catering waste management
No. 1 for Catering Waste

Catering Waste Collection

The catering industry produces tonnes of waste every year. Food waste due to spoilage and preparation is a huge part of this, but other rubbish such as plastic, glass, and cardboard are also common for catering companies. As a UK catering business owner, you have a legal responsibility to manage all the waste you produce.

There’s a growing concern about the large amount of waste the food and hospitality sector generate. We offer a catering waste management service that suits your business, whatever its size and budget. Catering waste management is vital to protect the environment and uphold your legal and moral responsibilities.

Understand more about our catering waste solutions, who needs them, and what you can do for safer, greener, and more cost-effective catering waste management. Contact us online or call 0800 211 8390 today for a free quote. We collect catering waste from anywhere in the UK.

16,831
small wheelie bin icon Collections last 7 days
free bins icon.

Fast, Free Quotation 

Get a fast FREE quote for your catering waste

  • Free quote within 1 hr
  • Any type of catering waste
  • FREE bins and delivery
  • We cover all of the UK

FREE Bins
FREE Duty of care
Get 1 Months FREE collections
Excellent customer care

Who produces 
catering waste?

Any business that produces food for consumption by customers offers a form of catering. Therefore, any waste generated in the production of such food classes as catering waste – even if it’s just putting together a few sandwiches for residents in a care home. Anywhere with catering facilities onsite will require catering waste management on some level, from shopping centres to campsites.

Some of the main businesses that produce catering waste include:

Catering food 
waste disposal

Every employer has a duty of care under UK law to manage the waste their business produces – including its disposal. Often catering waste ends up in the same bin due to the large amount of waste produced and the lack of facilities catering businesses have. Our catering waste management services can provide you with catering bins and collections to ensure proper disposal.

There are many regulations surrounding catering food waste disposal, because raw meats, fish and eggs can’t go to landfill. Therefore, it’s important your catering business understands the legislation for disposing of waste. Contact one of our qualified advisers if you have any questions.

Under the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), there are three main categories of ABPs (animal by-products). These are based on their risk level, but only two apply to catering waste:

  • International catering waste (ICW) is anything from international transport vehicles and a category 1 ABP, which is high risk.
  • Category 3 ABPs cover most other catering waste and are considered low risk. This includes domestic catering waste, eggs, shells from shellfish, and more.

For most of the rubbish your organisation generates, catering waste disposal methods include:

  • Cooking oil is stored in drums, treated, and used to manufacture biodiesel or burnt to produce electricity.
  • Food waste is transported to any reputable biogas plant. Here it’s disintegrated by micro-organisms to produce methane gas. This gas can produce electricity to power industries and homes as an alternative source of energy.
  • Biodegradable waste is also be used to make organic fertiliser for farming purposes.
  • Plastic bottles, cutlery, and dairy tubs are taken to a nearby recycling plant to be reused and help reduce pollution.
  • Glass bottles are taken to a treatment plant where they’re washed and melted to make new jars, cutlery or to manufacture bricks for construction purposes.
catering selection of food platter.

Catering waste
bins

At Business Waste, we can deliver a wide variety of indoor and outdoor catering bins, bags, and containers to separate and collect your waste. We provide free bins, so you simply pay for collection. From specific food waste bins to containers for compacting and storing carboard and other recycling, we offer solutions for all needs.

If you have large amounts of catering waste, we have bespoke options available. Legislation is in place that prevents waste from being deposited in lateral drains or sewers. We can provide a range of drums and other containers to store liquid and oil waste safely and securely before removal.

Our team of experts understand waste legislation that covers catering waste and will ensure your business complies with the law. Explore some popular catering bins available.

View all bins
  • 120L wheelie bin

    A small two-wheel bin that can hold just food waste or glass recycling, or other waste types.

    small wheelie bin icon
  • 240L wheelie bin

    The largest standalone bin for just food waste or glass recycling, as well as other recyclables.

    small wheelie bin icon
  • 1100L wheelie bin

    This four-wheel bin is ideal for large amounts of waste including general waste and dry mixed recycling.

    small wheelie bin icon

Catering waste 
collection

We offer catering waste collection for all businesses, no matter your size. Our team of licensed waste carriers are based across the UK, so we can provide you with catering waste management services wherever you’re located. Simply tell us what bins, sizes, and amount you need, and we’ll deliver them for free.

Fill up these catering bins with the appropriate waste and within any weight limits. Then place them at an agreed pickup point ahead of the collection time and our licensed waste carriers will collect and transport it to a nearby facility for proper disposal (based on the waste types). You just pay for collection.

Disposing and recycling your catering waste correctly helps the environment and can save your business time, money, and resources. You can arrange collection on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly basis, with the flexibility to change if your business grows or experiences seasonal fluctuations. We can also help with one-off catering waste collections, such as for special events.

For more information and advice on catering waste, contact our helpful customer care team today. We can provide you with help, answer any questions, and offer you a free quote for our catering waste services. Contact us online or call 0800 211 8390 to arrange catering waste collection.

Contact us today for a quote

How does catering 
waste collection work?

  1. Select your free bins

    It’s quick and easy to organise commercial waste collection for your business.

    Simply start by telling us the:

    • Type of waste you need removing
    • Size of bins you require
    • Number of bins you want

    We’ll provide you with a free quote.

  2. Arrange delivery

    When you’re happy with the type, number, and size of free bins, tell us when you need your bins delivering.

    Let us know about any access issues where you want the bins delivering – such as locked gates, access codes and times. We’ll get you up and running in no time.

  3. Fill up your bin

    After the free bins arrive at your chosen location, fill them up with the agreed waste type.

    Make sure you remain within any weight limits for the specific waste type and bin size.

  4. Get your business waste collected

    We’ll arrange waste collection at a time and frequency to suit you and the amount of waste you have.

As featured in…

  • FT logo
  • telegraph paper logo
  • daily mail logo
  • guardian logo

What is 
catering waste?

Catering waste is any waste produced in commercial kitchens, canteens, restaurants, and catering facilities. Most of this is food waste and can include items containing animal by-products, such as processed or cooked meat and fish, and baked goods containing dairy, fish, or meat. Packaging, broken utensils, liquids and any other rubbish generated from catering activities also class as catering waste.

Some of the most common types of catering waste and examples include:

  • Food waste – spoilage, preparation waste, and leftovers from consumers
  • Plastics – plastic packaging and bottles for oils and ingredients
  • Glass recycling – glass bottles and jars for storing ingredients
  • Cardboard – boxes and cardboard packaging
  • Textile waste – aprons, gloves, hats, and other soiled fabrics
  • Knives and utensils – damaged and broken kitchen equipment
woman putting food on a plate from catering.

How to reduce 
waste in catering

One of the easiest catering waste solutions is to reduce the amount you produce at the source. As lots of this is food waste, there are various steps you can take to try and cut the amount that’s wasted during preparation. A few ways to reduce waste in catering could be to:

  • Store ingredients properly in fridges, freezers, and at appropriate temperatures to prevent foodstuffs going off too son and being wasted.
  • Keep an updated stock inventory so you don’t over buy items when you have a large backlog.
  • Rotate items in your storage regularly so products aren’t left at the back and go out of date without you realising.
  • Find ways to use any leftovers during food preparation, whether for other food products or donating to a local charity.
  • Check deliveries against your orders to ensure you have the correct products and amounts.

Read our reviews

James was very helpful and to be honest since starting with this company the service has been excellent.
Christeen Norfolk

Catering waste
FAQs

  • CATERING What is international catering waste?

    International catering waste (ICW) is any food waste from international transport vehicles. This is waste produced overseas, during transport or on international wasters that ends up in the UK for disposal. For example, it could be any food waste produced in catering activities on a cruise ship, aeroplane, private yacht, or armed forces vehicles that originated in another country or territory.

    International catering waste is classed as category 1 ABP, which means it’s seen as high risk. If you have any international catering waste, it’s important you follow legal guidelines for its disposal. Contact our team who can advise on what you need to do.

  • CATERING What is domestic catering waste?

    Domestic catering waste is any rubbish generated from catering activities within the UK. While you may use international foodstuffs, if was prepared, cooked, and served in the UK then it classes as domestic catering waste. This could be from a domestic flight within the UK, from catering services on trains across the UK, or anywhere else.

    Domestic catering waste classes as category 3 ABP, which is low risk. It can be disposed of as usual alongside other food waste and waste types.

  • CATERING What type of bins are best used in a commercial kitchen?

    Counter-top bins are commonly used to store food waste as you prepare food in commercial kitchens, which are emptied as you go into larger food waste bins. Counter-side bins are also used in kitchens to store waste with regular removal.

    These may be emptied into specific food waste bins outside the kitchen, usually a 240 litre wheelie bin.

free bins icon.

Get a fast and free catering waste disposal quote

Get a fast FREE quote for catering waste removal

  • Free quote within 1 hr
  • Any type of catering waste
  • FREE bins and delivery
  • We cover all of the UK