Sevenoaks Council to Stop Commercial Waste Collections – Why & What Next?

For businesses relying on commercial waste collection by Sevenoaks Council, it’s time to pay attention. A review of the service by the Council Cabinet in June 2025 and recent updates to the Sevenoaks Council Commercial Waste Collection page shows that waste collection will cease by 30th September 2025. With the writing on the wall, it’s important to understand the why, how, when and what to do next if you’re affected.

Although there are a handful of reasons why Sevenoaks District Council can’t keep offering the service, a lot of it does end up boiling down to the new regulations put in place by the government. In short…

1. It’s not a statutory service. This means Sevenoaks Council aren’t legally required to provide commercial waste collections – and no other council in Kent will be offering this going forward.

2. New waste laws require more than the Council can provide. New regulations mean many businesses now need to separate waste types – but the Council’s current waste partner can’t guarantee these are dealt with compliantly.

New ’Simpler Recycling’ legislation came into effect on 31st March 2025 for ALL businesses with more than 10 employees. This means that many companies are now required to follow new, stricter laws to do with their waste. 

Although there are nuances, the bulk of the new regulations are very simple. Businesses are now required to separate dry recyclable materials, food waste and non-recyclable (general) waste before collection. Legally, it falls to the waste collectors to make sure everything ends up in the right place – all you need to do is separate waste types ready for collection.

If you own a business that has less than 10 full time employees (or equivalent part time employees), you’re considered a “micro-firm” and are exempt from these new regulations until 31st March 2027. This isn’t something you need to apply for, and gives you time to make plans for the future.

Sevenoaks Council’s current waste disposal can’t comply with these new requirements. This means that 58% of their current customers will need to find other solutions for waste collection if they want to follow the law.

For local businesses currently using the Council’s commercial waste collections, you’ll need to make changes soon.

The Council has provided up to 3 months to allow companies to make alternative arrangements, with their website now stating that collections for existing customers will end on the 30th September 2025.

They still have an obligation to respond to enquiries around commercial waste collection. Going forward, they will do this by referring companies to the private sector – without naming any specific operators.

If you currently rely on Sevenoaks Council for commercial waste collection, it’s time to line up a new provider.

We work with many businesses across Sevenoaks – chances are, we’re already picking up from your neighbours! With local expertise, quick and easy collections, competitive pricing, and a 98% customer satisfaction rate, we make switching easy for companies of any size.

There’s really no reason not to get in touch today when we offer:

To us, customer service is just as important as waste collection. We’ve won multiple awards, set market standards for sustainable quality, and have some of the most advanced operations in Europe. Above all else, we pride ourselves on a 25+ year history of providing services to the community.

We’re running a special offer for customers of the Sevenoaks Council waste collection service – either call us and quote “Sevenoaks” or complete our quick quote form to find out how we can help you switch without any hassle.