April Fools Day – Final Deadline for NI Food Business Operators

On 01 April 2017, Northern Ireland sets a new legal precedent when the final clause of the Food Waste Regulations (NI) comes into effect.

This final article states clearly that it is illegal for food business operators to deposit food waste into the drainage system. The traditional method for preventing this is by ensuring that a grease or food trap is installed in the kitchen drain line.

In 2013, the government funded research organization, WRAP, produced a food waste report highlighting that up to 25kg/yr. food waste per person went down the kitchen sink and also, that within the hospitality and food service sectors, as much as 50% of food waste could be disposed of via macerators, wasteful food preparation or incidental wash down procedures.

By implementing this environmentally groundbreaking legislation so soon after the release of a recent EU court of Food Waste Auditors report (17 January 2017), NI positions itself high on the list for tackling food waste and with support from local authority enforcement will mean that this gaping food waste drainage loophole can now be plugged in NI at least.

The new statutory rule of NI states that from 01 April 2017, it shall be the duty of any person who produces food waste to ensure that food waste is not deposited in a lateral drain or public sewer.

It is anticipated that this new food law in NI will also have implications for local government planning and building regulations as well as sewerage service operators and local authority environmental health and food standards agencies, whose duties include enforcement of structural, food management and food law policies.



www.slideshare.net/CaterWaste/food-waste-regulations-ni-2015