Disposing of your business or commercial waste

Simpler Recycling - new waste reforms for businesses in England

Eastleigh Borough Council is encouraging businesses throughout the borough to start planning for proposed new rules on recycling.

The national ‘Simpler Recycling’ reforms mean all businesses with more than 10 employees must have separate food waste and recycling collections in place by the end of March 2025.

Businesses have a legal Duty of Care to store waste safely and to dispose of it using a registered waste carrier.

You can find out more about the proposed changes on the WRAP website. 

Businesses with fewer than ten full-time employees have until 31 March 2027 to meet these requirements.

Recyclable materials to be separated from general waste include:

• Glass such as drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars
• Metal such as drinks cans and food tins
• Plastic such as rinsed empty food containers and bottles
• Paper such as old newspapers and envelopes
• Cardboard such as delivery boxes and packaging
• Food waste including tea bags, coffee grounds, leftovers or waste generated by food preparation (NB. There is no minimum amount for food waste)

Businesses will need to have a separate food bin, and a refuse bin, but recyclable materials can be mixed to reduce the number of bins needed.

Plastic, film, and flexibles collections across all premises will also be implemented by 31 March 2027.

The new system will help businesses to recycle more, which will reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment from harmful waste.

New systems will also be introduced for the registration of companies who handle waste and there will be  a mandatory digital waste tracking service to track waste and resources throughout the economy.

The UK-wide digital waste tracking service requirements, replacing waste transfer notes and hazardous waste consignment notes.

Read further details on the consultation at Government response – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Guidelines from the Government (from .Gov.uk) say you must: 

• keep waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste (in that order)
• sort and store waste safely and securely
• complete a waste transfer note for each load of waste that leaves your premises
• check if your waste carrier is registered to dispose of waste
• not allow the waste carrier to dispose of your waste illegally (and report them if they do)

What counts as business waste?
Business waste includes any waste that comes from:

• any commercial activity – including one you run from your home
• construction
• demolition
• industry
• agriculture

Remember:

• If you want to dispose of your own waste you must register as a waste carrier.
• You have extra responsibilities if you’re dealing with hazardous waste.