New food waste guide

FOODSERVICE OPERATORS in Scotland will soon have a new guide designed to show them how to cut food waste in their operations.

 

The guide will look at ways of reducing this food waste at source and will cover all relevant aspects of food waste management, including legislation and the equipment solutions available.

 

From January next year, businesses in Scotland that produce more than 50kg of food waste per week will be required to separate it for collection as part of the new Zero Waste Regulations.

 

The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) is working with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) on the guide, with input also being provided by the British Hospitality Association (BHA), the Catering Equipment Distributors Association, and the Foodservice Consultants Society International. Businesses are being encouraged to contact CESA should they wish to contribute to the guide.

 

Food waste is a “huge issue”, with 53,500 tonnes of food waste being discarded by the Scottish hospitality sector each year, said CESA chair Nick Oryino.

 

“New Waste (Scotland) Regulations state that most food businesses must separate this waste for collection, however, there are a number of other options available, which go beyond complying with the regulations and could lead to real economic benefits for businesses.

 

“For example, by introducing a complete food waste management system which includes separate collections to include liquid waste and fats, oils and grease,” he explained.

 

Oryino said that this operator knowledge and understanding will be key to meeting Scottish government targets. “By showing operators how the technologies required to achieve targets can enhance their business, including their profitability, we can fully involve them in meeting the zero waste objective,” he added.

 

At a meeting in Edinburgh earlier this month, ZWS highlighted the changes that food businesses will need to make come January.

 

“The word regulation sends people, and especially businesses, a jitter, but these changes are seen as positive,” ZWS’s Frank Stubbs told those gathered in Edinburgh’s “the Hanging Bat” pub for the event organised by compostable food packaging firm Vegware. He explained how businesses were throwing away £100m worth of materials that could have been recycled, including food waste.

 

  • A full report of the Vegware event, including details of how the Hanging Bat has saved through better waste management is available in this month’s Footprint magazine.