Manufacturing
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Baby food manufacturers face strict food safety requirements affecting waste: production waste must be managed to prevent cross-contamination, allergen-containing waste must be separated, and organic certification (if applicable) requires documented waste management.
Monthly waste: $300–1,000. Off-spec product can be donated to food banks if within safety guidelines.
Pouches have limited recycling options — consider recyclable packaging.
Key Numbers
- Typical monthly waste cost: $300–1,000
- Driving constraint: Food-safety separation
- Metro landfill levy (2025–26): $169.79/tonne
- FOGO statewide: by 2030
What You Need to Know
For a baby food manufacturer, food safety dictates how waste is handled before cost ever enters the picture — which is why a generic single-bin contract rarely fits. The streams that drive both compliance and spend are distinct:
- Production waste — managed to prevent cross-contamination, so it can't simply share a bin
- Allergen-containing waste — separated to protect downstream batches
- Off-spec product — donate to food banks where it meets safety guidelines, rather than landfill
- Pouches — limited recycling options today, a reason to weigh recyclable packaging
Where organic certification applies, documented waste management is required — and separating the organic fraction aligns you with the FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Policy, moving statewide by 2030 to keep food waste out of landfill levy charges. Bundle Waste is an independent broker: our free invoice audit checks your streams are correctly classified, we compare a network of providers, and we're paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
How should food manufacturers manage waste?+
Food manufacturers generate: production waste (5–15% of raw materials), packaging, wash-down water (trade waste), expired product. Mid-size manufacturer: $2,000–8,000/month. Key savings: production waste to animal feed/composting, cardboard baling.
How should wineries manage waste?+
Wineries generate: grape marc/pomace, lees, chemical waste, packaging, wastewater (high BOD). Marc can be composted or used as animal feed. Trade waste agreements required. Mid-size winery: $500–2,000/month.
What waste does a Melbourne microbrewery generate compared to a large brewery?+
Microbreweries (under 200,000L/year) generate proportionally more packaging waste per litre due to smaller batch sizes. Spent grain: 50–200kg/batch (give to local farmers — free). Glass breakage: 2–5% of packaged product. Chemical cleaning waste: smaller volumes but same compliance requirements as large breweries. Monthly waste: $200–600. Trade waste agreement needed regardless of size.
How should a Melbourne distillery manage waste?+
Distilleries generate: spent botanicals and grain (compostable — excellent for farming partnerships), glass breakage, chemical cleaning waste, packaging, and high-strength wastewater (trade waste). Spent botanicals can go to composting or animal feed. Distillery wastewater is very high in BOD — pre-treatment may be required before sewer discharge. Monthly waste: $300–1,000. Trade waste fees: $500–2,000/year.
How should a Melbourne commercial cheese maker manage waste?+
Cheese makers generate: whey (high-BOD liquid — significant trade waste stream), packaging, cleaning chemical waste, brine waste, and general waste. Whey has value as animal feed or whey protein processing. Trade waste agreements are critical as whey discharged untreated can cause major sewer issues. Monthly waste: $300–800. Trade waste fees can be significant ($1,000–5,000/year) without whey management.
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Updated 25 June 2026
