General waste, food waste, glass, cardboard, and cooking oil collection for UK hospitality operators. Waste collection contracts are almost universally under-scrutinised and overpriced. Regulatory requirements are increasing. Collective procurement delivers both better pricing and better compliance documentation.
Waste collection is the procurement category that most hospitality operators have thought about least. The contract was set up when the premises opened, the bin lorry arrives on schedule, and the direct debit goes out. What the contract actually says, what it costs against the market rate, and whether it meets current regulatory requirements — most operators could not tell you.
The waste collection market for commercial hospitality has become significantly more complex since the introduction of Simpler Recycling requirements. From April 2025, most businesses are required to present food waste for separate collection. Operators whose current waste contract does not include food waste collection are non-compliant — and face Environment Agency enforcement as well as reputational risk with sustainability-conscious customers and corporate accounts.
General mixed waste, segregated food waste (mandatory from April 2025 for most operators), glass, cardboard and paper, dry mixed recycling, and used cooking oil collection. Frequency specifications are set per operator based on covers and volume. The pool tender goes to licensed waste carriers on an aggregated regional basis — individual collection agreements are maintained with each operator at the pool negotiated rate. All contractors must hold current Environment Agency waste carrier licences and provide Waste Transfer Notes for compliance.