Under England’s Simpler Recycling rules, businesses must separate their waste into three streams — dry recycling, food waste and general (residual) waste — and arrange separate collections for them. Workplaces with 10 or more employees have had to comply since 31 March 2025; micro-firms with fewer than 10 employees have until 31 March 2027.
What are the streams?
| Stream | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Dry recycling | Paper & card, plastic, metal and glass. These can usually be collected together as “mixed dry recyclables” — check with your provider. |
| Food waste | All food waste, collected separately. Applies to any business that produces food waste, not just hospitality. |
| General waste | Everything that can’t be recycled, in its own stream. |
Plastic films and flexible plastics become collectable from 31 March 2027.
Who has to comply, and when?
- From 31 March 2025: all workplaces with 10 or more full-time-equivalent employees. The count is across the whole business, not per site.
- From 31 March 2027: micro-firms with fewer than 10 employees, plus the plastic-film requirement for everyone.
What does this mean in practice?
You’ll need the right bins for each stream and a licensed provider collecting them separately, with the Duty of Care paperwork to match. For most businesses that means reviewing bin sizes and collection frequencies so you’re not paying for half-empty bins — our guide to commercial recycling covers how to right-size.
How to comply without the headache
The simplest route is a single provider handling all three streams on one account, with consolidated reporting. Select A Skip arranges compliant, separated commercial waste collections UK-wide — and if you report on recycling for ESG or tenders, our waste reporting gives you the tonnage and recycling-rate data you need.
Frequently asked questions
Does Simpler Recycling apply to small businesses?
Yes. Businesses with 10+ employees have complied since March 2025; those with fewer than 10 must comply by 31 March 2027. There’s no exemption for small firms — only a later deadline.
Do I have to separate food waste even if I’m not a restaurant?
If your business produces food waste — a staff kitchen counts — it must be collected separately. It’s not limited to hospitality.
Can dry recyclables be collected together?
In most cases yes — paper, card, plastic, metal and glass can be collected as mixed dry recyclables, then sorted at a facility. Your provider will confirm what your local collection accepts together.
What happens if my business doesn’t comply?
Simpler Recycling is a legal requirement enforced by the Environment Agency, which can take regulatory action against non-compliant businesses. Beyond the risk, separating waste usually cuts cost by diverting recycling out of pricier general-waste collections.
Need to get compliant? Talk to us and we’ll set up separated collections that fit how your business actually works.