Businesses must not ignore the upcoming Simpler Recycling reforms, experts have warned, saying those who flout the rules may face fines and sanctions.
Waste management experts at BusinessWaste are urging the businesses to prep for the reforms set to come into effect from March 31.
Non-compliance will first result in a compliance notice from the Environment Agency, state the experts.
If the issue isn’t resolved, further action—aligned with the Environment Agency’s Enforcement and Sanctions Policy—could include warnings, fines, or even prosecution. The agency will assess the severity of each violation before taking enforcement measures.
Simpler Recycling reforms will affect all businesses in England with 10 or more full-time employees, and compliance must be in place by 31 March 2025.
The rules apply regardless of how many employees are on-site at a given time. For example, a business with two locations and five full-time employees at each still falls under these regulations.
Businesses must now separate their waste into:
- Food waste
- Paper and cardboard (can be combined)
- Dry recycling (plastic, metal, and glass, which can be combined)
None of these materials can be disposed of with general waste.
Defra has confirmed that compliance notices will be issued to businesses not separating waste in agreement with their waste collector.
While responsibility typically falls on the business, landlords or facilities management companies may also be held accountable if they handle waste disposal on a business’s behalf.
Mark Hall, waste management expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, comments, "While we would never advise businesses to ignore important rule changes like this, we can understand why many are frustrated.
"Communication from the government has been very poor, with many businesses unaware the changes were even taking place. It’s fallen on waste management companies like ourselves to reach out to customers to ensure they don’t fall foul of regulations.
“Many businesses have been left in the dark about how the rules work, who they apply to, and even now we don’t have clear guidance on how the rules will be enforced and what the exact penalties will be.
“The generic nature of the guidance has left many questioning what changes they need to make. For example, do all offices with ten or more employees now need to instruct workers to take home food waste to avoid adding collection fees?
"While the new rules will bring undeniable environmental benefits, many businesses feel they are the latest in a line of measures which will only increase operating costs.”
Convenience store body Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has also released a set of guidance for retailers in England detailing what they have to do to stay on the right side of the law when new rules on separating waste come into force in March.
The full guide is available to download here.
