The Simpler Recycling legislation on workplace recycling in England is fast approaching, requiring all workplaces in England with more than 10 full time equivalent staff to separate their food and dry recyclable waste from residual waste by 31st March 2025. This accounts for 10% of the 2.2 million businesses in England with the remainder having until 2027 to be compliant. The legislation affects a wide range of businesses and non-domestic properties sat within retail and wholesale, offices, hospitality, health and social care, education, food manufacturing, transport and storage sectors. The positive news is many of these companies have made significant progress in introducing recycling schemes to collect dry recyclables and food waste at source in recent years.
WRAP has worked with Defra to develop the Business of Recycling England website to help prepare the different sectors.
What free resources and guidance is available?
- A 5 step-by-step guide by sector
- A waste calculator
- Waste action plan and audit templates
- Downloadable recycling posters
How has the content been developed?
WRAP’s research looked at a range of support programmes provided to businesses to work out the most effective means of supporting the diverse range of businesses affected by the new Simpler Recycling reforms. Our engagement across the sectors has shown that whilst businesses are interested in better resource management, they are often time poor and need clear concise guidance located in one place. The surveys showed demand from businesses for support that included: recycling and waste cost calculators, fact sheets, templates, case studies, good practice guidance, planning advice, training tools and communications materials.
Because businesses and non-domestic properties are diverse and all at different stages of implementing changes to their waste services, the feedback was the website should allow users to drop into the most appropriate area of support on their journey.
The Business of recycling website is set out in 5 stages which cover:
• Why your business needs to recycle?
• Understanding your waste?
• Calculating savings and costs
• Setting up recycling across your business
• Reviewing and improving your recycling process
The new materials were tested with 7 sector advisory groups established to ensure the range of sectors affected by new regulations were all reflected. Further sessions were held to ensure the website design, branding and navigation was good practice and easy to navigate.
The resulting site is a hub that provides an easy access portal of sector specific information. The support is designed to upskill and empower businesses to help them make the changes by efficiently implementing new services into their workplaces. The guidance and tools will help make economic savings for businesses, reduce carbon impacts of their resource use and achieve compliance with national regulations.
How can local authorities help with this transition?
- Share the partner assets on your digital channels to get businesses that you collect commercial waste from engaged and other share with businesses in your local area. Available here: Recycling resources
- WRAP Business Resource Efficiency Guide: Green Office
Download here: About our Recycling Guide for the Office sector
- Business Resource Efficiency Guide - Resource Efficiency for Managers
Download here: Recycling resources
- Service Specification - guidance and example clauses.
Download here: Service_Specification_-_guidance___example_clauses.pdf
What’s next for microbusinesses? Companies with fewer than 10 full time equivalent employees are temporarily exempt from this requirement until 31st March 2027.
Contact Us
If you have questions or need further support, please reach out to LA.support@wrap.ngo
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