I’ve heard a lot of people tell me in the last few weeks that the new waste regulations are a load of rubbish, pun intended. I can’t and won’t repeat some of the ruder things people have said.

But not everyone sees it that way. Below, in the videos, are some examples of how food businesses across Scotland have approached the forthcoming legislation and are already “regs ready”. One of the themes of The Food Waste Collection courtesy of Zero Waste Scotland is “partnership and collaboration”. It seems to me that these people, while developing interesting partnerships and collaborations, have created for themselves a distinct competitive advantage, so it is the complainers who will be playing catchup.

But spare a thought for small businesses, for they will experience the blunt end of new regulations, which are not always easy to design or to implement. Small businesses often lack the time and expertise to plan ahead let alone implement new systems, processes and procedures.

Small businesses can help themselves though, through better networking and – perish the thought – collaborating. I’ve spoken to as many small businesses who are willing to share their experiences with others and help others develop and go forward.

Published by zerowastedunbar

The Zero Waste Dunbar project is looking at becoming one of Scotland's first Zero Waste Towns. What do you think this will entail?