Food Regulations

Waste Management (Food Waste) Regulations 2009

Background

The Waste Management (Food Waste) Regulations 2009 are designed to promote segregation and recovery of food waste arising in the commercial sector and to reduce the disposal of this waste to landfill. At present, the recycling rate in Ireland for food waste generated by businesses is very low. However, this material can be recycled relatively easily. This new legislation is designed to ensure that all major commercial sources of food waste make their contribution to increasing national recycling levels.

As well as increased recycling of food waste, the purpose of the legislation is also to comply with EU legislation. The Landfill Directive requires all EU countries to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (including food waste) sent to landfill sites by a series of yearly, and increasingly stringent, targets. A failure to meet these targets may cause Ireland having to pay significant fines.

Requirements

The Regulations impose obligations on the major producers of food waste, including restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, cafés, industrial buildings, office buildings, pubs, supermarkets, nursing homes, schools, colleges, and hospitals.

Food waste which arises on these premises must be source segregated and kept separate from other wastes. The food waste must then be handled through one of the following options:

Collected by an authorised waste collector and transferred to an authorised treatment process e.g. compost facility or anaerobic digestion plant.
Subjected to an authorised treatment process on the premises where the food waste has been produced e.g. compost unit on site.
Transferred directly by the producer to an authorised treatment process e.g. compost facility.

Where an authorised waste collector is used, a written declaration must be signed stating that the food waste will be source segregated and presented for collection.