The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), states that Simpler Recycling will ensure streamlined waste collections from all businesses, households and non-domestic premises such as healthcare services and educational facilities.
These changes are designed to make recycling easier and to help increase the amount of viable recycled waste. Currently, waste collection services vary from county to county. These varying recycling requirements can result in confusion, and a drop in effective general waste and recyclable waste segregation.
How does Simpler Recycling legislation effect businesses?
Simpler Recycling policy has introduced four new default recycling categories.
From 31st March 2025, UK businesses will be required to provide four separate recycling bins for:
- food waste
- paper and card
- all other dry recyclables such as plastic, glass bottles and jars and metal cans
- non-recyclable, general waste
Recycling will be made easier as businesses will be able to recycle the same types of waste as households and non-domestic entities. Collection of these four categories of waste must be arranged by businesses with more than 10 full-time employees. For smaller businesses which have fewer than 10 full-time employees, the deadline for implementation of the aforementioned is 31st March 2027.
The aim of the Simpler Recycling policy is to improve recycling rates by reducing waste contamination. Contamination of recyclable materials such as paper and card can drastically reduce the viability of recycling these items. Ensuring that recyclable materials and general waste are effectively separated is essential. This can be simply implemented using recycling bins designed for each category of recyclable. These small improvements will have a positive impact on the overall recycling rate and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Government suggests that this UK-wide recycling policy will be part of a wider strategy working towards a 'zero waste, circular economy'. Some of the aims within this wider strategy include:
- Helping nature to thrive
- Improving economy
- Reducing the throwaway culture
- An investment in critical infrastructure and employment in 'green' industries
- An accelerated path to zero waste
As this policy is pushed ahead, Local Authorities will be expected to continue to provide household waste collection services to a reasonable standard. Householders needs for recycling should be a priority through the Simpler Recycling plan. This Defra guide to household waste collections is a good resource on the legal obligations for local authorities regarding household waste collection from 31st March 2026.
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