New Food Waste Regulations

1 July 2010 is the date the Food Waste Regulations (SI 508 of 2009) enter into force in Ireland.

The Regulations mean that major producers of food waste will have to source segregate food waste, ensure that it is not mixed with other waste and make it available for a brown bin collection service where it is recycled in a food waste recycling plant (e.g. composting plant). Alternatively, waste producers can bring the food waste directly to a food waste recycling plant; or the food waste can be treated by composting it on the premises where it is generated.

At the present time, the recycling rate in Ireland for food waste generated by businesses is very low – less than 10%. 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.

Besides causing increased recycling, the purpose of the legislation is to comply with EU legislation. The Landfill Directive requires all EU countries to reduce the amount of 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.

See Next: The types of Business that this affects here >>