What is the Simpler Recycling Law?
On the 31st of March 2025, recycling laws across England are changing. If you are a business with 10 or more full time employees, you will need to separate recycling materials from general waste. Waste will have to be split into:
- Food waste – All food waste will have to go into a separate bin from general waste.
- Dry mixed recycling – Paper, card, plastic, and aluminium can be collected. Large amounts of paper and card might have to collected separately.
- Glass – Any glass waste needs to be collected on its own
- General waste – General waste is anything that can not be recycled, also known as residual waste.
What changes will the law bring in for businesses?
This new law will bring in changes over time. The environmental department has staggered the introduction of “Simpler Recycling” to give organisations a good amount of time to become compliant.
From March 31st, 2025, all businesses with more than 10 employees must comply with new recycling laws.
A year later, on the 31st of March 2026, local authorities must implement standardised core recycling collections. This will include weekly food waste collections for households.
Then, from March 31st, 2027, micro businesses will have to become compliant with the new laws. Plastic film will also be included in the plastic waste stream from this date.
What businesses in the UK must comply with the Simpler Recycling Law?
From March 31st, 2025, all businesses across the UK with more than 10 employees must comply with the new Simpler Recycling laws. Any business with under 10 employees (micro-business) has until the 31st of March 2027 to comply with these new laws.
How can your business stay compliant with the new laws?
To ensure that your business complies with the Simpler recycling laws, you should:
- Conduct a waste audit – The first step in complying with new recycling laws is to complete a waste audit. A waste audit will allow you to identify what types of waste your business currently has and how you are managing this.
- Develop a plan based on results – The next step would be to create a plan based on the findings of the waste audit. You would need to figure out how you will separate waste and what you would require to do this.
- Train your staff up on the new plan – Ensure your staff are involved in the new recycling regimes that you are putting in place. Have posters and different coloured bins to make it easier for your employees to comply.
- Ensure you have a reliable waste service provider – Finally, to ensure your company is complying with the new recycling laws, you need to ensure that you have a reliable waste collection provider. Find out more about this here.
Why are these laws being introduced?
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has introduced the new Simpler Recycling law in the hopes of:
- Improving UK recycling rates
- Reducing waste contamination
- Helping the UK to reach net zero targets
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