The Business of Recycling

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does my business/organisation need to recycle?

  New legislation comes into force soon that will require all businesses, health and social care establishments and academic institutions to separate a number of recyclables from their general waste. These include glass bottles and jars, metal food and drinks cans, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, paper and cardboard and food waste.

  Businesses and organisations with ten or more full-time employees are required to make arrangements for the collection of:

  • Dry recyclable materials (except plastic film) by 31 March 2025

  • Food waste by 31 March 2025

  • Plastic film by 31 March 2027

  Businesses and organisations with fewer than ten full-time employees (classed as micro-firms) are required to make arrangements for the collection of:

  • Dry recyclable materials (including plastic film) by 31 March 2027

  • Food waste by 31 March 2027

  The new regulations will mean that in future, no waste from businesses can be sent for disposal unless it can be shown to have gone through a treatment process. The simplest way to provide this treatment is to separate your waste for reuse or recycling. The aim is to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste we send for disposal. It will also help reduce your business costs, save energy, conserve natural resources and protect the environment.  

• What should I be collecting for recycling and composting?

  The following materials must be collected in the dry recyclable waste streams:

  Glass

  • Glass packaging, including bottles and jars

  Metal

  • Steel and aluminium tins and cans

  • Steel and aluminium aerosols

  • Aluminium foil and food trays

  • Steel and aluminium jars and bottle lids

  • Aluminium tubes

  Plastic

  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays

  • Cartons for food, drink and other liquids, including aseptic and chilled cartons

  • Plastic film packaging and plastic bags

    Tip: If your service provider collects plastic separately from other dry materials, collecting cartons in the plastic recyclable waste stream will mean more cartons can be effectively sorted and reprocessed.

  All paper and card except:

  • Paper and card that contains glitter or foil

  • Laminated paper

  • Stickers and sticky paper

  • Padded lined envelopes

  • Paperback and hardback books

  • Wallpaper

  You need to separate paper and cardboard from other dry recyclables (plastic, metal and glass), unless your recycling service provider collects them together. Service providers may also choose to collect other dry recyclable materials separately, like glass. Discuss how your dry recyclables will be collected with your chosen service provider.   

  You’ll need to collect the following materials in the food waste stream:

  • All food intended for human or household pet consumption, regardless of whether it has any nutritional value

  • Biodegradable material resulting from the processing or preparation of food, including inedible food parts such as bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags and coffee grounds