Simpler Recycling reforms
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Is your business ready for the new Simple Recycling regulations?
Simpler Recycling aims to make recycling easier across England and to reduce the confusion about what can and can’t be recycled in different places.
The Simpler Recycling scheme, introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in October 2023, has set important dates:
- 31 March 2025 - Businesses with 10 or more full-time employees must separate food waste and dry recyclables for collection.
- 31 March 2027 - Micro-firms (businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees) must separate food waste and dry recyclables for collection. All businesses will also need to separate plastic film packaging and plastic bags in the plastic waste stream.
Legislation requires businesses, schools, hospitals and other non-household municipal premises to separate dry recycling from general waste collection. Materials for separate collection include:
- Paper and cardboard
- Cartons (i.e. Tetrapak)
- Metals (i.e. cans, tins, foils)
- Plastic (i.e. pots, tubs and trays)
- Glass (i.e. bottles and jars)
Businesses will also be required to separate their food waste, no matter how small the quantity they generate. This is to avoid as much food waste as possible to end up in landfill. Included in the food waste stream are all food intended for human or household pet consumption and biodegradable material such as fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags, bones, among others.
Lancaster City Council is currently unable to supply a food waste collection service, but will be reviewing this in the next 12 months.
In the meantime, we would advise that you approach your current service provider for your general waste regarding food waste collections, or you could enquire with any other commercial waste operator.
In the meantime, we would advise that you approach a local service provider to discuss your food waste collection requirements. The city council will still offer other forms of trade waste recycling.
