Scotland - Zero Waste Regulations - update

With effect from 1January 2016, the threshold for businesses affected by the Zero Waste Regulations 2012 changed. 

Whereas previously only businesses producing more than 50 kg of food waste a week, the threshold has now dropped to 5kg.

It is the duty of any person who controls or manages a food business that produces controlled waste to take all reasonable steps to ensure the separate collection of food waste produced by the business.

“Separate collection” means that waste is presented for collection, and collected, in a manner that ensures that:

• dry recyclable waste is kept separate from other waste;
• waste from one dry waste stream is kept separate from waste in another such stream; and
• food waste is kept separate from other waste;

The Scottish government has also produced a code of practice for businesses, which can be found here.  Business premises in a ‘rural area’ are exempt; in order to establish whether your business is in a ‘rural area’ the Scottish government have created a simple online checker where you can search by post code.  Here is a link to the post code checker.

Failure by relevant businesses to comply with these requirements without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence.  The penalties, if convicted, are:

• on summary conviction, to a fine of up to £10,000
• on conviction on indictment, to an unlimited fine