Food Production Waste

How Often Should Waste Be Removed From The Food Production Areas?

Correctly managing the disposal of commercial waste can be difficult for any business, and food production adds even more complexities to navigating your waste management strategies.

Whether you’re a large and busy restaurant or a smaller, quaint coffee shop, you may think you already know how to dispose of your waste successfully and safely in a commercial kitchen.

But the truth is, there are a lot of rules and regulations in food hygiene that all food production businesses must comply with. The key is to be vigilant at all times.

Let’s discuss how you should be carrying out correct kitchen waste disposal and answer the all-important questions such as, “How often should waste be removed from the food production areas?”

How Do You Dispose Of Food Production Waste Safely?

Four Important Rules

When running a commercial kitchen, waste disposal is an integral part of ensuring your food production areas maintain safe hygiene levels at all times. Efficient kitchen operations, including regular and thorough cleaning, reduce the safety risks involved in food preparation and protect your customers from any potential food-borne illnesses.

As an authoritative regulator of food production businesses, the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has the responsibility of ensuring all commercial kitchens are preparing food in a space that has a high standard of cleanliness. No restaurant or cafe owner wants to be visited by a local food safety officer and have a 1-star rating stuck on their front window.

FSA inspections cover everything concerning kitchen hygiene, including proper waste disposal, so to keep your customers safe and prevent your business from being tarnished with a bad rating, follow these four important waste disposal rules:

1. Food waste should be removed from food production areas as soon as possible!
2. Food waste should be stored in bins that are closed, lidded and cleaned regularly.
3. Food waste should not contaminate your preparation area in any way.
4. Food waste bins and containers should be kept out of the way of pests.

How Often Should Waste Be Removed From The Food Production Areas?

As soon as possible! The simple answer is that food waste should be removed from food production areas quickly and responsibly – at least once a day and every time the bin container is full. Emptying your internal food bins every day will prevent the build-up of hazardous waste and stop any nasty bacteria contaminating your food preparation areas. Never overspill your containers and get into the habit of emptying them whenever the opportunity arises.

What Type of Internal Kitchen Bins Should You Have?

Firstly, any commercial kitchen needs an efficient waste management system that allows you to dispose of your waste smoothly and hygienically. You should have both inside and outside bins with the contents of internal kitchen bins being transferred to external bins daily where they can be collected by your waste service provider. All internal containers should be in a convenient and appropriate location, close to food preparation stations and benches. All external containers should be stored appropriately and kept out of reach from animals and pests.

Check out our informative Binpedia page to find out more about the sizes and types of external bins most suitable for food production waste storage.

Ideally, internal kitchen bins should be sturdy, strong, and have a closable lid. You should also be able to clean and disinfect the container easily. Pedal bins are the perfect type of internal kitchen bin because they do not require hand contact and they have a closable lid to prevent contamination. Standard open-air sack bins are a fine alternative as long as they are emptied daily.

Are There Any Other Things You Should Know About Food Production Waste?

• How Do You Dispose of Cooking Oil Correctly?

  Many food production businesses may be unaware of how you should be disposing of your oils and fats. Never pour cooking oil down the drain or wash oily pans in the sink as this can cause a build-up of damaging fatbergs in drains and sewers. Instead, always allow oil to cool and scrape the remains from plates and pans before washing. You can also have your used cooking oil collected for free from service providers such as Cater Oil and your oil will be recycled into biofuel.

• How Can You Recycle Food Production Waste?

  For commercial kitchens that produce vast quantities of food waste, recycling your waste places value on your scraps and leftovers, and puts them to good use. In line with FSA rules, commercial food waste should be disposed of in clear colour-coded bins in order for it to be sustainably collected. Your waste can then be used as biogas or rich fertiliser through the process of anaerobic digestion, which breaks down the food by adding water. Alternatively, fertiliser can be produced through the process of composting.

The Most Important Thing To Remember: Always Follow Regulations

Ultimately, the most important thing to remember when managing your commercial food waste is to follow regulations and guidelines set out by the Food Standards Agency. Not only should you be disposing of your waste correctly to keep your customers safe, but it’s also important to act sustainably and recycle your waste in an environmentally-friendly way.

Betterwaste can provide you with expert knowledge to find the right waste management plan for you. Whether you’re new to food production and need to find a suitable waste service provider or you’re an established business and want to find a cheaper alternative service, at Betterwaste, we can provide a clear and honest solution. With over 100 licensed partners up and down the country, we stop at nothing to find the best food production waste service that meets your needs.

Speak to our friendly and passionate team today and get a free quote.