How it works
Simple for you. Checked by us.
One extra bin, one collection, and proof at every step.
One clear bin
Certified compostable packaging and napkins, with signs your staff and customers get at a glance.
Weighed and logged
Every lift is weighed and comes with a transfer note.
Permitted sites only
Taken by a registered carrier to a permitted in-vessel composting site, which weighs it in.
Reconciled monthly
We compare what was collected with what was received, and you get the receipt.
The finished compost goes onto farms, gardens and landscapes.
Our standard
Collectors earn their place.
Every collector in the network is a registered carrier, runs a separate route for TCN, and sends us the composting site's receipt for every load. If the numbers don't add up and can't be explained, they leave the network and your collections move to someone who meets the standard.
Kept separate from food waste
Government guidance says compostable packaging can't go in with food waste. Ours is its own stream.
Paperwork, handled
A transfer note for every collection, kept for five years, and digital records ready for the new tracking rules.
Questions
Do we have to change packaging supplier?
No. Any range certified to EN 13432 works. We ask each site to stick to one range, so staff aren't trying to tell look-alike products apart.
Can't it go in our food waste bin?
Government guidance for Simpler Recycling says compostable packaging can't be recycled with food waste, so it needs its own collection.
What does it cost?
We price per collection after a two-week bin audit, shown next to the general waste collections it replaces, so you can compare like for like.
Does it work for takeaway?
It works best where food is eaten on site, because that's where the packaging ends up in your bins. For mixed sites, we'll look at your setup and tell you honestly.
Who runs The Compost Network?
The Compost Network is a trading name of Zap Waste Systems Ltd, a registered waste broker. We arrange collections with collectors who meet our standard, and check their work.