Under law, any premises that supply food must segregate and dispose of food waste separately from other wastes in line with SI 508 of 2009 (Waste Management Regulations). It is illegal to put food waste in general waste bins. Under regulations (since July 2023), waste collection providers must:
1. Provide a recyclable waste bin, a food waste bin, and a general/residual waste bin to all commercial customers.
2. Weigh all waste collected, and communicate details on the weights of the individual bins to customers.
3. Put all commercial customers on a price plan that ensures the cost to the customer for recyclables and food waste is less than the cost of disposal for residual general waste. This must not result in higher charges for commercial customers.
For the business concerned, the brown bin is usually cheaper to use than any other bin.
Data provided by the waste collector helps to track how much food waste your business is generating over time.
It is the better way to handle food waste from an environmental sustainability point of view:
• Brown bin waste is made into compost products, which are used in farms and landscaping around Ireland.
• In some cases, brown bin waste is also used to produce energy via anaerobic digestion.
• Less landfilling and incineration is then needed.
Find out more about how an Irish company used their bin data and focused on segregation of waste to save money.