Manage commercial waste in a hospitality business

The rules here are for England and Wales.

Your duty of care

Every hospitality business produces commercial waste, from food scraps and packaging to cooking oil and cleaning chemicals. Your local council does not collect it as standard, so you arrange your own collection, and you stay responsible for the waste after it leaves your premises.

Use a registered waste carrier

Check that anyone who takes your waste is registered as a waste carrier, or is one of the other authorised persons listed in the Act, such as a waste collection authority. Search the public register and note the carrier's name, registration number and the date you checked. If a carrier cannot show a valid registration, do not hand over your waste. Agree in writing what will be collected, how often and where it will go.

Complete a waste transfer note

You can show the transfer of non-hazardous waste on a document that carries the same information, such as an invoice. Show the notes to an enforcement officer from your council or the Environment Agency if asked. Hazardous waste, such as some cleaning chemicals, needs a consignment note instead, and in England you keep the records for 3 years.

Separate food waste and recycling

Customers' waste counts too. If you provide bins for customers, separate that waste before collection as well. Compostable or biodegradable packaging cannot go in dry recycling or food waste bins and is treated as non-recyclable waste unless you arrange a dedicated collection. Caddy liners, including compostable ones, can go in the food waste bin.

Cooking fats and oils can be collected with the food waste if the amount is small. Otherwise arrange a used cooking oil collection, following your waste collector's instructions.

Keep fat, oil and grease out of the drains

Never pour used cooking oil or fat down a drain. Fat, oil and grease solidify in sewers and cause blockages and flooding. Putting any matter into a public sewer that is likely to interfere with its free flow is an offence under section 111 of the Water Industry Act 1991, with an unlimited fine on summary conviction in England and Wales, and up to 2 years' imprisonment on indictment.

Keep used oil in sealed containers, never mix it with other waste, and have it collected by a registered waste carrier. Fit grease traps or grease recovery units to kitchen drains, empty and clean them according to the manufacturer's instructions, and ask your water company whether it requires them.

Get consent for trade effluent

Ask your water company whether your kitchen discharge counts as trade effluent.

Check whether packaging producer rules apply

Packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) applies across the UK to businesses that supply packaging, including filled packaging sold to customers. For a hospitality business that means takeaway containers, cups and bags.

Most independent hospitality businesses fall below these thresholds. Larger hotel groups, restaurant chains and caterers may not.