New Workplace Recycling Regulations

Optimising Commercial Waste Services: Supporting Welsh Authorities in Adapting to New Workplace Recycling Regulations

Local Partnerships helps Welsh authorities improve cost recovery and waste services under new workplace recycling regulations, offering a toolkit for best practices.

As the waste management landscape evolves and we move towards a zero waste society, the introduction of the Workplace Recycling Regulations in Wales has driven local authorities to reassess their commercial waste services. 

The Challenge

Local Partnerships has worked with various authorities across Wales to undertake commercial waste service reviews with a view to enhance cost recovery, strengthen commercial strategies, and boost service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Key Outcomes:

• Torfaen Council achieved full cost recovery by realigning pricing structures.
• Caerphilly Council successfully procured a third party to deliver their trade strategy and improved cost recovery.
• Newport Council incorporated new trade waste service requirements into their existing domestic service contract.
• Gwynedd Council is looking to improve cost recovery and expand their market sector over the coming year.
• Supported other local authorities to consider funding bids and financial business cases for expanding their trade service vehicle requirements

Why Local Partnerships?

Local Partnerships was chosen to carry out the reviews due to its flexible approach, combining technical expertise with operational experience.

Each review was tailored to meet the specific needs of each local authority, but included elements such as:

• Governance arrangements and terms of reference being established.
• Critical paths being mapped and tracked to ensure robust delivery.
• Commercial skills mapping, training, and sales techniques provided to staff.
• Data analysis and financial modelling undertaken to inform pricing strategies and business cases.
• Direct support provided for procurement exercises and stakeholder communication.

Commercial waste toolkit

The Commercial Waste Toolkit is designed to support local authorities in evaluating and enhancing their commercial waste operations. A well-structured commercial waste service not only enhances service delivery but also drives profitability, market share, and adaptability to future policy changes. At Local Partnerships, we have a proven track record of helping local authorities successfully navigate these critical transitions.

Can We Help?

We continue to support local authorities in reviewing their commercial waste services, enhancing cost recovery and increasing profit margins to address growing financial pressures. We are drawing on the lessons learned from the regulations being implemented in Wales to support local authorities in England as they work towards implementing Simpler Recycling. 

Building on the insights from this project, we have also developed a free commercial waste toolkit, accessible to all local authorities, to share best practices.

Do you have a project you would like help with, or could we answer a question about our services? Please message us today, contact the Zero Waste team or use the ‘can we help?’ form found on the right of this page. We look forward to hearing from you.