Simpler Recycling is a government initiative that aims to improve recycling rates and benefit the environment.
The scheme simplifies and standardises the materials we all recycle, whether at home or at work. The timescales for the changes vary over the coming years.
All businesses will be required to separate their waste in to:
- Recycling
- Food waste
- General waste.
The changes to UK legislation relate to businesses and non-domestic premises (like schools, healthcare facilities, charities, charity shops and care homes) with more than ten full-time employees and came into force on Monday 31 March 2025.
Smaller micro firms (with fewer than 10 full-time employees) have a deadline of 31 March 2027.
Getting your business ready
To comply with the legal Simpler Recycling arrangements, you will need to separate general waste, mixed dry recycling (items listed below) and food waste.
Materials that will need to be recycled:
- Glass - drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars
- Metal - drinks cans and rinsed empty food tins, empty aerosols, aluminium foil and food trays
- Plastic - rinsed empty food containers, bottles and plastic film
- Paper - such as newspapers, magazines, letters and envelopes
- Cardboard - such as delivery boxes and packaging.
How we can help
We offer a commercial waste and recycling collection service (with the items collected in the one bin), which can help your business meet the requirements of the new legislation.