On the 31st of March 2025, a series of new laws relating to dry recycling and food waste will come into effect across England. Is your business prepared?
Under the new recycling legislation, businesses will be required to separate their dry recycling and food waste from their general waste by law. In line with the UK government’s broader initiative to standardise recycling practices under the Environment Act (2021), this new legislation is aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the commercial sector and promoting sustainability.
In this article, we break down the core stipulations of this incoming legislation into simple terms, helping your business to prepare for the law changes. Read on to find out more.
What is the new recycling legislation?
According to the Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024, the new legislation mandates the following:
- Businesses in England of 10 employees or more producing more than 5 kg of food waste per week (equivalent to the weight of a bowling ball) must arrange for its separate collection by a licensed waste carrier. (‘Food waste’ is defined to include a wide range of biodegradable materials, such as fruit and vegetable peels, bones, eggshells, coffee grounds, and even tea bags)
- Dry waste recycling must be separate from the general waste
Key Requirements of the New UK Recycling Laws
The new recycling laws require businesses to segregate the following materials for recycling:
- Glass: Such as empty drink bottles and rinsed food jars.
- Metal: Including drink cans, food tins, empty aerosols, aluminium foil, trays, and tubes.
- Plastic: For example rinsed empty food containers and bottles.
- Paper and Cardboard.
- Cartons: For food, drinks, and other liquids.
- Food Waste.
These materials must be kept separate to ensure they are not contaminated by non-recyclable waste, maximising their potential for recycling.
Who is affected by the new recycling laws?
The legislation specifies that it applies to all ‘relevant non-domestic premises located in the area of an English waste collection authority’.
To make this simpler, if you’re a business you will be required by law to have separate collections for both recycling and food waste in place by the end of March 2025
- March 31st 2025. This is the official deadline for businesses of 10 people or more, including public and third-sector organisations like schools, hospitals, and prisons.
Since the incoming legislation on separate recycling and food waste collections impacts a wide range of sectors — including restaurants, cafes, pubs, bakeries, care homes, offices, and transport hubs — it is strongly advised that, even if your business is small, you start separating recyclable materials and food waste as soon as possible. Doing so will help reduce costs and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Why is new recycling and food waste legislation being introduced?
Did you know that 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is discarded annually in the UK, with a significant portion of this ending up in landfills? This not only contributes to greenhouse gas emissions but also represents a lost opportunity to recycle valuable organic materials.
Similarly, recyclable materials are often disposed of improperly, adding to landfill waste and environmental damage. The new regulations are being introduced to address these issues by requiring businesses to have separate recycling and food waste collections.
According to the House of Commons’ Food Waste in the UK Report (April, 2024), “In England, there are no mandatory food waste reduction targets.” But that is set to change. The UK Government does, however, support voluntary initiatives, including the Courtauld Commitment 2030 which proposes the following:
- A 50% per capita reduction in food waste by 2030 vs the UK 2007 baseline (covering manufacture, retail, hospitality and food service, and household).
The new food waste legislation therefore stands as a critical step toward achieving that goal and implementing more rigid reduction targets for food waste in England.
Collected food waste is intended for anaerobic digestion or composting, processes that convert waste into valuable resources like biofuel and digestate. Recyclable materials are also processed into new products. These resources contribute to a circular economy, reducing landfill waste and supporting the production of renewable energy and natural fertilisers. So, by diverting food waste from landfills, the new legislation ultimately aims to help reduce environmental impact, lower waste management costs, and support renewable energy and fertiliser production.
Preparing your business for the new waste laws
If your business produces more than 5kg of food waste per week and has more than 10 employees, it’s essential to start preparing for the law changes now. Regardless of your size or sector, here’s how you can get ahead when it comes to staying on the right side of the law about food and recycling waste.
1. Start reducing your food waste
A problem halved is … well, a problem halved. It becomes much easier to manage your food waste if there is less waste to begin with. So, starting with reducing the amount of food left to spoil or rot is key. In organisations, this can be as easy as regular reminders to your staff — in the form of posters, signs, or training — to be mindful of expiration dates and preserving food properly e.g. putting sandwiches from a client lunch away into the fridges immediately to prevent spoil.
2. Start separating your waste
It’s better to start sooner rather than later and get your staff into the habit of separating recyclables and food waste from general waste early on. Make sure that your workforce is aware of the general rules of thumb when it comes to what can and can’t be recycled in a food bin, as well as your dry recycling, and encourage a positive attitude towards proper waste disposal. Attitudinal change does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to waste management in an organisation.
Of course, there is no point separating the two without making suitable recyclable and food waste collection arrangements — but that’s where we come in.
3. Partner with a waste management expert
Countrystyle Recycling is a leading waste management company operating in Kent, London, and the South East. We offer businesses and local authorities straightforward, cost-effective solutions to help with waste disposal compliance. What’s more, when it comes to food waste recycling, we lead the charge.
Working alongside our sister companies, food waste experts Verigreen and coffee recycling experts Envar, we process more than 70,000 tonnes of food waste each year, ensuring 100% of our food waste is recycled into biogas which can be converted to fuel.
Collaborating with our sister companies—food waste specialists Verigreen and organic waste recycling experts Envar—we process over 70,000 tonnes of food waste annually, ensuring 100% of it is recycled.
Countrystyle Recycling’s waste solutions
Below you can find a list of ways in which Countrystyle can help your business prepare for the new food waste legislation — from auditing your current wastage levels to providing an effective recycling solution for all food waste.
- Give you a free food waste quote. Call us at 0344 880 7700 or contact us online for a no-obligation quote tailored to your business’s specific needs.
- Assess your waste needs We’ll work with you to estimate the amount of food waste your business generates daily or weekly and recommend the right bin sizes and collection frequency.
- Schedule food waste collections. Depending on your needs, we’ll arrange daily, weekly, or fortnightly collections to ensure your food waste is handled efficiently and in compliance with the law.
- Provide you with free food waste bins. Countrystyle Recycling provides the appropriate bins for your food waste at no extra cost—your business only pays for the collection services.
- Offer ongoing food waste management support. Our team will continue to support your business, ensuring that your waste management processes remain compliant as regulations evolve.
Keep compliance on the menu with Countrystyle…
As the 2025 deadline approaches, now is the time to ensure your business is ready for the new food waste legislation. Countrystyle Recycling is committed to helping businesses of all sizes manage their food waste effectively, reducing costs, and supporting sustainability. With our reliable food waste collection services, you can stay ahead of regulatory changes and contribute positively to the environment.
Visit our Food Waste Collection Services page to learn more, or contact us today to arrange a free consultation. Together, we can make your waste management processes more sustainable and compliant with upcoming legislation.
