4. Oct, 2018

Carrying waste for home composting collected from coffee shops

Books and press reports often suggestthat  home composters should  collect waste coffee grounds from local coffee shops and hair from barbers and dog groomers. I have been asked whether I could clarify the position for both composters and the businesses that might pass their waste coffee and hair to an unlicensed carrier to compost in their unregistered home compost bins in their garden or allotments. 

Several composting and waste organisations advise that businesses should only pass their waste to a registered carrier, should complete a transfer note and ensure that waste is disposed of legally and that home composters, being private individuals not businesses, should not be permitted to carry or dispose of such waste.

The Environmental Agency have been asked if this is indeed the case and whether home composters should   register as waste carriers and whether a Lower Tier registration would be accepted even although the waste would not have been generated by them?

 In the case of a local cafe the waste could be handed over a known composter making official transfer feasible but some of the large coffee shop chains just bag their waste grounds and leave it out for anyone to take. 

The environmental Agency where asked to clarify the situation on 8th August and allow 10 working days to respond to enquiries. Watch this space