Simpler recycling is new legislation that comes into force from 31 March 2025 for commercial waste and recycling collections.
What simpler recycling means for your business
The new law means businesses and workplaces with 10 or more staff will have to recycle any food, plus:
- metal
- plastics
- paper
- card
- cartons and
- glass
they generate from their premises.
This means all businesses and other non-household premises like schools and hospitals with 10 or more full-time employees. This is regardless of how many employees are on site at one time.
For example, if a business has 5 locations with only 2 full-time employees based at each, the business will still be required to implement the simpler recycling regulations.
Businesses with fewer than 10 staff have until 31 March 2027 to comply.
What your business will need to do differently
For most businesses and workplaces, the biggest change will be that you will no longer be able to just use a general rubbish bin for all your waste.
If you’re not yet recycling food waste and materials such as:
- paper
- card and
- plastics
you’ll need to contract with a licensed commercial waste carrier to provide your business with this service.
Our commercial waste collections team can help make your business compliant from just £13 a week with a food waste, recycling and rubbish collection service. Please note that we don’t currently offer a collection of cartons.
Get your fast and no obligation quoteWhy we need simpler recycling
The new legislation aims to increase recycling rates by:
- Standardising and simplifying what is collected for recycling across England
- Reducing confusion about what can and can’t be recycled
- Removing recyclable material from general waste so it can be recycled
- Reducing the amount of unrecyclable materials going into recycling bins
Find more information on simpler recycling for businesses from: