Published on Monday 27 January 2025
The way in which businesses and workplaces recycle is about to change - and it's important to know what this means for you.
The government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ scheme is designed to make it easier for businesses to recycle as much waste as possible, reducing confusion over what can be recycled and ensuring people can recycle the same materials whether they are at home, work, or school.
Announced in October 2023, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) scheme means all households, businesses, and workplaces will have the same set of recycling materials collected, meaning they no longer need to check what their council or waste collector will accept for recycling.
The first changes come into effect from March 31 2025 and will apply to all businesses and workplaces with more than ten full time employees - including schools and hospitals - who must separate recyclable materials and food waste from their refuse.
From this date workplaces will need to have separate bins for refuse, recycling and food waste - and will need to arrange separate collections, too. It’s still important that bins are not stored on the public highway and especially pavements are kept clear.
By making this change, businesses will benefit from increasing recycling and reducing waste which could reduce business costs. It will also save energy, conserve our natural resources and protect our environment.
Food waste that is collected by BCP Council will be processed at an anaerobic digestion facility in Dorset - a process which generates electricity that goes back into the national grid to use as well as producing liquid fertiliser for local farmers.
Smaller business with fewer than ten full time employees have until March 31 2027 to implement the changes.
These changes are part of a national policy to provide consistency to waste services to help meet Government targets to recycle 65% of waste by 2035.
Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: “It’s really important that businesses, schools, and workplaces start to plan for this national change and know how it will affect them.
“We want to make it easier for people to recycle and these changes not only help with this aim, but also with our ambition to become carbon net zero ahead of the national 2050 target.
“Simpler Recycling further outlines our commitment to making the region sustainable for future generations and we are looking forward to working with our internal partners to make the scheme a success.
“Changes to household waste collections will be introduced in 2026, including food waste in Poole and for flats across the three towns.”
For more information about the Simpler Recycling scheme visit: bcpcouncil.gov.uk/campaigns-and-programmes/simpler-recycling .