Help for your business at each step of the journey.
This guide, prepared by WRAP Cymru, should be read in conjunction with the Separate Collection of Waste Materials for Recycling: A Code of Practice for Wales. This guide provides supplementary advice for individual sectors and should not be read as standalone guidance.
This guide is for anyone working in the hospitality and food services sector.
It applies to hotels, restaurants, cafés, takeaways, canteens, pubs, offices with canteens or cafés, schools and colleges, prisons, nursing homes and hospitals and any other workplaces serving food. Hospitals will have an additional two years to comply with the separation requirements but will need to comply with the food waste to sewer ban from 6 April.
The guide is for all sizes of business including those with multiple sites, and those operating in one venue. It also covers food sector franchises.
Anyone serving food and drink to eat in, or take away, will be affected by the new law.
Content overview
Why you need to recycle?
From 6 April 2024, all workplaces must present the following materials separately for collection to be recycled .
How to better understand your waste and recycling
To understand the different types of waste your workplace produces, undertake a waste audit by walking through the different areas within your premises.
Preventing waste in the first place
Reducing or preventing how much waste you produce will help to save money and reduce the size of bins you will need.
How to comply with the new recycling law
We recommend you read Separate Collection of Waste Materials for Recycling: Code of Practice for Wales to ensure you’re doing everything you need to. This publication includes a list of all the specific types of items that have to be recycled.
How to arrange a new recycling service
If you need to organise a new recycling collections service for your organisation, it’s worth thinking about the following:
Space for your bins?
It’s important you consider where and how you will store your waste and recycling.
Food waste and hygiene
There are guidelines on food waste to help you dispose of waste properly to meet the existing waste Duty of Care law
Staff training ideas
You can use our resources when engaging with your employees.
Resources
Other advice for hospitality or food businesses