New recycling rules for every home in England to be introduced – including food waste bin.uk
The Government has set a date for a new set of recycling laws which will impact every home in England. The regulations will see the introduction of more bins
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The government has announced a date for the implementation of new recycling regulations that will affect every household in England. The plans require councils to implement weekly food waste collections for most residences.
The Simpler Recycling scheme aims to standardise recycling rules across England, whether at home, work or school. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that by March 31, 2026, local authorities will be obliged to collect core recyclable waste streams from all English households.
This means that the average household will have at least five recycling bins or containers – for food waste, plastics, paper and cardboard, green waste, and plastic films. Plastic film collections involve the recycling of soft, flexible plastic packaging such as bags, wrappers, and pouches, which are then repurposed into new products.
The plan includes the introduction of weekly food waste collections for most homes, unless their councils have a transitional arrangement in place, allowing them a later start date as per legislation. Kerbside plastic film collections from workplaces and households will also be introduced by March 31, 2027.
Workplaces with less than 10 employees have until 31 March 2027 to organise the recycling of core recyclable waste streams. Alongside extended producer responsibility for packaging and the deposit return scheme for drink containers, Simpler Recycling in England is projected to yield greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to £11.8 billion.
This will significantly contribute towards the goal of recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2035.
The reforms are also expected to boost recycling rates – household recycling rates in England have stagnated at around 44-45% since 2015. The introduction of Simpler Recycling for workplaces comes after Environment Secretary Steve Reed unveiled a new plan on 27 March to revolutionise the country’s economy, ensuring more sustainable use of resources and products, cleaner streets, and a healthier countryside.
A massive change is coming to recycling in England under new government plans (Image: Getty)
In business plans, the Government has announced a series of new recycling regulations that came into effect in England today. Officials stated that these rules, aimed at how businesses sort their recycling and waste, are designed to eliminate confusion over what goes where and facilitate consistent, more efficient collections.
The Government’s new Simpler Recycling plans will be instrumental in enhancing stagnating recycling rates, reducing rubbish sent to landfill or incineration sites, and are expected to offer cost reductions for certain businesses. This shift comes as a replacement for older mandates which could have seen businesses juggling up to six different bins.
From today (Monday 31 March), workplaces with 10 or more employees will need to arrange for the collection of the following:
- dry recyclable materials – including plastic, metal, glass, and paper and card
- food waste
- residual (non-recyclable) waste
According to officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, these workplaces will now be obliged to separate paper and card from other dry recyclables unless their waste collector combines these materials. Companies will also have leeway in deciding container sizes and pick-up schedules that best suit the quantity of waste they generate.
Mary Creagh, Circular Economy Minister, has made a commitment to revolutionise waste management, saying: “We are committed to ending the throwaway society, boosting recycling rates which have stalled for too long, and driving growth through the Government’s Plan for Change. Simplifying the rules for workplaces will make recycling easier, maximising environmental benefits, delivering cost savings and stimulating growth.”
She added, “We’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with businesses to deliver our reforms to drive up recycling rates and ensure there’s more recycled content in the products we buy.”
Plans for a fresh recycling regimen have been touted as a ‘sensible, pragmatic approach’ by officials, poised to revolutionise material collection for a wide array of establishments including businesses, residential areas, academic institutions, and healthcare facilities.
The Environment Agency has stepped into its role as the regulatory authority for Simpler Recycling from 31 March, pledging to buttress firms which generate and collect waste, guiding them through their new mandates. Businesses are set to receive assistance in understanding the requisite steps for adhering to the new rules.
Steve Molyneux, the Environment Agency’s deputy director of waste and resources regulation, articulated: “The implementation of Simpler Recycling for workplaces is a pivotal moment and a huge step forward, driving change in the waste market, optimising the use of our precious resources, and contributing to a circular economy.”
His assurance to businesses was clear: “We are committed to supporting businesses with their new duties. We will take a pragmatic approach to implementation and will work with stakeholders to support them in overcoming any difficulties they might face in relation to compliance.”
Simpler Recycling is tipped to be a cornerstone of the Government’s vision for a sustainable future, championing extended resource lifecycles, curtailing waste, fast-tracking the route to net zero, and fostering economic growth through critical infrastructure development and the creation of eco-friendly employment opportunities.
The Environment Secretary has identified the initial five priority sectors that the independent Circular Economy Taskforce will concentrate on to effect significant change. These sectors include textiles, transport, construction, agri-food, and chemicals and plastics.
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