Simpler Recycling FAQs

Simpler Recycling is new legislation that will standardise waste collection and introduce separate streams for recyclable materials such as dry mixed recycling (DRM), food and glass, reducing general waste and increasing recycling overall. In practice, it is very similar to Workplace Recycling legislation already in effect in Wales.

Simpler Recycling will do this by:

1. Standardising and simplifying what is collected for recycling across England
2. Reducing confusion about what can and cannot be recycled
3. Removing recyclable material from general waste so it can be collected separately for recycling
4. Reducing contamination in recycling bins

Simpler Recycling legislation comes into effect in England on 31st March 2025, and any businesses with more than 10 employees need to be ready. From this date, recycling waste needs to be separated from residual waste for collection. 

From the 1st April 2026, standardised weekly recycling and food waste collections will be started from households. Finally, businesses with fewer than 10 employees will need to follow Simpler Recycling rules from the 1st of April 2027. Additionally, plastic films, packaging and bags will also need to be collected for recycling.

Businesses should start early with their plans for the change by contacting Biffa for a free quote. We’ll undertake a Simpler Recycling audit to determine the types of waste and how much you currently produce. Find out more by visiting our Simpler Recycling for businesses page. 

We can then make recommendations on the bins that you will require for your different waste streams and how often they need to be collected. We can then provide guidance and support on implementing the change, as well as monitoring your performance to identify further areas of improvement. 

Businesses that fail to meet their obligations in time or don’t separate their waste run the risk of enforcement from the Environment Agency in the forms of fines or even prosecution. Learn more about the legislation here. 

You can find out about how you will need to split waste materials here or you can download a simple poster by clicking here. 

You’ll only need 3 bins (4 if you also produce glass waste) because we can collect card, paper, metal and plastic in the same container - we’ll do the sorting at our end. Take advantage of Biffa's extensive infrastructure and get a free Simpler Recycling quote today? 

Recycling in England has stagnated at 44% over the last decade, and to help meet the UK Government’s 65% recycling target by 2035, Simpler Recycling has been created. 

It intends to make it easier for businesses and households to recycle, removing confusion about what can and can’t be recycled, and separating it to be collected. By maximising the collection of recyclable materials, the amount of residual waste that goes to landfill can be reduced.

If food waste and recyclable materials are not separated into the specified separate bins these bins are considered contaminated. Unfortunately, under Simpler Recycling legislation we won’t be able to accept contaminated bins which can lead to additional costs, as well as the risk of prosecution from the Environment Agency.

However, as experts in sustainable waste management, we’ll always work with you to identify where and when contamination is happening and provide guidance on how to avoid it. 

This could include:

• Segregating internal bins
• Keeping bins consistent in design and placement across sites
• Communicating changes to staff and customers
• Putting up clear signage
• Ensuring recyclable items are clean, dry and loose

It’s positive for the environment and helps achieve a circular economy. What’s more, it will save businesses of all sizes money in the long run. 

A significant amount of recyclable material in England still ends up in general waste which contributes to climate change and costs businesses money. Especially as Landfill Tax will continue to increase.

For example, every tonne of food waste diverted from incineration or landfill saves 619 kg of CO2e compared to landfill disposal, which is a 98.6% saving of damaging emissions from entering the atmosphere. 

That’s the equivalent of driving a car 1500 miles or charging 50,000 smartphones!

Workplace Recycling in Wales has been successfully running for nearly 12 months and Biffa has seen:

• Food waste collection is up 40%
• General waste collection is down 10%
• Glass collections are up 33%

Biffa has supported thousands of Welsh businesses to source new bins, separate their waste, and remain compliant to avoid costly penalties. Let us handle your Simpler Recycling needs by contacting us today. 

Yes, our experts are here to make sure you meet your Simpler Recycling obligations with the minimum impact on your business. Our free waste audits will help you understand what you need to do and our support and guidance will help you manage the transition for staff and customers.

We can also provide signage, documentation and resources to educate your staff and help you avoid the risk of fines from contamination. 

Finally, our monitoring and reporting can help larger organisations improve recycling rates and send even less general waste to landfill. For example, we can provide support to reconsider your supply chain to reduce waste or meet ESG and CSR goals.

Existing Biffa customers will receive detailed, clear and accessible information from us about the upcoming changes. We can provide a range of documentation, guides, signage for your business, as well as undertake training sessions and workshops to educate staff. 

We also offer free waste audits, site visits, case studies, webinars, a dedicated helpline, and an account manager who can be your point of contact.

In the meantime, our How to Guides for Waste Management provide a range of essential information,

Biffa can work with you to minimise your impact through the bins you need and your collection timetable. Many Biffa customers may actually streamline their collections as we can collect Dry Mixed Recycling such as paper, metal, card and plastic in the same bin.

As long as your staff and customers prevent contamination by disposing of their waste in the correct bin, we can do the rest.

Whether a business is sustainable or not depends on many different factors, but Simpler Recycling certainly aims to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. By increasing your recycling rates and making other changes like updating supply chains, changing packaging or increasing efficiency, you can take a step in the right direction.

In most cases, Simpler Recycling will cost less in the long run. Landfill taxes will continue to rise so reducing your amount of residual waste will have a positive financial impact. What’s more, by creating efficiencies, reducing packaging requirements or generally adopting better waste management practices, money can be saved in the long-term.

Simpler Recycling will be enforced by the Environment Agency in conjunction with waste carriers. A proposed central digital waste tracking system will track waste from the point of production to disposal, and fines can be imposed for non-compliance. Repeat offences could eventually lead to prosecution. 

We provide monitoring and reporting on your waste as part of your Simpler Recycling contract to reassure and demonstrate to you that separated waste is processed correctly.

It’s normal to worry about errors and non-compliance, but our experts are on hand to guide you through the process and upskill your staff to make sure these don’t happen. Additionally, our extensive infrastructure and processes ensure that waste is handled and processed correctly, with no risk of cross-contamination so you won’t be held responsible for other people’s waste.

It’s not a problem, we offer varied collection schedules with a wide range of bin and container sizes to suit any business premises. We can also manage multiple waste streams and handle it all on your behalf. One of our free site visits and a free audit will help us create a tailored Simpler Recycling plan for you.

What’s more, with Biffa, you’ll only need 3 separate bins, or 4 if you also produce glass waste. Most of our customers actually have fewer bins than before. We have a range of bin, bag and container sizes to suit any business and have introduced a range of new containers including food caddies and a 140 standard wheelie bin for food and glass. These include:

• Small food caddies (NEW)
• Recycling bins
• Waste bags
• Standard & large wheelie bins
• Open & closed skips
• Bulk carriers
• Front end loaders

Simpler Recycling is coming but it doesn’t have to be daunting. We’re here to take the hassle out of your waste management. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions regarding Simpler Recycling. Our experts are always here to help and provide a free quote. 

If you're an existing customer, please log in to myBiffa to get in touch or if you're a new customer you can get a free quote and purchase a waste contract online.