New workplace recycling rules in England – what CCS suppliers need to know

The government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ reforms were rolled out in March, introducing new requirements for businesses, local authorities, and households to ensure a more consistent approach to waste and recycling across England.

The new rules aim to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or for incineration and promote the circular economy. The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting. These are key elements of CCS’s Sustainability strategy for helping the public sector achieve its Carbon Net Zero (CNZ) goals.

What’s changing?

From 31 March, workplaces with 10 or more employees will need to arrange for the collection of the following: 

• dry recyclable materials – including plastic, metal, glass, and paper and card 
• food waste  
• residual (non-recyclable) waste

Workplaces will need to separate paper and card from the other dry recyclables unless their waste collector collects them together. They will also have the freedom to decide on the size of containers and frequency of collections based on the volume of waste they produce.   

Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees have until 31 March 2027 to arrange for the recycling of the core recyclable waste streams.   

Who is affected?

Any business or workplace premises that generate waste that is similar in nature and composition to household waste must follow these rules across their operations (including for example, staff kitchens). This includes all relevant non-domestic premises, such as: 

• offices 
• retail and wholesale 
• transport and storage 
• hospitality, such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels 
• places of education, such as schools, colleges, and universities 
• healthcare places, such as GP surgeries and hospitals 
• care homes  
• charities and those registered as charities  

This is not a complete list and there are others. If you are unsure if the rules apply to your business, you can check the legislation.  

Why is it important? 

Simplifying the approach will mean more high-quality recycled material can be sourced domestically, which can then be used by manufacturers to make new products as part of the transition to a more circular economy.  

This will reduce carbon emissions, cut environmental and societal impacts from waste disposal, and support growth of the UK reprocessing industry. 

Alongside extended producer responsibility for packaging and the deposit return scheme for drinks containers, Simpler Recycling in England is estimated to deliver greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to £11.8 billion and make a significant contribution towards meeting the ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. 

Find out more

The official Defra guidance is available on the gov.uk website.

The recycling not-for-profit business WRAP has produced a comprehensive guide. Visit the WRAP England website here.

Public sector organisations affected can find solutions to their waste recycling and other sustainability needs in CCS commercial procurement agreements. Find a carbon net zero solution with our new Sustainable Solutions Finder tool on the CCS website.