Restaurant Waste Regulations 2026/27: Food Waste, Recycling and Compliance

Restaurants produce one of the most varied commercial waste streams of almost any business. Food preparation creates organic waste, drinks generate glass, deliveries create cardboard and plastics, customer areas generate mixed waste, and kitchens may also produce used cooking oil and specialist waste. That makes a well-designed restaurant waste system both a compliance requirement and an operational necessity.

Restaurant recycling requirements in England

Since 31 March 2025, most workplaces in England have been required to follow the workplace rules introduced through Simpler Recycling.

Micro-firms with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027 to comply. Official Simpler Recycling workplace guidance

Restaurants should therefore have appropriate arrangements for:

• food waste
• recyclable paper and card
• plastics and metals
• glass
• non-recyclable waste

The precise container arrangement will depend on the collection system used.

Paper and card should normally be collected separately from plastic, metal and glass. However, a waste collector can co-collect these materials where they have completed the required written assessment.

Food waste should not disappear into general waste

Food is often one of the heaviest waste streams produced by hospitality businesses.

Separating it makes the remaining waste easier to manage while enabling food waste to be sent for appropriate treatment.

GWR provides dedicated commercial food waste collections for restaurants, cafés, hospitality operators and commercial kitchens. Commercial food waste collection

Glass requires its own solution

Restaurants and licensed venues can generate high volumes of bottles and jars.

Dedicated commercial glass recycling helps prevent glass from contaminating other recycling streams while recovering a highly recyclable material. GWR commercial glass recycling

Dry recycling

Clean and dry paper, cardboard, cans and suitable plastics can often be handled through dry mixed recycling, subject to the collection arrangement. GWR's DMR guide explains what can and cannot normally be placed into these containers. Dry mixed recycling for businesses

Do not forget Duty of Care

Restaurants have the same fundamental Duty of Care obligations as other commercial waste producers.

Waste should be stored securely, transferred to appropriate organisations and properly documented.

Read GWR's Duty of Care and Waste Transfer Note guide for more information. Duty of Care guide

Restaurant waste regulations differ across Great Britain

Hospitality groups operating nationally should remember that waste regulations differ between nations.

Wales already requires workplaces to separate specified waste streams, including food waste where the relevant threshold is met.

Scotland's Duty of Care framework also contains specific requirements affecting food businesses and recycling.

Conduct a restaurant waste audit

A practical audit should examine:

• preparation waste
• plate waste
• spoiled stock
• glass
• cardboard
• supplier packaging
• used cooking oil
• general waste
• bin capacity
• collection frequency

Monitoring these categories can reveal both disposal savings and broader operational waste.

Restaurant waste management with GWR

GWR already works with businesses across the hospitality sector and provides restaurant waste management services covering the main commercial waste streams. Restaurant waste management from GWR

Whether you operate an independent restaurant or multiple hospitality locations, the objective should be the same: keep the system compliant, simple for staff and proportionate to the amount of waste actually produced.

Request a free commercial waste audit to review your current restaurant waste setup. Request a free waste audit