What waste does a cafe produce?

Coffee grounds are the volume stream. A busy independent can produce 5 to 10 kilos of spent grounds a day, sometimes more. Grounds are biodegradable and go into food waste, where they’re handled at an anaerobic digestion plant.

Food waste covers prep scraps, expired stock, leftover sandwich fillings, and plate scrapings from any sit-in offer. Disposable cups are the awkward one. Standard paper takeaway cups are largely not recyclable in normal kerbside or commercial mixed recycling streams because of the plastic lining. Lids are usually recyclable.

Cardboard arrives from bean deliveries, milk crates, syrup boxes, and packaging for retail items. Mixed recycling covers plastic bottles, cans, glass jars from retail, and clean packaging. Glass is generally low volume in a cafe unless you sell alcohol or have a strong cold drinks retail offer.

What’s the typical bin spec for a cafe?

Small independent cafes can often manage with a 240L general waste bin on weekly collection, a 120L or 240L food waste bin on twice-weekly pulls, and a recycling sack collection for cardboard and mixed dry.

Busier independents and small chains usually need a 660L general waste bin, a 240L food waste bin on twice or three times weekly, and a separate cardboard collection.

What specialist streams do cafes deal with?

Food waste under Simpler Recycling is the active one. From 31 March 2025 in England, businesses with 10 or more employees must separate food waste from general waste. Cafes with fewer than 10 staff have until 31 March 2027 under the micro-firm transition rules.

Coffee grounds technically count as food waste under the regulations. They’re biodegradable, suitable for anaerobic digestion, and shouldn’t go in general waste once you’re in scope.

Disposable coffee cups have been the subject of policy consultations for years. As of now, most paper takeaway cups still aren’t accepted in standard commercial mixed recycling. Used cooking oil applies if you’ve got a kitchen with any fryer use, and needs a licensed UCO carrier.

What compliance pitfalls catch cafes out?

Duty of Care Waste Transfer Notes are the first miss. Some cafe owners drop bags in a residential bin at home, or tip leftover food into a bin at a customer’s house. That’s fly-tipping under the Environmental Protection Act, and the business carries the liability.

Simpler Recycling food waste compliance is the current focus. Cafes with 10+ staff are in scope from March 2025. Coffee cups going in mixed recycling when they shouldn’t is a quiet contamination issue.