Waste Disposal in Catering Premises

Find out about storing and disposing of waste in catering premises.

For advice about all aspects of opening a catering premises, download or order the Food Standards Agency booklet Starting Up – Your First Steps to Running a Catering Business.

Storing and Disposing of Waste

• You must remove food waste and other rubbish from rooms containing food as quickly as possible, to avoid it building up.

• You must have adequate facilities for storing and disposing of food waste and other rubbish.
• Stores for waste must be designed and managed in a way that enables them to be kept clean and, where necessary, free of animals and pests. You must put food waste and other rubbish in containers that can be closed.

• You must get rid of all waste in a hygienic and environmentally friendly way, in accordance with EC legislation.

Waste cooking oil must be collected by licensed companies and sent for disposal or recovery separately from other commercial waste. Find out more in this section.