Biomaterials guidance and assessment tool

Biomaterials guidance - This guidance is intended to help you produce an assessment of whether your material qualifies as going to the biomaterial destination, when using the annual data collection and reporting forms. Answering a series of questions enables you to assess and then provide a reasonable justification for whether using the 'biomaterial' destination is appropriate.

Assessment tool - This simple to use tool produces an assessment based on a number of characteristics.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has announced changes to the guidance for how food and/or inedible parts converted into biodiesel and other biofuel products (such as spent coffee grounds) should be reported:

Following consultation with the Food Loss and Waste Protocol Steering Committee, and based on discussions with a range of food businesses and food experts, it was agreed that all material which leaves the human food supply chain and is in the end burned for energy should be treated equally. This means that for entities reporting in support of SDG 12.3, all food and/or inedible parts sent directly for incineration, or after processing is used as a fuel, should be reported as food waste. In recognition that material converted into a biofuel product (such as biodiesel or solid-fuel pellets/bricks) has added value, the guidance is to report such materials under the ‘other’ destination.

We have aligned the UK Roadmap guidelines to be consistent with this.  

WRI has also clarified that used cooking oil should be included in businesses food surplus and waste reporting, rather than being considered as a ‘processing aid’. This can be reported under ‘inedible parts’ for those businesses setting a food waste prevention target which excludes this fraction of food waste.