The Simpler Recycling regulations, requiring forecourt operators and other businesses to provide bins for different types of waste, are now in force in England.
According to the ACS, the new regulations state that businesses in England with more than 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees across their entire business that produce waste collected in customer facing bins or from their business operations must separate and present their waste to their waste collector into the following four waste streams:
Dry recycling (glass, metal and plastic)*
Paper and card*
Food waste
Black bin waste (to be sent to landfill)
*some waste collectors will take dry recycling and paper/card together, but retailers will need to confirm this with their collector.
Any business that does not comply with the requirements is at risk of receiving a compliance notice from the Environment Agency. Businesses with fewer than 10 FTE employees will have until March 2027 to comply with the regulations.
Firms such as Glasdon UK and Leafield Environmental can advise retailers on making changes to their operations as well as provide new bins and recycling kit.
Glasdon, for example has bins that are divided up by type of waste that can help simplify things. It also has the Simpler Recycling for England e-book which you can download from its website.
Melanie Murphy, business development manager at Leafield Environmental, says: “We understand the challenges forecourt operators face implementing the Simpler Recycling legislation. We recommend making it as clear as possible for customers to be able to place their recyclable waste in the correct stream by using clear bin signage. Our EnviroPlex recycling bin series has been designed with simpler recycling in mind and provides peace of mind that your forecourt will be compliant with the new legislation.”
