Simpler Recycling

Simpler Recycling is a new initiative from the government designed to make recycling easier and more efficient for everyone in England.

  • Providing businesses with clear guidelines to separate waste at the source
  • Making recycling easier & consistent across England
  • Sustainable streamlined collections  
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EFFECTIVE FROM: March 31st 2025

Simpler Recycling is a new initiative from the government designed to make recycling easier and more efficient for everyone in England. It sets clear guidelines for how businesses should handle different types of waste, ensuring that Recyclable Waste Streams like food waste, paper/card, plastics, metals, and glass are separated from general waste. This aims to reduce confusion about what can be recycled and helps businesses contribute to sustainability efforts by ensuring recyclables are processed correctly. To be compliant, businesses will need to separate five key types of waste known as Recyclable Waste Streams. Here’s a breakdown of each type, along with examples of common items in each category. Read more > Gov.uk

A hand recycling items

What are Recyclable Waste Streams (RWS)?

Examples: Fruit peelings & scraps, vegetable peels, coffee grounds, teabags, cooked and uncooked meat, bones, plate scrapings.

Examples: Office paper, cardboard boxes, paper food cartons.

Examples: Wine bottles, jam jars, sauce bottles, coffee jars.

Examples: Water and soft drink bottles, yogurt pots, food trays, plastic tubes like toothpaste tubes.

Examples: Soft drink cans, aerosol cans, aluminium foil trays, food cans.

Key details of the new simpler recycling regulations

  • Deadline: Businesses must start segregating recyclable waste streams by 31 March 2025
  • Action required: Review your waste management systems and ensure you have processes in place for proper segregation
  • Government guidance: For full details, you can view the official government guidance on Simpler Recycling in England: policy update – GOV.UK.

Advice & support

To support your compliance, please begin reviewing your waste management processes:

  1. Identify Recyclable Waste Streams (RWS): Understand the types of recyclable materials generated at your sites and estimate the quantities
  2. Internal waste segregation: Ensure that you have proper bins and systems in place for segregating recyclable materials at the point of generation
  3. Co-mingling considerations: Some Recyclable Waste Streams, such as paper and cardboard or plastics and metals, can be co-mingled together. However, food waste must be separated from other Recyclable Waste Streams. General waste must always remain separate from all Recyclable Waste Streams

Containers & collections checklist

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