Neil Pollard Divisional Director of Hills Waste Solutions explains what the Simpler Recycling Legislation means for your business.
With the UK Government introducing simpler recycling legislation, many businesses in the South West of England will need to review how they deal with the waste they create and are likely to need to make changes.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) aims to improve business recycling rates, reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill. For small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), this brings both opportunities and responsibilities. Understanding the key elements of the new regulations and how they impact your business is important to ensure compliance.
How the changes affect SME’s
One of the most notable updates is the disposal of food waste. It will soon be illegal to dispose of food waste in general waste bins, as this type of waste can easily be recycled, where it’s possible to process this waste and turn it into fertiliser which can then support the growing of more food.
For many SME businesses generating food waste, particularly pubs, restaurants and hotels, it may mean that an additional waste service must be purchased. Other businesses where food is consumed on the premises and where leftovers are thrown out are also affected. So, whether your business is an office, industrial site, school or nursery, you may well be affected.
The other key change relates to ’dry‘ recyclable materials, which may currently also be thrown into general waste. Businesses will be encouraged to place these items into another dry mixed recyclable bin, further reducing the waste going to landfill.
Dry recyclables include plastics, recyclable paper, cardboard and metals. A separate collection for glass is recommended due to its weight and for safety reasons.
Impacts to your current service
All these changes are likely to impact the waste services that you use today, so it's worth considering the following:
- More bins: businesses may need more bins for more waste types, although each may be smaller than the general waste bin currently in use.
- Frequency of collections: these may need to vary depending upon the type of waste your business uses, so some bins may require more frequent collections compared to others.
- Collection costs: these will change according to what your business now needs
- Overweight charges: You may find that as you are placing less in landfill you will incur fewer overweight charges. Food and glass are large contributors to the weight of your bin, so if you currently place these in general waste, then removing them from this type of bin may help you.
- Space: You may need to consider where to keep your bins to ensure you have enough storage space and to ensure that your waste provider still has access.
You can find more details about the simplified legislation and how it applies to businesses on our dedicated simpler recycling web page.
Landfill Tax Increases
To further encourage businesses to change, the Government will also increase Landfill Tax for the waste that does go to landfill. Although businesses do not pay this charge directly, the waste carriers you use will incur this additional cost, which is likely to be passed onto businesses, since the rate of increase is more than 21%, depending upon the rates applied.
Understanding Exemptions for Smaller Businesses
It is important to note that while the new recycling rules are broad, not every business will be affected in the same way. Microbusinesses—with fewer than 10 employees—may be exempt from some of the more stringent requirements until 31 March 2027, though this is not always the case. For smaller companies, it’s still advisable to get a clear understanding of the legislation and seek professional advice. We can provide further clarity on exemptions and can help you determine if they should apply to your business.
What should SME’s do?
To help you think about the waste you produce, here are some helpful ideas:
- Look at your existing waste contracts in plenty of time, many contracts have three or six month notice periods, so you want to make sure you can make the necessary changes in time.
- Review your supplier and get competitive quotes before renewal, pricing will have changed.
- Look at your business processes and consider changing them to ensure you will be compliant with the legislation.
- Inform and train your staff on the correct disposal of waste in your business
- Consider putting up signage to help employees identify the correct bins – it's surprising the difference this can make!
- Move to any new contract in good time, before March 2025.
Commercial Waste is our Business - We Can Help
At Hills Waste Solutions, we are experts in helping SME businesses to navigate the complexities of waste management, and the new DEFRA regulations are no exception.
Whether your business is part of the hospitality industry, in manufacturing, part of the education sector, or an office-based service, we offer a range of recycling services covering food waste, dry recyclables, and most other waste types, ensuring your business is not only compliant but also contributing positively to the environment.
To discover how we can help your transition under these new regulations, give us a call on 0808 145 4533 or visit our Hills Waste Solutions website.