09/06/2026
Below are some details that all catering ("8l") members need to know.
Cooking Oil Regulations:
Storage: Store waste oil in secure, clearly marked, leak-proof containers in a designated area away from food prep and drainage points.
Disposal Ban: Never pour used cooking oil down sinks or floor drains. Doing so is a criminal offense under the Water Industry Act 1991 if it causes blockages.
Collection: You must use an authorised waste carrier to collect and recover your oil.
Duty of Care: You must retain Waste Transfer Notes for every collection, detailing the carrier's license, the volume, and where the oil is taken.
Catering Food Waste Requirements:
Separation: Food waste cannot be mixed with general waste or other recycling streams.
Collection: All businesses (unless they meet strict micro-firm exemptions) must arrange for a separate weekly food waste collection by a registered contractor.
Disposal Bans: It is strictly illegal to dispose of liquid food waste through macerators, enzyme digesters, or down the sewer system.
Animal Feed: Under current Animal By-Products regulations, it is illegal to feed catering waste or used cooking oil to livestock to protect the food chain.
Within this, as with ADIPS, record-keeping (and a food management system from the Food Standards Agency or NCASS - see below - is essential)
Dealing with food safety and disposal arrangements is as strict as that ADIPS / HSE is with rides - in that there are rules to follow
and by having documentation to show what you are doing / have done will make all the difference with spot-checks from visiting Environmental Health Officers (EHOs).
Much of this can be discussed with the person(s) conducting your 'Home Authority' Kiosk-food-Safety annual check (that you show to the local authorities you visit as you travel).
Mobile caterers require specialised food management systems to handle food safety compliance, stock, and operations on the go.
Essential systems include digital NCASS or FSA Safer Food Better Business (SFBB) packs for safety, and software like Kafoodle, MarketMan, or Civica for inventory and menu management, often integrated with mobile EPOS systems.
NCASS can advise on many of the issues covered below:
Further details from our partners NCASS:
Many Guild members are also members of NCASS (The Nationwide Caterers association) and there are many benefits for Guild members being NCASS members with offers from Bookers and on Calor gas.
They have extensive assistance for mobile caterers.
We are working on closer ties with them with the Guild including their presenting at a SHAD day with ADIPS.
https://www.ncass.org.uk/membership/
https://www.ncass.org.uk/news/simpler-recycling-law-change-what-you-need-to-know/
· From 31st March 2025, the laws around recycling for businesses is changing. The Government is introducing what it terms Simpler Recycling, to help make the process of mass recycling easier for businesses to comply with and to enhance the impact sustainable practices can have on an industrial scale.
· All businesses and non-domestic premises in England will be legally required to separate their wastes in specific categories as laid out below.
· However, businesses considered micro-firms will not have to comply with these changes until March 2027. Micro-firms are workplaces with less than 10 full-time employees (FTEs) in total. This relates to the total number of full time or full-time equivalent employees in a business, rather than in a certain business location. For example, if a business has 3 locations with 5 employees in each location, they have a total of 15 employees.
· But for SMEs who employ more then 10 FTEs then they will need to aware of the requirements to separate their recycling waste by March 2025. They should discuss this with their commercial waste contractor (private waste collector or local authority) who will be able to advise them further and ensure they are meting the requirements ahead of the law change on 31 March 2025.
· They will need to present the following wastes separated in accordance with the arrangements with their waste collector:
o Dry recyclable materials – plastic, metal, glass, paper and card (more information on separating recyclable material is in the ‘Separating recyclable waste’ section)
o Food waste
o Black bin waste (residual waste)
· For workplaces that generate garden waste, there is a legal requirement to sort this in accordance with waste management hierarchy, either recycling or composting this depending on which will produce the better environmental outcome.
· Furthermore, workplaces have autonomy to decide themselves on the size of disposal containers they use and the frequency of waste collections, so they can tailor this to best suit their individual operations.
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More information can be found here
Govt. Guidance
Simpler recycling: workplace recycling in England
Workplace recycling in England changed on 31 March 2025. Guidance for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations on separating recyclable waste.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england
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Mobile caterers in the UK must adhere to strict food safety regulations regarding temperature control to prevent bacterial growth and comply with the law.
NCASS (Nationwide Caterers Association) provides guidance and systems to help businesses meet these legal requirements, which are designed to ensure that food is stored, cooked, cooled, and displayed safely. NCASS +4
Key food temperature checking legislation and requirements include:
1. Legal Temperature Limits:
· Cold Food: Perishable food must be stored at or below 8°C.
· Hot Holding: Once cooked or reheated, hot food must be kept above 63°C.
· Frozen Food: Should be stored below -18°C.
· Reheating: Food must be reheated to a core temperature of 75°C or above. NCASS +3
2. Exceptions and Time Limits:
· Hot Food Holding: Hot food can be kept below 63°C for a maximum of 2 hours for a single period.
· Cold Food Display: Cold food can be displayed above 8°C for a single period of up to 4 hours (e.g., on a buffet), but this should only be done once. NCASS +2
3. Monitoring and Record-Keeping:
· HACCP Requirement: Businesses must have a Food Safety Management System based on Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles.
· Daily Checks: It is recommended to check and record fridge temperatures at least once per day.
· Delivery Checks: Temperatures of chilled and frozen food should be checked and recorded immediately upon delivery.
· Temperature Logs: Records of cooking and holding temperatures must be maintained to demonstrate compliance to Environmental Health Officers (EHOs). NCASS +3
4. NCASS Support and Best Practices:
· NCASS Safety Management System (SMS): Provides a digital system (DSMS) and paper files to record daily checks, including temperatures, to ensure compliance. NCASS
· Equipment: Vehicles and containers must be able to maintain the correct food temperature. Food Standards Agency
· Training: All staff must be trained to understand and monitor food temperatures, typically to Level 2 Food Hygiene standard, with managers trained to Level 3. NCASS +1
For more information, mobile caterers should utilize the NCASS legal and compliance resources to ensure their specific setup meets all legal standards
Workplace recycling in England changed on 31 March 2025. Guidance for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations on separating recyclable waste.
