Takeaway Waste Management

Building A Better Business Through Takeaway Waste Management

In a world where we are becoming increasingly conscious about how much we consume and how we treat the environment, it is up to everybody to take some responsibility in this area. By including businesses in this mission, companies can work together as a team and alongside professional takeaway waste management firms to do their bit.

Takeaway Waste Collection

Business Waste can provide you with a tailored takeaway waste management and waste collection service to help you build a better business. Whether you need to dispose of food waste, packaging or even invoices containing sensitive information, we can meet your requirements. That means we can provide collections during hours that suit yours and provide as many or as few bins as you need along with competitive pricing.

Once your business has our bins on site, you do not need to worry about emptying them yourself. Our collections aim to limit any disruption to your day to day operations as far as possible. In fact, most report that our takeaway waste management service helps them run more efficiently and reduces costs as employees cut down on paper and packaging.

What is takeaway waste?

Takeaway waste, quite simply, refers to the waste that is produced in the food service industry. This can include:

Food Waste (Leftover food, expired products)
Packaging Waste (Containers and jars)
Waste Oil (Cooking oil)
Paper Waste (Receipts, invoices)
WEEE waste (Old or broken electronic items, fridges, freezers etc.)

Studies show that in 2019, 7.5 billion takeaway dishes were ordered in the UK alone. However, this figure is only set to rise for the coming years. While this is excellent news for the takeaway industry and will allow many small businesses to flourish, we must proceed carefully to take better care for the environment. Increased demand for takeaways will, in turn, lead to increasing amounts of waste. If this waste is not correctly disposed of, the effects on the environment could be catastrophic.

Therefore, in a world where we are becoming increasingly conscious about how much we consume and how we treat the world around us, we must all assume personal responsibility. By including businesses in this mission, companies can work together as a team and alongside professional takeaway waste management firms, such as Business Waste, to do their bit.

How do you dispose of takeaway waste?

When running a company, you need to operate with health and hygiene in mind – particularly if you work within the service industry. Therefore, you need to ensure that you properly dispose of all waste. Thankfully, the disposal process is relatively straightforward. For example, you should:

Minimise the amount of waste kept inside the premises. For example, waste bins should be regularly emptied into larger containers outside of the takeaway itself.
Ensure that waste is stored securely. Bags must be tied to prevent the contents spilling or leaking, and all bins should be covered with a lid.
Arrange frequent waste collections from a licenced company. This prevents a build-up of waste on your property.

Can takeaway waste be recycled?

Thankfully, a large amount of takeaway waste can be recycled. Here’s how.

Food Waste

Food waste can be recycled in two different ways, through composting or anaerobic digestion. Composting is perhaps the most straightforward and easy to do on-site. For it to work, you simply need to allow the food waste to decompose naturally. You can then use the decomposed material as fertiliser. Composting is an aerobic process, meaning that the material will need plenty of air to work properly.

Anaerobic digestion is a little more complicated. This usually occurs after the waste has been collected. The organic matter will be put into an anaerobic digester (an oxygen-free tank). When the oxygen is removed, the food waste will break down, producing biofertiliser and biogas.

Packaging Waste

Packaging waste is widely recycled, though it depends on the packaging you use for your takeaway. The easiest packaging materials to recycle are:

Paper
Plastic
Cardboard

Paper, plastic and cardboard can be recycled together, by using a Dry Mixed Recycling Bin.

Waste Oil.

When running a takeaway, you may notice that you use large amounts of oil. This includes olive oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil. Thankfully, waste oil can easily be recycled, but you must take proper care to ensure that it is stored separately from the rest of your takeaway waste, in a sealed container. This prevents the oil leaking and causing damage to the environment.

Paper Waste.

You’d be surprised about the amount of paper that is used in takeaways. For example, you may have paper menus, receipts or important confidential documents on your premises. However, it is easy to recycle! Despite this, around 80.6 million tonnes of paper is wasted each year, when it should have been recycled.

WEEE waste.

When running a business, you probably won’t have to dispose of WEEE waste very often. However, it is important that you know that the vast majority of WEEE products – including fridges, freezers, microwaves and oven can be recycled. Organising for your products to be collected and recycled is far better than sending them to a landfill site.

What happens to takeaway waste once it’s been collected?

Once collected, your waste will be taken to a specialist recycling facility. The process of recycling varies depending upon the waste. For example, waste oil will be dewatered, filtered and distilled so that it can be used again whilst dry mixed recyclables are separated and repurposed.

If you do not choose to recycle, your waste will be taken to a landfill site, which should be considered a final resort as opposed to an easier option. To begin with, landfills are dangerously overcrowded, meaning we will eventually run out of space to store our waste. They also contribute significantly to global warming as decomposing matter releases dangerous gasses, such as methane into the air.

What bins are required for takeaway waste?

Whatever you need to dispose of, from general waste to recycling, we can supply the correct takeaway waste bins for your business. This could include:

Wheelie Bins

If you aren’t sure which option is the best for you and your company, get in touch today. We have the recycling facilities on hand to deal with a wide range of materials, allowing you to become more environmentally friendly.

What laws govern takeaway waste?

There are numerous laws that takeaway owners must abide to when it comes to waste. They were implemented to protect the environment, and also ensure that the premise meets strict health and safety standards.

The Waste Regulations, 2012

Food waste is a major problem globally, and business owners within the hospitality industry must strive to minimise food waste wherever possible. The Waste Regulations Act means that companies which produce more than 50 kg of food waste each week must, by law, ensure that waste is recycled.

The Environmental Protection Act, 1990.

As a business owner, you must also comply with the environmental protection act wherever possible. The act covers many topics – from hazardous waste to pollution – and is designed to protect the environment from future generations. When running a takeaway, you must:

How often should you have your takeaway waste collected?

As a business owner, you are in charge of how frequently your waste is collected. However, it is within your best interest to ensure waste is collected regularly, to avoid a build-up of waste around your property. When dealing with food waste, frequent collections are also more hygienic. At BusinessWaste, we’ll work closely with you to develop a waste collection plan that meets your needs and demands.

Once your business has our bins on-site, you’ll no longer need to worry about emptying them yourself. Our collections aim to limit any disruption to your day-to-day business, meaning you can focus on your work. In fact, most of our clients report that our takeaway waste management service helps them run more efficiently, and reduces costs as employees cut down on paper and packaging.

How much does it cost to have takeaway waste collected?

At Business Waste, we are passionate about saving the environment and providing our customers with high-quality business waste solutions. As a result, we strive to make our services as affordable as possible. For more information on takeaway waste management collections, get in touch with us today 0800 211 83 90. We’ll offer you a free quote within an hour and work with you to improve your business environment.

Additionally, we will provide you with advice and guidance regarding the various ways you can minimise the amount of waste you produce – such as electronic invoices and payments online. These solutions will save you money in the long run, whilst demonstrating a commitment to the environment that your customers will love.

So, what are you waiting for? Work with our waste management team today and build a better future for your business as well as the environment. Call 0800 211 83 90