Commercial Food Waste Collection & Recycling

Businesses across Greater Manchester and Lancashire trust ISM to handle their food waste reliably, compliantly, and with recycling rates that actually make a difference.

Our food waste services are “Simpler Recycling” ready! We provide dedicated food waste collections that your business needs to be compliant at an affordable price and with a quality service.

Award-winning services
Fixed monthly prices
Carbon neutral by 2050
90% recycling rates

Get a quote for our food waste collection services

Rather speak to one of our expert advisors? Call us on 01706 823001

Tom Pinder

Recommends ISM Waste & Recycling

Ian Hunter

Will Gallie

Paul Pickard

Recommends ISM Waste & Recycling

Ben Parry

Helen Punshon

Recommends ISM Waste & Recycling

Susan Coppack

Dave Peace

Recommends ISM Waste & Recycling

Andrea Gorton

Diane Holden

Matt Dwyer

The Smarter Way to Manage Business Food Waste

ISM’s commercial food waste collection service gives your business a structured, recycling-led approach that keeps costs down, keeps you compliant with Simpler Recycling legislation, and keeps food waste out of landfill.

Get in touch for a no-obligation waste audit to find out how much your business could save.

Bespoke waste management services
Professional & reliable collections
Competitive pricing

Get a Quote

What Our Customers Say

Tom Pinder

"ISM were outstanding on our latest building clearance. We have used loads of waste and recycling companies up and down the country for building clearances, but we have never come across a company so accommodating and with such a high level of service within this industry until now."

Building Clearance - Skip Hire

Builders Skips - Manchester

Ross Barnes

"Recently started using ISM for my commercial waste, service is brilliant, the lads collecting are polite and helpful, the office staff are a pleasure to deal with on the phones, and as a small business the price point is unbelievably competitive. 10/10"

Waste Management Services

Wheelie Bin Collections - Greenmount

Martin Logan

"Excellent service with polite drivers and always on time with delivery and pick up. Excellent rates."

Waste Management Services

Skip Hire - Bury

Sandra Kayes

"Very friendly and helpful staff throughout the company, including the drivers and waste collection staff. Nothing is too much trouble for them. Would highly recommend ISM Waste."

Waste Management Services

Wheelie Bin Collections - Haslingden

Will Gallie

"ISM provides a very personal touch with all their customers and have a friendly workforce that all work in unison to provide the highest level of service possible. We have never had any problems; the waste collections are always when specified and have provided us with extra bins at our busier times."

Hospitality/Pub Waste Management

1100L Wheelie Bins - Ramsbottom

Ben Parry

"It gives me great pleasure to recommend ISM Waste & Recycling. We use two of their services (REL skips and roll on roll off skips). We have wood skips and cardboard skips, and their service is generally flawless. The collection of our skips is always as promised and never exceeds three days, which we consider excellent. Well done, ISM."

Commercial Waste Management

REL Skips & RORO Skips - Haslingden

Yvonne

"Excellent service and very efficient drop off and collection service. Very good at resolving any issues and for getting back to emails queries very quickly. Would highly recommend using ISM Waste & Recycling for your waste management requirements. 5 star Service."

Commercial Waste Management

Wheelie Bins & Skip Hire - Bury

Ian Hunter

"Our company has used ISM Waste and Recycling's services for nearly ten years. They are a very helpful, professional company that provide scheduled collections always on time and as expected. Excellent 5-star service and would recommend using ISM."

Commercial Waste Management

Roll on Roll Off Compactor Skip - Ashton-under-Lyne

Matt Dwyer

"The driver was at our house bright and early to drop the skip off in the morning as requested. Arranged, delivered and collected professionally and efficiently. First-class service from ISM Waste & Recycling."

Domestic Skip Hire

4 Yard Skip Hire - Oldham

Andrea Gorton

"A great service provider who is able to be reactive to our unpredictable business needs. Nothing too is much trouble, and delivered with excellent professional customer care."

Commercial Waste Management

Wheelie Bin Collections - Bury

Victoria Robinson

"Great company and service. ISM collect and recycle our waste from Head for the Hills festival. Their staff are very helpful - their customer service is excellent."

Festival Waste Management

Wheelie Bins & Skip Hire - Ramsbottom

Food Waste Collection Across Greater Manchester & Lancashire

We collect commercial food waste across the region. From city centre restaurants in Manchester to industrial sites in Blackburn and school kitchens in Oldham. Our local teams know these areas, run fuel-efficient routes, and turn up when we say we will.

We currently cover: Manchester, Bury, Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Trafford, Blackburn, Preston, Burnley, Chorley, Ramsbottom, Rossendale and the surrounding areas.

Free Waste Audit

Who We Work With

Restaurants, schools, offices, factories, events, retailers — if your business produces food waste, we collect it. We’ve spent over 50 years working with businesses of every size and sector across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, so whatever your setup, we’ve almost certainly dealt with something similar before. Tell us what you’ve got and we’ll work around it.

Covering all industries and sectors
ISO 9001, 14001, 45001
Competitive pricing

Get a Quote

Food Waste Collection FAQs

Commercial food waste is any food-related waste produced by a business, workplace or organisation.

This can include:

Plate scrapings
Fruit and vegetable peelings
Out-of-date food
Leftover prepared meals
Bread, dairy, meat and fish waste
Coffee grounds and tea bags
Food waste from kitchens, canteens and hospitality venues

If your business produces food waste, it should be stored separately and collected by a licensed waste carrier.

Yes. Under the Simpler Recycling rules in England, most workplaces must separate food waste from general waste and dry recycling.

This means food waste should be placed in a dedicated food waste bin rather than mixed with general commercial waste.

Separating food waste helps businesses stay compliant, reduce contamination and improve recycling performance.

Food waste collection is suitable for any business that produces food waste as part of its day-to-day operations.

This commonly includes:

Restaurants, cafés and takeaways
Pubs, bars and hotels
Schools, colleges and nurseries
Care homes and healthcare settings
Offices with staff kitchens or canteens
Retailers and convenience stores
Food manufacturers and production sites

Even small amounts of food waste can cause problems when placed in general waste, including odours, contamination and unnecessary disposal costs.

A commercial food waste bin can usually be used for raw and cooked food waste.

Accepted items typically include:

Fruit and vegetables
Meat, fish and bones
Bread, pasta and rice
Dairy products
Eggshells
Plate scrapings
Tea bags and coffee grounds

Packaging, plastic, glass, liquids, cooking oil and general waste should not be placed in food waste bins.

Once collected, food waste is usually sent for specialist recycling rather than being disposed of with general waste.

Food waste can be processed through anaerobic digestion, where it is broken down to produce renewable energy and a nutrient-rich fertiliser.

This helps divert food waste from landfill, reduce environmental impact and support a more circular approach to waste management.

Yes. Separating food waste can help reduce the amount of general waste your business produces.

This can help by:

Reducing general waste volumes
Improving recycling rates
Lowering contamination across other waste streams
Supporting better waste reporting
Helping your business meet compliance requirements

A waste audit can help identify the right food waste bin size and collection frequency for your site.

Food waste collection frequency depends on how much food waste your business produces and how quickly bins fill up.

Many businesses arrange weekly or multiple weekly collections to help manage odours, hygiene and storage space.

High-volume sites such as restaurants, schools, care homes and food production businesses may need more frequent collections.

Yes. We can provide commercial food waste bins to suit your business, waste volumes and collection requirements.

Our team can help you choose the right food waste container, arrange a suitable collection schedule and support your business with compliant food waste disposal.

What Happens to Your Food Waste?

When ISM collects your food waste, it goes straight to our recycling facility in Bury where it’s processed through anaerobic digestion. This breaks the waste down naturally, producing biogas that generates renewable energy and a nutrient-rich digestate that goes back to agricultural land as fertiliser. Nothing ends up in landfill.

Once it’s been processed you’ll receive documentation confirming your waste has been handled compliantly. So if you ever need to demonstrate your recycling credentials to a client, auditor or local authority, you’ve got the paperwork to prove it.

Get a Quote

Why Businesses Choose ISM for Food Waste Collection

Over 50 Years of Experience – We’ve been managing waste in Greater Manchester and Lancashire since the 1970s

Compliant – Our environmental focus ensures compliance with all regulations, including Simpler Recycling.

Sustainable – With our zero-to-landfill approach, your operations will contribute to a healthier planet.

Local – Our teams are all from local areas with knowledge of your town or city.

Reliable – We have a 99% attendance rate so you can trust we’ll be there on time every time.

Simple – We make segregating at source fast and hassle-free so you can get on with running your business.

Contact Us

Get in touch for more information about our waste management services, recycling and skip hire.

01706 823001

info@ismwaste.co.uk