The law will require most business to separate food waste from other waste streams through the use of separate bins.
Firms will also need to arrange for food waste to be collected by licensed carriers.
The rules are part of wider plans by Defra to improve recycling rates and simplify waste management, with mandatory food waste separation set to ensure that less waste food ends up in landfill.
The Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 – which comes into effect on 31 March 2025 – focuses on changing waste separation and collection requirements for domestic and non-domestic premises in England.
Micro businesses (those with fewer than 10 full-time employees) have a separate enforcement date of 31 March 2027.
Under the act, any premises that produces more than 5kg of food waste per week must arrange separate collections by licensed waste carriers. This includes biodegradable material waste produced from processing or preparing food such as bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags and coffee grounds.
Instead of this waste going to landfill, the UK Government hopes to see it taken for anaerobic digestion treatment, which can lead to the generation of biofuel and digestate that can be spread on land.
The government’s current target is to eliminate food waste from landfill by 2030.
Commenting on the incoming legislation, BusinessWaste co-founder Mark Hall said: “It’s a big win for the environment and it aligns well with the government’s sustainability goals. We are geared up to help businesses comply with these regulations, ensuring a smoother transition to greener waste management practices.”
BusinessWaste is a waste carrier, broker and dealer that covers all commercial waste needs.
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