Advice For Businesses On New Recycling Requirements

New regulations will soon require your business to separate recyclable materials from your general waste.

What is changing and why?

From the 31 March 2025, businesses will need to separate the following groups of recyclable materials:

• Glass, metal and plastic
• Cardboard and paper
• Food waste as a dedicated collection

The new guidelines apply to all businesses, healthcare establishments and academic institutions, but small businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees are temporarily exempt until 31 March 2027.

There is also no minimum food waste weight before the new regulations apply.

It's compulsory for businesses to arrange a separate collection of these materials, so they can be recycled.

Why does my business/organisation need to recycle?

New legislation comes into force soon that will require all businesses, health and social care establishments and academic institutions to separate a number of recyclables from their general waste. These include glass bottles and jars, metal food and drinks cans, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, paper and cardboard, and food waste.

The new regulations will mean that in the future, no waste from businesses can be sent for disposal unless it can be shown to have gone through a treatment process. The simplest way to provide this treatment is to separate your waste for reuse or recycling. The aim is to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste we send for disposal. It will also help reduce your business costs, save energy, conserve natural resources and protect the environment. 

When am I required to make the changes?

Businesses and organisations with 10 or more full-time employees are required to make arrangements for the collection of:

• Dry recyclable materials (except plastic film) by 31 March 2025
• Food waste by 31 March 2025
• Plastic film by 31 March 2027

Businesses and organisations with fewer than 10 full-time employees (classed as micro-firms) are required to make arrangements for the collection of:

• Dry recyclable materials (including plastic film) by 31 March 2027
• Food waste by 31 March 2027

For further information speak to your waste collection service provider about how they intend to help you meet these requirements.