Not legal advice. England only. Sources checked 7 November 2026.
Coffee grounds and tea bags are food waste for workplace recycling planning in England. There is no "too small to bother" carve-out you should invent for a cafe. Compostable packaging and compostable cups are not the same as food recycling. Confirm every stream with your collector.
Always include customer waste in the plan.
Ask in writing:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Do you accept coffee grounds and tea bags in the food caddy? | Avoid contamination rejections |
| Which liners are allowed? | Wrong liners can block a service |
| How should compostable cups be handled? | Often residual or a dedicated stream, not food |
| Do you accept plastic film/flexibles from this site, and from which date? | Film has a separate announced timeline |
| Is paper/card co-collected with other dry recyclables here? | Only if the collector's written assessment allows it |
Put food caddies where grounds are created (espresso station and prep), not only in a back corridor. Keep residual and recycling mouths distinct enough that a hurried barista does not contaminate under pressure.
Recommendations about "how many bins" are not the law. Match service frequency to real peak waste. Count after collector advice.
Do not rely on staff taking food waste home. That is not a substitute for a workplace food-waste route.
Table cups, leftovers, and packaging count. Brief staff on what goes where during wipe-down, not only during prep.
Editable versions live in the $1 walkthrough and the $19 setup kit (policy + collector worksheet + bin-label text). Official guidance remains free and primary: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england
Announced workplace plastic film collection: 1 April 2030. Published legislation still shows 31 March 2027 for the film provision. Recheck before relying on deferral. Core-stream micro-firm date remains 31 March 2027.
Date checked: 7 November 2026. Jurisdiction: England. Not legal advice. Not a national bin-colour scheme. Not affiliated with regulators or collectors.