Kirsty Woodward, Head of Regional Sales from Enva, one the country’s leading waste management and resource recovery businesses discusses what the Simpler Recycling regulations mean for businesses and the importance of being compliant.

From 31 March 2025, all workplaces in England with 10 or more employees have a legal duty to manage waste in accordance with the UK government’s new Simpler Recycling regulations. This change aims to simplify the recycling process and make it more consistent, ensuring that businesses contribute effectively to a more sustainable circular economy.

Understanding the New Regulations
Under the new regulations, all businesses and non-domestic premises must separate their waste into specific categories, including:

– Dry recyclable materials: This comprises plastic, metal, glass, paper and card.
– Food waste: All food leftovers and waste generated during food preparation must be separated and disposed of properly.
– Black bin waste (residual waste): This category includes any waste that cannot be recycled, such as contaminated packaging and hygiene products.

Additionally, businesses generating garden waste must manage it in accordance with the waste hierarchy, arranging for it to be recycled or composted in a way that delivers the best environmental outcome.

One of the important features of these regulations is the flexibility given to businesses. They can decide on the size and frequency of their waste collection, tailored to the volume of waste they produce.

Who Is Affected?
These regulations apply to almost every sector that generates waste similar to household waste. This includes:
– Offices
– Retail and wholesale establishments
– Hospitality venues such as cafés and restaurants
– Educational institutions like schools and universities
– Healthcare premises, including GP surgeries and hospitals
– Charities, places of worship, and penal institutes

Separating Recyclable Waste
The successful implementation of the regulation hinges on the proper separation of waste. Businesses must ensure that paper and card are separated from other dry recyclables, unless their waste collector such as Enva collects them together. In all cases, dry recyclables, food waste, and black bin waste must remain distinct from each other.

Businesses should educate their teams about the types of waste they must separate, such as:
– Glass: Drinks bottles and rinsed food jars
– Metal: Drinks cans, tins, and aluminium foil
– Plastic: Rinsed food containers and bottles
– Paper and cardboard: Newspapers, envelopes, and packaging  
– Food leftovers
– Waste generated by preparing food (of any volume, even if the workplace does not serve food or have a canteen)  

The Role of Enva
At Enva, we recognise that compliance can seem daunting, but we are here to simplify the process. Our cost-effective and convenient solutions ensure that businesses remain compliant with the new regulations with minimal disruption.

– Internal Containers: We provide internal segregation bins that allow you to separate mixed recycling, food waste, and general waste before they are transferred to external bins for collection.
– Food Waste Caddies: Our range of food waste caddies enables hygienic storage of food waste prior to collection, ensuring waste is managed efficiently.
– External Containers: Wheelie bin containers from 140 to 1100 litres.
– Separate Collection: Dedicated collections for large volumes of individual waste streams such as card.
– Recycled Materials: We can offer containers made from recycled plastic, helping you contribute to environmental sustainability while staying compliant.

By facilitating the segregation of waste internally and externally, our solutions maximise the quantity and quality of your recycling efforts. In doing so, businesses not only comply with legal requirements but also contribute to reduced carbon emissions, support the development of the circular economy initiatives, and alleviate pressure on our natural resources.

We’re here to help!
With the new recycling regulations now in place, businesses need to act now to ensure compliance and optimise waste management strategies. Contact us today to learn more about our solutions and how we can support your business in embracing a more sustainable future. Contact Ryan Walsh, Business Development Manager at Ryan.walsh@enva.com or call mob: 07763 216842.

If you are unsure if these rules apply to your business, the Gov.UK website has guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england