Find out about legal requirements for storing and disposing of waste in catering premises.
Storage and Disposal of Food Waste
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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.
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More on requirements for control of pests
- You must put food waste and other rubbish in containers that can be closed.
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You must get rid of all waste in a hygienic and environmentally friendly way, in accordance with EC legislation.
Waste Cooking Oil
If you produce waste cooking oil as part of your catering business, for example as a chip shop or other takeaway outlet or restaurant, you must ensure that:
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it is stored properly in a covered leak-proof container and none is allowed to spill
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it is collected by a licensed company, who will take your waste to an authorised site for recovery or disposal
Waste Oil Collection by Licensed Companies
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Waste cooking oil must be collected and sent for disposal or recovery separately from other commercial waste. You can download a list of companies licensed by the Environment Agency below.
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You must ensure that your contractor gives you a receipt containing their name and waste management licence number which permits them to collect the waste oil. These documents must be kept on site for three years and be available for inspection under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
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Placing waste cooking oil into normal trade waste collection is likely to cause spillage and pollution resulting in a potential Duty of Care offence.
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Used cooking oil must not be disposed of via the drainage system as it can lead to blockages.
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Although used cooking oil from catering premises can no longer be used as an ingredient in animal feed, licensed contractors can supply the cooking oil for use in bio-diesel production or for burning as fuel.
