Understanding The Simpler Recycling Law In England

Simpler Recycling Regs FAQs

• What about businesses with few employees in different sites?
  The law applies to enterprises, not individual sites. If your total workforce (including contractors and multiple locations) exceeds 10 full-time equivalent employees, you must comply now. Micro-businesses (fewer than 10 employees) have until March 2027.
• How can businesses encourage employees to recycle correctly?
  • Offer workplace recycling engagement training sessions.
  • Use colour-coded recycling stations with clear signage (colour-coded, icons etc), intuitive waste apertures and all the waste streams conveniently to hand in one place.
  • Communicate the environmental and business benefits of recycling.
  • Collect employee feedback to improve recycling practices and encourage correct recycling & waste separation behaviour in the workplace.
• What are the penalties for non-compliance?
  The government can issue fines and enforcement actions for businesses that fail to meet recycling requirements. If you do not comply with these requirements by 31 March 2025 (or 31 March 2027 for micro firms), you are at risk of receiving a compliance notice from the Environment Agency. Compliance notices can also be issued against anyone who is not separating waste in agreement with their waste collector.  There is also the reputational and potential brand damage to consider if your company receives enforcement actions and this is posted on social media or news channels. 
• What happens if waste is thrown in the wrong waste stream?
  Incorrect sorting can contaminate entire batches of recyclables, leading to their rejection by recycling facilities and eventual disposal in landfills or incinerators. This not only increases environmental harm and CO2 but also raises waste disposal costs as general waste is typically more expensive to have collected from site.
• What if I don’t have enough space for extra bins?
  Unisort offers compact recycling station solutions with all required waste streams in one unit, designed to fit any space without disrupting aesthetics. They can also be customised with specific dimensions and colours / graphics to match your company brand and interior design. We offer a consultative approach to help identify best locations on site for your recycling stations to optimise the user experience and give you the best chance of increasing buy-in and recycling rates.
• Can I have more than 4 waste streams or more frequent collections?
  Yes! The Simpler Recycling regulations are a minimum requirement and should not stop your business from recycling and separating to further waste streams if possible or required.  If your business generates a large amount of certain materials (e.g., glass), you can add extra recycling streams. However, check with your waste provider, as their sorting facility may not separate additional materials, so that extra effort from your side would be pointless. 
• How can I make workplace recycling easier?
  • Strategically place bins with clear signage.
  • Engage employees with training, feedback sessions, and ongoing education.
  • Use multiple communication channels (e.g., notice boards, intranet, social media, team meetings, webinars).
  • Keep instructions simple and jargon-free.

    Contact us for step-by-step support. Unisort provides innovative recycling solutions that simplify workplace recycling with design-led and colour-coded stations. Discover Simpler Recycling Law guidance, and workplace recycling engagement training sessions to empower your team in proper recycling.
• But we don’t have food waste! Can we skip food waste containers?
  No! Food waste includes tea bags, fruit peels, leftover snacks, expired food, and even bones. All businesses must separate food waste, no matter how little is generated.
• What should I be collecting for recycling and composting?
  Dry mixed recyclables include:

  • Glass: Bottles, jars
  • Metal: Cans, aerosols, foil, food trays, lids, tubes
  • Plastic: Bottles, pots, tubs, trays, cartons, plastic film, plastic bags
  • Paper and card: Excludes laminated paper, foil/glitter paper, padded envelopes, books, wallpaper, used napkins/tissue

  Food waste includes:

  • All food waste (cooked and raw, including bones, eggshells, fruit/vegetable skins, coffee grounds, tea bags)
• Why does my business need to recycle?
  New laws require all businesses, healthcare facilities, and academic institutions to separate recyclables from general waste. Compliance deadlines:

  • March 31, 2025: Businesses with 10+ full-time employees must separate dry recyclables and food waste.
  • March 31, 2027: Businesses with fewer than 10 employees must comply.
  • April 2027: All businesses must collect flexible plastic packaging.

  Failure to comply can result in fines and regulatory actions. Proper recycling reduces landfill waste, cuts costs, conserves resources, and helps the environment. Unisort provides innovative recycling solutions that simplify workplace recycling with design-led and colour-coded stations. Discover Simpler Recycling Law guidance, and workplace recycling engagement training sessions to empower your team in proper recycling.
• What are the requirements for schools?
  Schools must follow the same rules as workplaces. The waste collected in classrooms, canteens, staff rooms and outdoor areas must align with Simpler Recycling guidelines.
• Do hospitals and healthcare sectors (like NHS) have exemptions?
  No, healthcare facilities must comply with Simpler Recycling as the minimum standard. They must also meet additional industry-specific regulations for hygiene and waste disposal.
• Can small sites with composting facilities opt out of food waste collection?
  That would be possible only if your composting system accepts food waste. And ensure they meet regulatory standards for your facilities’ type of food waste (e.g. animal by-product regulations). Check with your service provider.
• What could local authorities consider?
  Local authorities must evaluate how their waste collection strategies align with upcoming legislative changes, including: - Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funding and its impact on packaging waste management. - The phased introduction of flexible plastic packaging collections, mandated from March 31, 2027. - The Emission Trading Scheme, set to be implemented on January 1, 2026, with associated costs taking effect in 2028. - The transition of plastic and metal beverage containers to a new deposit return scheme launching in October 2027. - The potential inclusion of new recyclable materials, such as cartons, etc.
• What steps should businesses take to comply?
  1. Check with your waste management provider about service options for compliance.
  2. Discuss space and service frequency needs with them.
  3. Determine the best service options for your organisation.
  4. Set up internal recycling stations for staff and customer-facing areas.
  5. Follow recommended best practices – Get guidance.
• What does the new Simpler Recycling Law require?
  Simpler Recycling standardises waste collection across England, making it easier to recycle correctly. Workplaces will be required to use four waste streams:

  1. Residual (non-recyclable) waste
  2. Food waste – Unlike in Wales and Scotland, there is no minimum threshold in England. Some local authorities have exemptions for separate food waste collection, and co-collection of food and green waste is generally allowed.
  3. Paper and card – Unless a Local Authority or waste collector has obtained legislative flexibility through the TEEP test to collect these with dry recyclables.
  4. All other dry mixed recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass).