Starting on March 31, 2025, businesses in England with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees will need to follow new ‘Simpler Recycling’ rules. The goal? To make recycling easier and more consistent across the country. That means sorting waste into specific categories and making sure everything ends up in the right place.
What Waste Must Be Separated:
- Dry Recyclable Materials:
- Glass: e.g., drink bottles and food jars.
- Metal: e.g., drink cans, food tins, aerosols, aluminium foil, and food trays.
- Plastic: e.g., rinsed food containers and bottles.
- Paper and Cardboard: e.g., newspapers, envelopes, delivery boxes, and packaging.
- Food Waste: All food leftovers and waste from food preparation, regardless of the volume produced.
- Black Bin Waste (Residual) : Non-recyclable items, including heavily contaminated materials like unwashed food packaging and absorbent hygiene products such as nappies.
- Garden Waste (if applicable): Grass cuttings, leaves, and plant matter.
Businesses generating garden waste are also obligated by law to manage it according to the waste hierarchy, ensuring it is recycled or composted when beneficial to the environment.
Implementation Timeline:
- March 31, 2025: Businesses with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees must comply with the new waste separation requirements.
- March 31, 2027: Micro-firms (businesses with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees) must adhere to the same regulations.
Choosing the Right Refuse Bags for Business Recycling
To comply with these new waste separation rules, businesses will need the right refuse bags for each type of waste. It can be confusing so here’s some help with what you should use:
Dry Mixed Recycling Bags
For dry recyclable materials, you should use clear recycling sacks such as or coloured-coded blue refuse sacks often used for paper and cardboard. These bags help waste collectors quickly find recyclable waste and prevents contamination.
Food Waste Bags
Food waste should go in compostable caddy liners for bins in kitchens and dining areas or compostable refuse sacks for larger food waste bins to make sure you’re following the rules.
General Waste Bags
For anything that can’t be recycled, businesses should use black refuse sacks or heavy-duty black refuse sacks for heavier waste.
Complying with the New Regulations
To make sure you’re following the rules, work with a registered waste collector who can provide the right bins and pick-up services. Using the correct refuse bags not only keeps your business compliant but also makes recycling simpler and more efficient.
By getting ahead of these changes and stocking up on the right refuse bags, your business can smoothly transition to the new regulations while doing its part for the environment.
Explore our range of recycling and refuse bags to ensure your business is ready for these changes.
