Back in March 2025, the government introduced new rules under the Simpler Recycling regulations, part of the Environment Act 2021.
These regulations were introduced to address confusion and inconsistencies in recycling practices across different regions and to boost overall recycling rates. The aim being to make recycling easier for businesses, by standardizing what can be recycled and ensuring consistent collection methods.
The UK’s recycling rates had plateaued, and the new regulations are intended to increase participation and reduce contamination by clearly defining what can be recycled and ensuring consistent collections.
What’s required?
Under the Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2025, businesses, charities, and public sector organisations in England must now separate:
- Dry recyclables – paper, card, plastics, metals, glass
- Food waste
- Residual (non-recyclable) waste
These rules already apply to organisations with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees, however Micro-businesses (fewer than 10 staff) have until March 2027 to comply.
How to Comply
-
Check your bins and collections
- Make sure you have the right containers for dry recycling, food waste, and residual waste.
- Speak to your waste contractor to confirm they can collect these streams separately.
-
Train your staff
- Brief your team on what goes in which bin.
- Use clear signage and colour coding to reduce contamination.
-
Keep simple records
- Note down your waste contractor details and collection schedules.
- Keep any invoices or service agreements as evidence of compliance.
-
Review regularly
- Monitor your recycling process to make sure materials are separated correctly.
- Update procedures as needed if your waste streams change.
Why it matters
The goal of these regulations is to simplify recycling, improve recycling rates, and cut down on landfill. By requiring separate collections, the regulations aim to reduce contamination, meaning more waste can be successfully recycled.
The Environment Agency can issue compliance notices, which require businesses to address the identified issues and adhere to the regulations, and for persistent offenders they are authorized to issue fines, potentially reaching thousands of pounds.