More rubbish legislation to sift through

By Craig Baldwin, Sales Director

IT MAY NOT BE EXCITING, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT

Rethinking your waste management is set to become a must for all businesses.

That’s thanks to the latest piece of waste legislation, which could also mean great things for not only your business, but the environment too.

Waste separation. It’s a topic that may not weigh heavily on the mind, especially when trying to run a business. But this may be about to change as The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024 come into force. 

The government is set to crack down on the process of waste separation throughout the country. These changes mean that those responsible for arranging collection must ensure waste streams are separated properly. 

Now you are wondering what this means for businesses? It might first seem like an inconvenience and a lot of extra work. But, in fact, the benefits to businesses are plentiful and the necessary processes relatively painless to implement. 

Separating waste and recycling can be more cost-effective than sending waste to landfill. And it could help you on your journey to Net Zero too.

To find out more contact the Commercial account management team today on 01242 690006.

Waste legislation breakdown

Let’s take a deeper, less confusing and easier to digest look at what this legislation actually sets out to achieve. 

From 31st March 2025, businesses, charities or voluntary bodies that produce household waste will be required to arrange for the collection of a consistent set of recyclable materials for recycling or composting. 

The act sets out six recyclable waste streams to be collected separately. Those are metal, plastic, paper & card, glass, food waste and garden waste. 

Businesses must now organise the separate collection of all of the above streams except for garden waste. They must present this waste in accordance with the waste collection arrangements. 

The changes mean organisations are now responsible for separating waste into five streams before it is collected for recycling. 

So, now we come to the next big question, what has changed? Well, there is more responsibility than ever before being placed at the feet of businesses when it comes to recycling. Previously, waste collectors were only required to collect at least two types of recyclable waste separately from residual waste. Now, companies must organise for the collection of metal, plastic, glass, food waste and paper & card separately. 

By separating waste into these five separate streams, businesses will be helping to do their bit to reduce our overall impact upon the environment. The legislation is set to increase the quantity of materials collected for recycling. It will also increase the quality of materials produced from recycling with improved material segregation. 

It may seem like an arduous task at first. But when we take a look at the benefits not only for the planet, but also your business, the reasons to get excited about your rubbish just keep piling up. 

Preparing for change

Knuckling down and taking a proactive approach when it comes to waste separation will benefit businesses. One of the more obvious advantages that this increased separation will offer, is accelerated progress towards net-zero targets. Businesses will need to be prepared to foot the bill initially, be it financially or manpower, in order to reap the benefits.

The fact of the matter is, in many cases, it is actually cheaper to get rid of recycled waste. This means that there can actually be a huge commercial benefit to the proper separation of waste. 

This may be something organisations feel somewhat strongarmed into doing as a result of the legislation being introduced. However, even if waste separation has become compulsory, the silver lining is that by doing so you are likely to reduce your waste collection costs.  

So now is the time for businesses to review their current waste contracts with a view to compliance by March 2025. This will ensure you understand the timing constraints, implementation and impact of these changes for your organisation.

A waste of time?

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) have pushed through this legislation as part of their ‘Simpler Recycling’ plans. They aim to standardise and improve recycling and waste collections by local authorities across the country.

The legislation also sets out to crack down on ‘waste crime’ through mandatory digital tracking. According to the Environment Agency, an estimated 18% of waste in England is being managed illegally. This negatively impacts both the environment and businesses. This kind of crime costs the economy in England £1bn a year. 

The introduction of the regulations represents a significant step towards reducing our environmental impact through improved waste management practices. It will enhance recycling rates and it will streamline the entire process. Contamination in recycling streams will be greatly reduced having been cut off at source. In addition to this, the lifespan of landfill sites will be vastly extended and pollution will be reduced.  

Time to act

The infrastructure to support vastly optimised recycling processes is already there, it’s high time we took advantage of it. That’s exactly what this legislation has been introduced for. It’s therefore important that we look beyond any initial investment required for things such as additional bins, staff training and signage. Instead, we must focus on the longer-term benefits.

The real story here is the chance for businesses to play an active part in improving public health. To be part of reducing environmental impact and increasing efficiency of resource usage. If that’s not enough, the added bonus of reduced waste disposal fees should convince even the most reluctant recyclers. 

The chance to contribute positively to a greener future may have been thrust upon businesses through government legislation, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be viewed through a negative lens. It represents a significant opportunity for reviewing services, saving costs and doing the right thing for the environment all at once. 

Developing a compliant system sooner rather than later will not only protect your brand but also help to avoid any fines. 

Taking the time to review your current waste management processes will ensure that your company is a part of the solution to creating a sustainable future. Being proactive now will mean future proofing your business, improving your reputation and cutting those all-important costs. 

Arguably then, this rubbish legislation is anything but.