On 1st April 2017, N. Ireland sets a new legal precedent when the final clause of the Food Waste Regulations (N. Ireland) comes into effect.

1.
April
Fools
Day
–
Final
Deadline
for
NI
Food
Business
Operators
On
1st
April
2017,
N.
Ireland
sets
a
new
legal
precedent
when
the
final
clause
of
the
Food
Waste
Regulations
(N.
Ireland)
comes
into
effect.
This
final
article
states
clearly
that
it
is
illegal
for
food
business
operators
to
deposit
food
waste
into
the
drainage
system.
The
traditional
method
for
preventing
this
is
by
ensuring
that
a
grease
or
food
trap
is
installed
in
the
kitchen
drain
line.
In
2013,
the
government
funded
research
organization,
WRAP,
produced
a
food
waste
report
highlighting
that
up
to
25kg/yr.
food
waste
per
person
went
down
the
kitchen
sink
and
also,
that
within
the
hospitality
and
food
service
sectors,
as
much
as
50%
of
food
waste
could
be
disposed
of
via
macerators,
wasteful
food
preparation
or
incidental
wash
down
procedures.
By
implementing
this
environmentally
groundbreaking
legislation
so
soon
after
the
release
of
a
recent
EU
court
of
Food
Waste
Auditors
report
(17th
Jan.
2017),
N.
Ireland
positions
itself
high
on
the
list
for
tackling
food
waste
and
with
support
from
local
authority
enforcement
will
mean
that
this
gaping
food
waste
drainage
loophole
can
now
be
plugged
in
N.
Ireland
at
least.
The
new
statutory
rule
of
N.
Ireland
states
that
from
1st
April
2017,
it
shall
be
the
duty
of
any
person
who
produces
food
waste
to
ensure
that
food
waste
is
not
deposited
in
a
lateral
drain
or
public
sewer.
It
is
anticipated
that
this
new
food
law
in
N.
Ireland
will
also
have
implications
for
local
government
planning
and
building
regulations
as
well
as
sewerage
service
operators
and
local
authority
environmental
health
and
food
standards
agencies,
whose
duties
include
enforcement
of
structural,
food
management
and
food
law
policies.
Full
version
available:
http://www.slideshare.net/CaterWaste/food-­‐waste-­‐regulations-­‐ni-­‐2015