can either compost, dispose of through your food waste bin, or try and repurpose into something else.
Most waste collection suppliers will charge you obscene rates to pick up and dispose of your food waste.
Alternatively, you can get in contact with us today to organise the free delivery of one of our food waste bins and organise collection for a guaranteed great price!
We ensure that we’re auditing our waste suppliers every single year to make sure that they are the best possible option for you and your business, complying with all of the relevant waste legislation, meeting our incredibly high environmental standards, all whilst ensuring we can keep prices as low as physically possible for you and your restaurant.
Is it illegal to pour milk down the drain in the UK?
Yes, it’s illegal for restaurants (or any other business) to pour expired milk down the sink in the UK.
Ensure that you do not pour milk down your restaurant’s drain, as it can result in a financial penalty or custodial sentence for business owners.
Milk must be disposed of as a Category 3 ABP (animal by-product) via a licensed waste collector.
Don’t worry, that’s where we’re here to help.
If you want to get in touch today or request a callback at a better time, our friendly team is ready to assist you!
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to jump straight to the prices, you can do so through our handy online quote tool!
Milk is a highly polluting material.
It’s particularly harmful because of the large oxygen demand it has, which means that lots of bacteria feed on the milk easily, and use up oxygen which would be used by fish and other living creatures in the water if the milk wasn’t there.
By pouring milk down the drain, you could be killing entire ecosystems, having unknown effects on the planet.
Is it illegal to put food waste in a black bin?
Due to the Environmental Act 2021, your restaurant will be liable if it does not dispose of food waste properly.
This applies to any restaurant (or any other business) that is producing over 5kg of food waste per day, which is roughly the equivalent of the weight of a watermelon.
If your restaurant doesn’t currently have a food waste bin to dispose of your restaurant’s food waste in, get in touch with us today and we’re happy to help!
Unlike direct waste suppliers like Biffa, Viridor or Veolia, we will never hide our prices.
We saw how they were pushing small businesses into paying much more for their waste solutions than necessary, which is why from our very first day open we have always been completely transparent about our pricing.
Give one of our friendly team a call, or request a callback at a better time for you.
In a rush? Don’t worry! Use our free quote tool today.
Should you wrap food waste in newspaper?
You can wrap your food in newspaper, or directly dispose of it in clear, biodegradable food bags.
Lots of restaurant owners make sure they use newspaper or biodegradable food bags to keep the food waste bin clean.
If your restaurant decides to use biodegradable bin bags, ensure that they are clear so that they can be sorted once they arrive at the recycling centre.
Want to take the hassle out of your restaurant waste collection? Get in contact with us today!
