From 31 March 2026, households across England will be required to comply with new regulations for the separation of food waste. While many local authorities have operated food waste collections for years, others must now implement these changes as part of the government’s Simpler Recycling plans.
In January last year, we noted that much of the discussion leading up to the rollout had focused on logistics: vehicle routes, operational challenges in dense urban areas, and the distribution of food caddies for example, whilst we felt one critical issue had received far less attention — how that separated food waste will be processed, particularly when cross-contamination inevitably occurs.
A year on, and as food waste collections expand, contamination remains a major concern for the waste management industry. Non-intended items, especially packaging, frequently enter food waste caddies despite guidance to the contrary. This contamination can reduce the quality of recovered material, increase processing costs, and undermine the environmental benefits of food waste recycling.
So, what is the industry saying now?
We’re not alone in being concerned about the risk of cross-stream contamination, with the particular focus being on packaging, which shouldn’t be disposed of with the food waste. To help with this problem, experts have urged food brands and packagers to update their labelling before the launch – removing ambiguity around terms such as “remove food and recycle” and clarifying confusing messages around compostable packaging.
Education, reality, and the need for depackaging solutions
Having seen first-hand what enters municipal food waste streams, we support all initiatives that aim to reduce contamination. Clearer packaging labels and improved public education are essential steps. However, it is equally important to acknowledge the reality of human error. No matter how well designed a system is, some packaging will always remain in food waste.
This means local authorities and waste processors must be equipped with the right infrastructure to manage contamination effectively. As food waste separation becomes new for many communities, councils will need robust solutions that can handle mixed materials without disrupting operations.
How can we help?
Rowan Food and Biomass Engineering already works closely with waste management companies and local authorities, supplying our Dominator depackaging machine to process food waste from councils that operate separate collections.
Our depackaging technology is designed to:
- Efficiently separate organic food waste from inorganic packaging
- Handle common contaminants such as plastics, as well as more unusual foreign objects
- Improve the quality of recovered food waste for downstream processing such as anaerobic digestion
Through our experience and knowledge, we can help local authorities identify how their procurement needs might shift moving forwards, and support the waste management companies ready to respond effectively.
Contact us to find out more.