Simpler recycling: workplace recycling in England – are you ready? 

Important changes are happening from 31 March 2025: all workplaces and commercial waste collectors in England will need to follow new guidelines for recycling. If you offer or oversee a commercial waste service you need to be ready. 

You will need to support your commercial customers with separate recycling collections:

• Dry Recyclables: plastic, metal, glass, paper, and card 
• Food Waste: any waste generated from food preparation or leftovers 
• Black Bin Waste: residual waste that cannot be recycled

All businesses and non-domestic premises you service must comply, including offices, retail, hospitality, healthcare and educational institutions. As a waste collector, or contract manager for a commercial waste contract, you must ensure your services meet the new requirements.  

As a service provider these are the potential impacts:  

• Operational Changes: businesses will need to implement separate bins for dry recyclables, food waste, and residual waste. This may require an initial investment in new containers and/or adjustments to waste collection schedules. The changes may attract new customers  
• Compliance and Legal Obligations: all businesses must comply with the new regulations, which means ensuring that waste is properly sorted and presented for collection. The right information and customer support will smooth this transition for your customers and reduce the risk of contamination 
• Cost Implications: while there may be some upfront costs, improved recycling practices can lead to long-term savings. For example, food waste collections can be cheaper than general waste disposal. But you may need new pricing structures and your profit margins may change without careful consideration. 
• Sustainability and Reputation: being a market leader in these guidelines can enhance your sustainability credentials, which is increasingly important to customers and stakeholders. Demonstrating a commitment to environmental responsibility can improve an authority’s public image and potentially attract more eco-conscious customers. 
• Consistency and Clarity: this is a significant change for some customers, so standardising your approach aims to reduce confusion about what can be recycled, making it easier for businesses to manage their waste effectively.

There may be some initial adjustments, but the long-term benefits include cost savings, improved sustainability, and a clearer, more consistent recycling process.

How we can we help? 

Whether the goal is to enhance service delivery, increase profits and market share, or prepare for these policy changes, Local Partnerships has experience in guiding local authorities through these transitions. The Commercial Waste Toolkit offers a step-by-step guide to evaluating and improving commercial waste services, so take a look and start planning your journey today – time is running out before the deadline. 

These changes aim to make recycling more efficient and environmentally friendly. If you need more detailed information, you can check the  GOV.UK guidance. 

We can help

Do you have a project you would like help with, or could we answer a question about our services? Please message use the contact form on this page to send us a message.