Preventing waste in the first place

Here are a few tips to reduce your waste:

• Donate surplus or unsold stock – donate surplus food to charity or have an employee fridge for products that they can eat or take home free of charge. Guidance is available on How food businesses must dispose of food and former foodstuffs;

• Use paperless marketing methods;

• Purchase recycled, refillable or reusable products wherever possible;

• Provide water fountains for staff and students to use and use reusable cups, crockery, and utensils;

• For take-away drinks encourage staff and pupils to bring their own reusable cup by charging for single use cups

• Ensure that packaging on your takeaway food and drink is minimised and what packaging is used, can be recycled or reused and

• If you supply Freshers' week goodie bags provide reusable gifts such as coffee cups, water bottles or cotton shopping bags.

There may be some costs to making these changes but increasing how much you recycle could reduce your waste disposal costs in the long run.