Separating food and garden waste: what the rules really say

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“Composting is now compulsory”, “you can be fined for throwing away your peelings”: since separate collection of food waste became the norm, you hear all sorts of contradictory claims. The reality is simpler, and rather reassuring.

In this guide, we look at what the rules actually say, who the obligation applies to, the solutions open to you and how to find out what your local council offers. We stick strictly to the facts.

What has changed in recent years?

At European level, the Waste Framework Directive, revised in 2018 (Directive 2018/851), requires biowaste to be either collected separately or recycled at source from the end of 2023. In Ireland, as an EU member state, this requirement applies and is implemented through national waste legislation. The United Kingdom is no longer in the EU and sets its own rules, which differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To find out exactly what applies where you live, check with your local council or waste service.

The idea is not entirely new. Large producers (restaurants, canteens, supermarkets, food industries…) have long been expected to deal with their food waste separately in many countries. The trend everywhere is towards extending separate collection to all households.

What counts as biowaste?

For a household, biowaste covers two main categories:

• Food and kitchen waste: peelings, leftovers, damaged fruit and vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags, stale bread, out-of-date food without its packaging.
• Garden waste: grass cuttings, fallen leaves, hedge and shrub trimmings, small branches.

On the other hand, so-called “biodegradable” plastic bags and packaging are not biowaste for your compost bin: they have no place in a home compost heap. To find out exactly which waste a garden composter accepts, see our guide What to put in your compost bin.

Who does what: the council and the householder

The council provides a solution

This is the heart of the system. The aim is for every household to have a practical way of separating its food waste, and it is the authority responsible for waste (usually your local council) that organises it, by offering residents a solution for separating waste at source.

Handing out a few compost bins is not enough: a good separate collection scheme also involves supporting and informing residents.

And you, as a householder?

Sorting concerns everyone who produces biowaste, so all of us: the right habit is to stop putting food scraps and garden waste in the general waste bin whenever a solution exists near you. Penalties and targets for households, if any, depend on the rules in your country and area.

One key point: your council sets out, in its collection rules, how your waste should be presented (which bin, which day, which waste). It is these local instructions that you need to follow. If in doubt, ask your council.

Key points

It is not the compost bin that is compulsory, it is sorting. Your council provides a solution, and you choose the one that suits you best: composting at home, using a shared composter or separate collection.

The 3 possible solutions

Composting at home

If you have a garden, this is the simplest and cheapest solution: your waste never leaves your property, and you get a free soil improver for your plants. A bin such as our Compostys wooden composter is enough for most households; our guide Starting your compost bin step by step walks you through the first additions. In a flat, a wormery takes over: we explain how it works in our guide How does a wormery work?, and bokashi lets you ferment your kitchen scraps before adding them to soil, compost or worms. The diagram sums up the three solutions: composting at home (1), the shared composter (2) and separate collection (3).

The shared composter

At the foot of a block of flats, in a public garden or at neighbourhood level, bins are made available to several households. One or more trained volunteers make sure they run smoothly, and everyone brings their kitchen waste.

Separate collection

The council collects food waste separately: from your door, in a dedicated bin or sometimes a coloured bag, or via drop-off points installed in the street. The collected waste is then composted or processed by anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. For bulky garden waste, your local recycling centre is also an option.

How can I find out what my council offers?

Contact the authority responsible for waste collection in your area. This is usually your local council, but in some areas it may be a different body or a contracted waste service. To find it:

• look at the name printed on your bin or on your collection calendar;
• check your council's website or newsletter, under “waste and recycling” or “composting”;
• simply ask your council's customer services, who will point you in the right direction.

Many councils offer compost bins or wormeries at a reduced price, sometimes free of charge, often with a short training session. Find out before you buy: it is also a chance to learn the local rules and whether there is a shared composter near you.

Willy's tip

Start with a kitchen caddy with a lid, such as our Kaylis 7L compost bin: whatever solution your council offers, everything goes through it.

Why it matters: key figures

• A third of the bin. Biowaste makes up around a third of the contents of our general household waste bin.
• Around 70 kg per person per year of waste can be composted.
• Less methane. Buried in landfill, biowaste breaks down without air and produces methane, a gas with a warming potential around 25 times greater than that of CO₂. Composted, it returns to the soil.
• Half the population in France equipped. In spring 2025, around 32 million people in France had access to a biowaste sorting solution, roughly half the population.

What about burning garden waste?

Burning leaves, grass cuttings or branches in your garden, whether in the open or in a garden incinerator, may be restricted or prohibited depending on where you live, and can cause a nuisance to neighbours; check your local rules. It is also highly polluting. Composting, shredding or mulching this waste is far more useful in the garden: the rules, exceptions and alternatives are covered in our guide to garden waste.

In short

Separate handling of biowaste, meaning kitchen scraps and garden waste, has been required in the EU since the end of 2023, and the UK and Ireland each have their own rules. In practice, it is mainly councils that organise a solution for each household: home composting, a shared composter or separate collection. Rules for households vary from country to country; you simply need to follow your council's instructions, and you can ask it which solutions exist near you. Burning garden waste is best avoided, and is restricted or prohibited in many areas.

Related products

Kaylis 7L Compost Bin

Dual-textured finish, faux leather handle

£6.88 €8.25

Urbalive 3.7L Bio Bucket

Modern, sleek design

£13.83 €16.58

Activated carbon filters for bio-bin

Pack of 5 filters

£5.49 €6.58

Compostys wooden composter | 305 litres

PEFC-certified spruce wood

£96.62 €115.83

Other topics in the guide

Vermicomposting30 sheets →Bokashi24 sheets →EM micro-organisms26 sheets →