Business waste & recycling

Commercial food waste collection

Representative service image

Food waste needs its own planned storage and collection route, whether it comes from a restaurant kitchen or a small staff room. GRIDCO arranges commercial food waste collections across Newcastle, Northumberland and Teesside through suitable operators, with container sizes and frequency matched to the waste you produce.

Request a food waste collection quote · Call 0191 323 5082 · Discuss your enquiry on WhatsApp

Covering Newcastle, Northumberland and Teesside from our base in Blyth.

Food bins for restaurants, offices and workplaces

Preparation scraps, meal leftovers, tea bags and coffee grounds are all examples of workplace food waste. Explain where it is produced and how it is currently handled. A site with several kitchens may need small internal caddies feeding into an agreed external container.

Storage should limit leakage, odours and pests. We discuss access for collection, secure bin locations and a frequency suited to the amount produced. Do not assume packaged food, liquids, cooking oil or animal by-products can use the same route; describe them before booking.

England's separate food waste requirements

Workplaces in scope of Simpler Recycling must separate food waste even when they do not serve food or have a kitchen. There is no minimum food-waste quantity exemption in the guidance. Rules began on 31 March 2025, with micro-firms employing fewer than 10 full-time equivalent staff given until 31 March 2027.

Food waste must be kept separate from dry recycling and residual waste. Packaging labelled compostable or biodegradable is not automatically accepted with food waste. Follow the collector's instructions for caddy liners and packaging rather than relying on the words printed on the product.

Collection costs and treatment routes

Food collection quotes depend on quantity, containers, frequency, postcode and any contamination or weight terms. We confirm what can go in the bin and ask the operator about the receiving route; we do not promise that every load goes to a particular anaerobic digestion or composting facility.

Never pour waste cooking oil down a drain. Ask about a separate oil route if needed. Every waste collection job gets a waste transfer note, and every commercial customer gets a monthly waste report every month, helping you track the agreed service alongside your own compliance records.

What we can assess

Agreed food preparation scraps
Meal leftovers and staff-room food waste
Tea bags and coffee grounds
Unpackaged food waste meeting operator instructions

Not accepted, or needs separate arrangements

Compostable packaging without explicit acceptance
Cooking oil or liquids without an agreed route
Packaged stock and specialist animal by-products without assessment

What to tell us for a quote

Premises type and postcode
Approximate food waste quantity each week
Storage space and preferred frequency
Packaged food, oil or animal content to be assessed

Included with our waste services

Every job includes a waste transfer note.

Commercial customers also receive a waste report every month.

Equipment supplied on a hire-only basis is not a waste collection. Waste transfer notes apply to waste collection jobs, not hire-only delivery.

Food waste collection FAQs

Does an office with only a staff kitchen need a food bin?

If the workplace is in scope, yes: the guidance covers food waste even where the business does not serve food. The temporary micro-firm exemption ends on 31 March 2027.

Can compostable cups go in the food bin?

Not automatically. GOV.UK guidance says compostable or biodegradable packaging cannot be recycled with food waste; use residual waste or a dedicated agreed collection.

How often should food waste be collected?

The right interval depends on volume, storage and hygiene needs. We discuss a suitable frequency with the operator rather than leave food waste accumulating beyond the site's safe capacity.

Can you collect packaged out-of-date stock?

Ask for a specific assessment. Packaging removal, volumes and any animal content affect the available treatment and collection route.

Related services

Sources and official guidance

Tell us what you have

GRIDCO confirms scope, acceptance, price and availability before booking.

Request a food waste collection quote · Call 0191 323 5082 · Discuss your enquiry on WhatsApp

Frequently asked questions