Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that workplace recycling legislation in England has changed, requiring businesses with 10 or more full-time employees to separate recycling relevant waste, on site prior to collection. The waste streams which now must be separated are paper and cardboard, mixed recycling, general waste and food waste. But how many businesses across different sectors are actually separating their food waste? And what could the lack of separation be costing them?
When it comes to food waste, it’s clear that businesses in the hospitality and food-service sector are likely to be some of the most affected. In fact, according to an RCP survey from 2024 (before the rules set in) only 34% were separating their food waste. But what’s perhaps more shocking is that a staggering 76% of people who eat lunch at work are still unaware of the Simpler Recycling legislation1. If these employees aren’t aware of the recent rule changes, businesses up and down the country could be risking hefty fines for non-compliance.
Unfortunately, where there are employees, there is bound to be organic waste. Office workers actually throw away enough food every week to charge a mobile phone 13 times and almost one in two people find themselves throwing away part of their lunch in their workplace each week2. Looking closer at the typical make-up of an office waste bin, food waste makes up the second largest percentage of waste (16.3%) just behind mixed paper3.
In an office or in staff rooms it’s important that you’re providing staff with ample opportunities to easily dispose of their food waste separately. Opt for easily visible bins that come with snug-fitting lids to reduce lingering odours from organic waste. A multi-stream system like the Slim Jim® Recycling Stations allows for easy capture of multiple streams in one handy, modular solution. For areas front of house where you want to mix functionality and aesthetics, the Configure™ is an ideal solution that allows you collect various waste streams including food waste. What’s more our bins come with consistent signage, reducing the likelihood of cross-contamination and making for a clear recycling system for all to follow.
Find out more about our waste and recycling solutions here.
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