Are You Dealing With Food Waste The Right Way?

NIEA launches a handy business guide to follow new food waste rules

If you process, distribute, prepare or sell food, you have certain rules to follow when it comes to food waste.

Businesses producing 5kg or more of food waste per week must ensure the separate collection of that waste. These rules came into force in April 2017.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has produced a short guide for food waste businesses. When dealing with your food waste you must:

  • collect your food waste separately and not contaminate it with non-food waste
  • ensure that waste containers are clearly labelled and easily accessible to staff
  • ensure your staff are trained to use waste segregation systems
  • present food waste correctly for collection, in line with your waste collectors’ instructions
  • remove the packaging from your food waste, unless your waste collector provides this service
  • obtain evidence from your collector that they are registered with NIEA
  • retain waste transfer notes for all food waste removed from your premises for two years
  • only transfer your food waste to an waste management facility authorised by NIEA

You must not:

  • mix food waste with any other waste that you produce
  • deposit food waste in a lateral drain or public sewer

For more detail on the rules, the exemptions, potential offences and more reading, download the NIEA guide on food waste compliance (PDF, 116K).