What is Contamination? The Problem with Food Waste in Mixed Recycling

Food waste and contamination. What’s the deal?

From large restaurants to smaller office collections, commercial food waste and its segregation from other streams is a major issue. A shocking 30% of the mixed recycling we process at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is either contaminated with, or simply is, food waste. This highlights a problem: many businesses simply don’t know what to do with their food waste. 

With Simpler Recycling legislation starting from March 31st, all businesses are legally required to set up food waste collections as well as their mixed recycling.  

So, why is food waste such an issue? And how do we keep food waste out of commercial mixed recycling. In this blog, we explain all you need to know.  

What is contamination in recycling?

When we talk about contamination, we are referring to any materials in a waste stream that should not be there. The impacts of contamination include:  

• Reduced material quality: Contaminated recyclables lower the quality of the recycled material, making it less useful. 

• Increased processing costs: Sorting and cleaning contaminated materials require more time and money. 

• Recycling rejection: Entire batches of recyclables may be sent to landfill or incineration if contamination is too high. 

• Lower market value: Contaminated materials are less desirable to buyers, reducing their economic viability. 

• Environmental harm: Contamination can lead to more waste being disposed of improperly, increasing landfill use and pollution. 

What is the problem with food waste?

1) Food Waste in Dry Mixed Recycling

Food waste is the worst offender of contamination in dry mixed recycling, particularly affecting materials like paper and cardboard, which rely on the integrity of their fibres to be recycled. When exposed to food residue or moisture, these fibres break down, rendering them unrecyclable and leading to more waste. It also means that for the businesses who have invested time and money to recycle, their hard work is wasted. 

However, it is also important to understand that items going into mixed recycling are often food and drink containers which will naturally have residue on them. That is why Recorra recommend segregating paper and cardboard from mixed recycling to protect these materials, save money on collections and increase recycling rates.  

Find out more about why we believe in paper and card source segregation in our blog: Paper and Cardboard Out? What Businesses Nees to Know For Simpler Recycling 

2) Food waste is waste

When talking about food waste, it is important to remember that food is resource-intensive, meaning that in order for a sandwich to end up in your office, large amounts of water, energy and other inputs have gone into creating it. One study shared by The Guardian revealed that the all-day breakfast sandwich from Tesco generates the same carbon as driving for 12 miles.  

Additionally, as food poverty is on the rise in the UK with an estimated 7.2 million people and children in food insecure households in 2024, wasting food is an injustice and a tragedy. At Recorra, beyond our food recycling initiatives, we are putting a stop to commercial food waste through our close partnership with Plan Zheroes. Find out more about this amazing charity here: Blog – From Waste to Plate. 

3) Food waste is heavy and expensive in other waste streams

Food waste is both heavy and expensive, and it’s easy to see why. Imagine the difference between a scrap filled sandwich box and an empty wrapper. Or compare a soggy paper towel to a dry one. The excess moisture and leftover food add significant weight to general waste. 

Considering the charges and cost of general waste collections, Landfill Tax and a potential Incineration Tax, businesses hoping to save money should look to avoid food waste in their commercial waste collections.  

At Recorra, we are already helping our customers save money with our Zero to Landfill guarantee. However, making sure food waste does not enter general waste, and particularly our commercial mixed recycling collections, is essential for saving money and achieving real recycling.

4) Food waste is carbon and methane intensive

Food waste is organic waste, meaning it is biodegradable and comes from plants or animals. Framed like this, both the problem and the solutions become clear.  

Materials that can biodegrade are good for the environment. Unlike plastics, organic material can essentially disappear, and when disposed of in the correct way, all the goodness can be recycled and used for things like fertiliser which in turn will grow more food. A perfectly circular solution. Find out more about our circular food waste recycling solutions in our Where does my recycling go? Brochure.  

Unfortunately though, when in general waste, this biodegradable food waste is decomposed without being around oxygen which results in the production of methane – a greenhouse gas that has up to 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide!  

This is why food, whether it’s waste from restaurants or office food waste collections, has become such a focus in the past few years, both to reduce waste and tackle climate change.  

Dedicated food waste collections:  

A simple yet effective solution is setting up dedicated food waste recycling collections. From restaurant food waste recycling to smaller office food waste collections, having a designated food waste bin helps prevent contamination in commercial mixed recycling. 

Plus, this isn’t just best practice, it’s now a legal requirement for businesses in England under Simpler Recycling regulations.  

Want to learn more? Check out our blog and explore our comprehensive Simpler Recycling guide. 

No matter what your food waste recycling needs are, Recorra has the perfect solution for your business. Our tailorable service is designed for all businesses. We can handle any kind of food waste collection, from restaurants and hospitality sites to everyday office food waste collections from small businesses. 

Choose from a range of bin sizes, set your preferred collection frequency, and select either kerbside bins or wheeled bins to suit your setup. 

Segregating paper and cardboard collections: 

We understand that the items going into commercial mixed recycling are often food and drink containers which will naturally have food waste residue. This is why we recommend segregating paper and cardboard from mixed recycling to save money on collections and increase recycling rates. 

Find out more about why we believe in paper and card source segregation in our blog: Paper and Cardboard Out? What Businesses Nees to Know For Simpler Recycling

Bin infrastructure, clear signage and training: 

Getting staff and the public to engage in recycling is another challenge. That is why Recorra, and our specialist Sustainability Consultants, have invested highly in curating engagement activities, signage and bins to engage people in real recycling. Find out more about our engagement activities here.  

By Bryony Sharma