Food Waste Recycling

Save up to a third on your waste costs with a dedicated food recycling service, available 7 days a week

Food waste recycling collection for your business

Over 1 billion tonnes of food waste is thrown away across the globe every year – that’s roughly a third of all food produced! When that waste hits the landfill, it begins to decompose and release methane gas into the air.

For offices and workstations employing any number of staff or businesses in the catering industry, food waste can quickly become a problem, and getting rid of it responsibly should be a priority - so how do you do it?

At First Mile, we recycle your food waste to produce renewable energy. You never know, it could be used to power your own offices one day.

Book one of our commercial food waste collections today!

Food Caddy Collections

Scheduled collections, place your caddy out for collection on the right day and time and we’ll collect food waste, then bring your caddy back inside your business after collection.

from

£5*

Wheelie Bin Collections

Scheduled bin lifts. Pick your preferred bin size and collection days and times. We’ll deliver bin(s) on requested start date, timing all future collections in accordance with your chosen schedule.

Not sure what you need?

Talk to an expert

from

£8.67*

How does pricing for food waste recycling collection work?

Food caddy collections:

The price shown for food recycling caddy collections covers one caddy collection per week (plus VAT). Ongoing weekly pricing depends on your collection schedule and the number of caddies collected.

A caddy is included in the initial fee, but replacement caddies may incur a small additional charge.

Wheelie bin collections:

The price shown for food recycling wheelie bin services is for the first week of collections (+VAT). The weekly price of collections is based on your schedule and the number of bin lifts.

We then invoice this to your account plus a small bin rental fee at the end of each month. Wheelie bin collections are ongoing unless you cancel them, but there is no contract required.

Donate surplus food with The Felix Project

We've partnered with The Felix Project to offer free food donations to our customers through their Felix Connect initiative, as well as their regularly scheduled food collection schemes. The partnership ensures surplus food is redirected to those who need it most, supporting communities and reducing waste at the same time.

Who are The Felix Project?

The Felix Project is London’s largest food distribution charity. The food they collect is redistributed to over 1,200 community organisations across the city, including food banks, schools, and homeless shelters, helping to tackle food insecurity and reduce waste.

If you have surplus food—whether it’s a one-off donation or something more regular—you can find out more about how to get involved and donate here.

What can go in commercial food waste bin or caddy?

Food waste: cooked and un-cooked

Kitchen waste (eg. fruit and peelings)

Tea bags and coffee grounds (although you can recycle coffee grounds separately as well!)

Bones and shells

Plant waste

Please keep out

Glass / broken glass

Napkins

Plastic or paper packaging

Compostable packaging

Biodegradable packaging

Need to display instructions?

Download poster

How is food waste recycled?

Step 1: Dispose of your food waste. Whether it is sandwich crusts, out-of-date yoghurt or the salad tomatoes that nobody likes - food waste goes into the bin, and the bin goes out for us to collect.

Step 2: We collect it! Your food waste will be left in the hands of our team, who will arrive at the agreed time and collect your bin or caddy. It will then be transported all the way to the sorting and recycling plants.

Step 3: The food waste will be fed into an anaerobic digester, where microbes are let loose on your compostables. The decomposition process produces methane gas, as always - but this time, we catch it, contain it, and use it to generate electricity.

Food waste recycling works by allowing the decomposition process to function in a controlled environment where methane gas can be caught and used. Because all food waste is biodegradable, the process mimics our digestion - hence the name of the anaerobic digester!

What are the Simpler Recycling Reforms?

New government legislation named 'Simpler Recycling' means businesses will be required to have both regular Food Recycling and Mixed Recycling collections set up on their premises.

This is now a legal requirement for organisations with 10 or more full time employees.

Businesses can get compliant by switching to First Mile, many of our customers are already saving money and recycling more by setting up a dedicated Food Recycling stream with us.

When switching to First Mile, we can handle everything, meaning zero hassle or disruptions to your existing schedule.

Why set up a Food Waste collection with First Mile?

Easy switch from your current business waste provider

Flexible business waste and recycling collections up to 3 times a day, 7 days a week

Amazing support available 24/7/365 from our specialist commercial waste collection team

Service Extras, like compliance certificates, weighing and data, and posters

View all benefits

Food Waste Management FAQs

Why is commercial food waste collection important?

Food waste is a major problem that commercial food waste collection is trying to fix. It's estimated that between 30-50% of all food produced on the planet is wasted.

When added up, that’s a huge amount of methane being released straight into the atmosphere. Managing food waste introduces another use for the gas and makes sure that it doesn’t end up in the ozone layer - all while helping you get rid of your waste!

How can methane production be eco-friendly?

While methane gas is bad for the environment, it’s a very useful component in biogas. It’s also much better than fossil fuels since it comes from renewable food sources! The important part is keeping it contained, which is why managing food waste disposal is important.

Why can’t food waste be disposed of alongside general waste?

Food waste is hazardous and can contaminate general waste. This can be dangerous for waste workers, as well as making it impossible to recycle previously recyclable material. If you can, keep it separate!

Are there any foods that can’t be added to a food waste bin?

No. If it’s organic, it can be recycled alongside food waste. This includes tougher materials such as onion skins, bones and shells.

How can I get a quote?

Enter your postcode, business and contact details to get a quote – and we’ll come back to you with a quote as soon as possible.

What is food waste?

Food waste is classified as anything produced to be eaten, such as fruit, vegetables and meat. Since this waste is organic, it can be broken down by natural acids and bacteria, unlike some waste types such as plastic. Its ability to decompose can also be dangerous, however, because when mould starts to grow, food waste must be disposed of quickly.

Food Waste Recycling