Simpler Recycling – Are You Ready for 31 March 2027?
New recycling requirements for businesses in England
The next major Simpler Recycling deadline is 31 March 2027.
If your business has fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees, the temporary exemption from the new workplace recycling requirements will end on 31 March 2027.
From this date, micro-businesses will need to have suitable arrangements in place to separate recyclable materials and food waste from general waste, where applicable.
If your business has 10 or more full-time equivalent employees, these requirements have already applied since 31 March 2025.
At Coast Environmental, we can help you review your current waste arrangements and put the right recycling and food waste services in place.
Don’t wait until 2027 – get your business ready now.
What is Simpler Recycling?
Simpler Recycling is the Government’s programme to make recycling requirements more consistent across England.
The regulations are designed to ensure that recyclable materials are separated from general waste so they can be recycled or otherwise appropriately recovered.
For businesses and other workplaces, the core waste streams include:
Paper & Card
Paper and cardboard should be kept separate from general waste.
Plastic
Recyclable plastic packaging and other relevant plastic materials should be separated for recycling.
Metal
Cans, tins and other recyclable metal items should be separated from general waste.
Glass
Glass bottles and jars should be collected separately for recycling.
Food Waste
Food waste must be kept separate from general waste where a business produces food waste.
Residual Waste
Only waste that cannot be recycled or otherwise recovered should go into the general/residual waste stream.
The exact collection arrangement can depend on the type and quantity of waste your business produces and the arrangements made with your waste collector.
31 March 2027 – The Deadline for Smaller Businesses
Businesses with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees are classed as micro-firms for the purposes of the Simpler Recycling timetable. These businesses have been given additional time to prepare.
From 31 March 2027
The temporary exemption ends and micro-firms will need to comply with the Simpler Recycling requirements. This means that if your business currently puts recyclable materials and food waste into a general waste bin, now is the time to review your arrangements.
There is no need to wait until 2027.
Putting the right recycling system in place early can help your business:
- Reduce the amount of waste going into general waste
- Increase your recycling rate
- Reduce unnecessary general waste collections
- Improve your environmental performance
- Make it easier for staff to recycle correctly
- Prepare for the legal requirements before the deadline
What Does Simpler Recycling Mean for Your Business?
The biggest change for many businesses is that recyclable materials and food waste can no longer simply be disposed of with general waste. You should review the waste your business produces and consider whether you have suitable arrangements for:
Dry Recycling: Paper, cardboard, plastic and metal
Glass Recycling: Glass bottles and jars
Food Waste Recycling: Food preparation waste, leftovers and other suitable food waste
General Waste: Waste that cannot be recycled or recovered
The Government’s guidance states that businesses should separate recyclable materials, food waste and residual waste before collection. (GOV.UK)
Does Your Business Need to Take Action?
10 or more full-time equivalent employees? You’re already subject to Simpler Recycling
The requirements came into force on 31 March 2025.
Fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees? Deadline: 31 March 2027
Your business has additional time to comply, but it is sensible to review your arrangements now.
Important: Full-time equivalent employees are calculated across the business rather than simply at one individual premises. A business operating from several locations may therefore not qualify as a micro-firm simply because each individual site has fewer than 10 employees. (GOV.UK)
What Should You Do Now?
Review the waste your business produces
Identify the main types of waste generated by your business. Do you produce food waste? Cardboard? Glass? Paper? Plastic? Metal?
Look at your current bins
Are recyclable materials currently going into your general waste bin? If so, there may be an opportunity to increase recycling and reduce the amount of residual waste you produce.
Consider food waste
If your business produces food waste, you should have a suitable separate food waste collection arrangement.
This is particularly important for businesses such as:
- Restaurants
- Cafés
- Hotels
- Pubs
- Schools
- Care homes
- Hospitality businesses
- Food retailers
- Offices with catering facilities
Make recycling easy for your staff
The most effective recycling systems are simple. Clearly labelled bins and straightforward waste streams make it easier for employees, customers and visitors to put waste in the correct container.
Review your collection frequency
The size and frequency of your collections should reflect the amount and type of waste your business produces. A good recycling system can reduce the amount of general waste you generate and may allow you to reduce the size or frequency of your residual waste collections.
- General Waste
- Dry Mixed Recyling
- Food Waste Recyling
- Glass Recyling
- Paper & Cardboard Recycling
- Confidential Waste
- Specialist Waste Services
How Coast Environmental Can Help
You don’t have to work out your new waste arrangements on your own.
Coast Environmental provides commercial waste and recycling services to businesses across Sussex and Kent. We can review your existing waste arrangements and recommend a practical solution based on the type and volume of waste your business produces.
We can provide the appropriate bins, arrange regular collections and provide the documentation you need to manage your waste responsibly.
Our food waste service provides dedicated food waste bins and collection arrangements. Food waste collected by Coast Environmental is transported to an anaerobic digestion facility where it can be processed to produce biogas and biofertiliser.
Our dry mixed recycling service provides a straightforward way for businesses to separate recyclable materials from general waste.
A Simple Waste Solution for Your Business
At Coast Environmental, we believe compliance shouldn’t make waste management complicated.
We can carry out a free waste audit to look at:
What you produce → How you currently dispose of it → What can be recycled → What bins you need → How often they need collecting
We can then recommend a practical waste management solution designed around your business.
Ready to get prepared for 2027?
Further Information
The Government has produced detailed guidance explaining the workplace recycling requirements in England.
[Government guidance – Simpler Recycling: workplace recycling in England]
WRAP has also developed a dedicated resource for businesses called The Business of Recycling, which provides practical information about the new requirements and how businesses can prepare.
Visit WRAP – The Business of Recycling
The rules described on this page apply to England. Businesses should ensure that they understand the requirements applicable to their own premises and waste arrangements.