Does My Business Need Food Waste Collection from April 2027?
The short answer is yes. If your business is in England and anyone eats or drinks at work, you will need a separate food waste collection by spring 2027. That includes the smallest businesses with only a handful of staff.
Under the government’s Simpler Recycling rules, larger businesses have already had to separate their food waste since March 2025. Micro-businesses were given extra time. That extra time runs out on 31 March 2027, so from April 2027 the rules apply to every business in England. Here is what you need to know.
⚖️ The deadline
Micro-businesses with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent staff must have a separate food waste collection in place by 31 March 2027.
Quick check: does this apply to me?
Question 1
Is your business in England?
Simpler Recycling is the law in England. Scotland and Wales have their own rules.
Question 2
Does anyone eat or drink at work?
Staff, customers or visitors. Even a kettle and a few tea bags counts.
Yes to both? Then you need a food waste bin and a separate collection. Your size only changes the deadline.
Am I a micro-business?
A micro-business has fewer than 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. That means you add up the hours everyone works, not just count heads. Two staff on half-time hours count as one full-time employee.
Worked example
A café has 6 full-time staff plus 4 part-timers who each work half a full week. That is 6 + 2 = 8 FTE. It counts as a micro-business, so its deadline is 31 March 2027.
Remember the count covers your whole business, not each site. A company with three small shops could easily pass 10 FTE in total. If so, it should already have been separating food waste since 31 March 2025.
10 or more FTE staff
Already in force
You should have had a food waste collection since 31 March 2025.
Fewer than 10 FTE staff
31 March 2027
You need a food waste collection in place by this date.
What counts as food waste?
More than most people think. Government guidance says there is no minimum amount. You need a collection even if you don’t have a kitchen or serve food.
Your questions answered
Can my staff just take their food waste home?
No. The government guidance says staff should not be asked to take food waste home to get around the rules.
Does my council collect business food waste?
Some councils run trade waste services that include food waste. Many don’t. You can use any collector as long as they are a registered waste carrier.
We share a building. Do we each need our own bin?
Not always. Shared bins are fine, for example in an office block or shopping centre where the landlord or managing agent arranges the collection. Check with them first.
We only make a tiny amount of food waste. Does it still apply?
Yes. There is no minimum weight. A small caddy collected weekly is usually all a small office or shop needs.
What happens if I ignore it?
The rules are enforced by the Environment Agency. Businesses that don’t comply risk enforcement action. It is much easier and cheaper to get set up now.
What to do before March 2027
Work out your FTE headcount
Add up hours across your whole business to confirm your deadline.
Find where food is eaten
Kitchens, staff rooms, break areas and any customer seating.
Book a food waste collection
Use a registered waste carrier and ask for their licence number.
Put caddies in place and tell your team
A clear sign above each bin helps everyone get it right.
Keep your waste transfer notes
These show you are compliant if you are ever asked.
Want more detail on the law itself? Read our guide: Food Waste Law: Why Every Business Now Needs a Food Waste Bin.
How Hartes can help
Hartes provides weekly commercial food waste collections across London, Essex and Hertfordshire. We are set up for small businesses, so you only pay for what you need. We supply the bins, collect every week and give you the paperwork to show you are compliant.
£42.25
a month for weekly food waste collection
£9.75
per lift, cheaper than Biffa and First Mile
✓ Licensed
Environment Agency waste carrier CBDU617131
Get ready for April 2027
Beat the rush. Get your food waste collection sorted now.
This article is general guidance based on the government’s Simpler Recycling rules for workplaces in England. For full details see GOV.UK: Simpler Recycling, workplace recycling in England.
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