INTRODUCING THE NEW 2025 MANDATORY WASTE LEGISLATION IN ENGLAND
In October 2023, the UK Government introduced new Simpler Recycling legislation as part of the Environment Act 2021 to improve waste collection and recycling in England.
The new legislation aims to clarify what materials can be recycled, standardise recycling practices at home, work, and school, reduce landfill waste, tackle illegal waste disposal, and increase recycling rates.
As part of the Simpler Recycling legislation, delivery timelines have been set:
- 31 March 2025 - Non-households
Businesses (more than ten employees) need to separate dry recyclables and food waste. - 31 March 2026 - Households
Local authorities must collect all dry recyclable materials and separate weekly food waste collections (which can be combined with garden waste) - 31st March 2027 - Households and non-households
Inclusion of plastic film packaging and plastic bags in the plastic waste stream - 31st March 2027 - Micro-businesses
Businesses with fewer than ten employees must recycle all specified waste streams.
From the end of March 2025
Businesses with ten or more employees must separate dry recyclables into specific containers and arrange food collection separately.
What does this mean for your business?
All mixed recycling, including cardboard, plastics, glass, and metal, should be carefully separated and disposed of in accordance with the new guidelines to ensure that each material is recycled appropriately and to minimise environmental impact.
If a business produces more than 5kg of food waste per week, it must arrange a separate collection by licensed waste carriers. This includes biodegradable materials from processing or preparing food, such as inedible parts like bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags, and coffee grounds. The new legislation excludes micro-businesses (businesses with fewer than ten full-time equivalent employees).
According to the official government response, food waste collected must undergo anaerobic digestion treatment. This process generates biofuel, which can be used for energy, while digestate is a nutrient-rich substance produced by anaerobic digestion that can be used as a fertiliser, helping to form a circular economy.
To comply with the new legislation, your business must implement the new waste requirements, including storage and collection processes, by 31 March 2025. Businesses that fail to comply with the new regulations will face fines, enforcement actions, and potentially prosecution.
Compliance ensures that your business will avoid financial penalties, demonstrate corporate responsibility, and improve sustainability credentials. It’s also an opportunity to review your services and save costs.
How can Footprint Recycling help?
- Footprint Recycling will conduct a thorough waste audit, evaluating your current processes, staff awareness, equipment, sustainability, waste streams, volumes, service frequency, bin types, and costs.
- We will ensure compliance with new regulations and identify the best solutions for your business. We will help establish suitable systems to maintain compliance and prevent business disruptions.
- Our team will provide training to ensure employees understand the importance of new practices and know how to separate food waste correctly.
- We will provide food waste collection services and arrange appropriate collection schedules.
- We can assist you in achieving significant cost savings by reducing general waste volume and the associated costs of waste removal and recycling.
- We will generate reports that showcase your sustainability efforts, demonstrating your dedication to reducing environmental impact.
- We will support your efforts to comply with regulations, enhance your company’s brand reputation, particularly among environmentally conscious consumers and investors, and explore partnerships with local charities to donate surplus food.
By embracing these innovations, businesses can comply with regulations and turn food waste management into a competitive advantage.
Get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Starting from 6th April 2024, new regulations will be introduced in Wales that will require all non-domestic premises, such as businesses, charities, public sectors, and those who collect, keep, treat, or transport waste from non-domestic premises, to separate key recyclable materials.
Non-domestic premises must separate and present nine specified recyclable waste materials in a minimum of six separate recyclable waste streams. These materials are:
- glass
- cartons and similar, metal and plastic
- paper and card
- food waste from premises that produce 5 kilograms or more of food waste in seven consecutive days
- unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment
- unsold textiles
Bans will also be in place from 6th April 2024, on the disposal of food waste to sewer from non-domestic premises, specified separate recyclable waste streams going to incineration plants and landfills, and all wood waste going to landfill.
These changes to the law aim to help the country work towards becoming a zero-waste nation and reducing carbon emissions by 2050. Separating and sorting recycling in workplaces should ensure greater volumes of high-quality recycling are produced and much less waste sent to landfill and for incineration.
Failure to comply with the separation requirements will be considered an offence, and there will be no upper limit on the courts' power to fine. Instead of criminal prosecution, a civil sanction may be issued for non-compliance with the separation requirements.
While we have a legal responsibility under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 'duty of care', should England adopt these more stringent regulations regarding separation of recyclable waste in order to achieve a greener future and promote sustainability? Many organisations in England currently do not have a waste strategy in place and do not separate recyclable waste from non-recyclable. However, commercial recycling plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainability. It is important for businesses to actively participate in these efforts.
For more detailed information about the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023, please refer to the Welsh Government code of practice. If you're a business and are looking to adopt a waste and recycling strategy get in touch.
International Women’s Day - Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress
Robyn Brook and Clare Verity are the founders of Footprint Recycling. Here, they share their experience as women in waste and the critical role women play in the industry.
Clare:
“Prior to establishing Footprint Recycling, I was employed in the waste management sector, where I found my job to be personally fulfilling and environmentally rewarding. During my pregnancy with my second child, I was motivated to utilise my expertise and passion for the industry to start my own business. That’s when my business partner, Robyn, and I founded Footprint Recycling 16 years ago.
“As a female-owned business in a male-dominated industry, we understand the importance of supporting and empowering our younger colleagues as they develop their careers. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” serves as a reminder to provide equal opportunities for education, training, and professional development to women in waste. Through our efforts, we aim to promote gender equality and help women achieve their full potential in the industry and make positive changes.”
Robyn:
“Over the years, it’s been great to see more women join the waste and recycling industry and I am proud of the fact that Footprint was founded by women and women make up many of the key roles within our organisation. It’s a testament to the progress made since we began our journey. International Women’s Day is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate this, and the valuable contributions women are making across all areas of the waste industry.
“At Footprint, one of our core values is ‘respect’. We live by this. It is the bedrock of everything we do, and we feel strongly that celebrating gender diversity is important. It fosters a more inclusive workplace and brings a variety of perspectives and experiences to the table, promoting better problem-solving, decision-making, and, ultimately, success for our business.
“I am inspired by our team and of what Clare and I have accomplished for women and diversity in waste.”
Women’s roles are essential to our industry’s success, especially with the growing shift towards viewing waste as a resource. The industry is moving away from traditional landfill practices and towards waste prevention and a circular economy. Women have seen the industry’s huge potential, and through their assertiveness and progressive attitude, women can help shape the industry’s future towards a more efficient and sustainable future.
If you’d like to work with Footprint Recycling, get in touch for an informal chat.
As a business how can we support World Earth Day?
World Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the environment. It is a day to remind us of the importance of sustainable living and how we can make a difference in the world.
Businesses play a crucial role in the fight against climate change and can support World Earth Day in several ways.
Firstly, businesses can promote sustainable practices within their operations. For example, they can adopt environmentally friendly policies such as reducing waste, using renewable energy sources, and conserving water. They can also encourage employees to reduce their carbon footprint by using public transport or cycling to work. By taking such steps, businesses can reduce their environmental impact and help mitigate climate change.
Secondly, businesses can partner with environmental organisations to support their activities. For example, they can sponsor tree planting or countryside/beach clean-up activities. They can also donate to organizations that work to protect the environment or support research on climate change. Such partnerships can raise awareness of the environmental challenges facing our planet and encourage individuals to take action.
Thirdly, businesses can use World Earth Day to launch or promote sustainable products and services. They can showcase how their products are eco-friendly and sustainable and how they are contributing to the fight against climate change. This can be an excellent way for businesses to increase their brand visibility and promote their commitment to environmental sustainability.
Fourthly, businesses can organize events or campaigns that promote environmental sustainability. For example, they can organise a cycling or walking event to promote low-carbon transport. They can also organise educational campaigns that raise awareness of the importance of reducing waste or conserving energy. Such initiatives can help to mobilize people to take action and create a positive impact on the environment.
Lastly, businesses can support World Earth Day by promoting environmental sustainability in their supply chains. They can work with their suppliers to ensure they are also committed to sustainable practices. They can also encourage their customers to adopt eco-friendly practices and promote their sustainable products.
To conclude, businesses can play a vital role in supporting World Earth Day by adopting sustainable practices, partnering with environmental organizations, promoting sustainable products and services, organizing events and campaigns, and promoting environmental sustainability in their supply chains. By doing so, businesses can positively impact the environment and contribute to the fight against climate change. Ultimately, protecting our planet is a shared responsibility, and everyone, including businesses, must take action to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
We're just scratching the surface here, but If you're ready to move to become more sustainable, get in touch, and we'll be happy to review your waste management processes and carbon emissions.
2023 New Regulations around Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
From 1st January 2023 new legislation from the Environment Agency came into effect regarding the storage and disposal of waste upholstered domestic seating containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
From this date, upholstered furniture containing POPs cannot be safely disposed of in general waste or in landfill sites and should be treated as a separate waste stream. This means that these items must be safely disposed of through incineration.
POPs are poisonous chemical substances that remain intact in the environment for long periods and are harmful to the environment, wildlife and humans if they are not disposed of safely.
Investigative work carried out by The Environment Agency has identified quantities of POPs and other hazardous chemicals in the foam of upholstered seating.
Upholstered waste domestic seating examples, this includes any part made of or containing leather, synthetic leather, other fabric, or foam:
- Sofas
- Sofa beds
- Armchairs
- Kitchen and dining room chairs
- Stools and foot stools
- Home office chairs
- Futons
- Bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
The following items of domestic seating are unlikely to contain POPs:
- Items that are not upholstered, without cushions.
- Deckchairs
- Wastes from manufacturing new domestic seating (and the manufacturer can demonstrate do not to contain POPs)
- Mattresses, curtains, blinds and beds are not domestic seating and are not covered by this guidance.
POPs may also be found in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), this may include:
- Office equipment – non-household types such as photocopiers and printers
- Printed circuit boards
- Cables and granulated cable plastics
- Plastic cases from display devices (flat panel displays and cathode ray tubes)
For more details on WEEE that may contain POPs please visit the .gov website for further details.
Customers must inform us if they have any upholstered furniture containing POPs so we can arrange safe and legal collection. Please note we are no longer able to collect any of these items if they are left outside as part of your general or other waste.
For further information about the new regulations, visit .gov.
PANTHER PARTNERS WITH FOOTPRINT RECYCLING TO TAKE SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Leading two-person white glove delivery specialist Panther Group has joined forces with total waste management firm Footprint Recycling to help them reduce their carbon footprint, taking them a step closer to achieving their Net Zero pledge.
In recent years, as a part of its ESG pledge, Panther has vastly increased its commitment to improving its environmental impact by keeping its waste unpolluted and to a minimum by following best practices. They have increased recycling measures, conserved energy more efficiently, and used environmentally friendly technologies.
To take its commitment one step further, the business has even set a target to implement a zero-waste culture throughout every aspect of its operations.
Having provided a comprehensive range of sustainable waste and recycling solutions to a wide range of sectors since 2008, Footprint Recycling is passionate about helping businesses manage their waste, reduce their carbon footprints and achieve their sustainability goals.
Since partnering with recycling specialist Footprint, Panther has greatly improved their recycling and environmental credentials. To date this year alone, Panther has recycled more than 453 tonnes of cardboard, plastic, and expanded polystyrene, 226 tonnes of general waste, 144 tonnes of TVs, and over 50,000 old mattresses collected and recycled on behalf of its customers and 25,000 tonnes of metal from washing machine bodies also recycled. The company’s carbon footprint by installing energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the depots has also improved by 60%.
And ever mindful of the need to provide a ‘green’ ethical service, Panther provides a furniture recycling service and closely adheres to the WEEE Directive.
Panther can now boast that 80 percent of its waste is recycled – with an aim to increase that figure to 90 percent over the next 12 months.
As part of its long-term sustainable energy programme the company is collaborating with Ev3power and is considering solar, wind turbine, and hydrogen options to power its operations and are also considering electric and hydrogen options for its fleet.
In recent weeks Panther has conducted a number of electric vehicle trials and now boasts a forklift fleet that is 60 percent electric.
Guy Burgess, Logistics Director commented: “With combatting climate change currently at the forefront of the global agenda, we have chosen to partner with Footprint Recycling to further improve our environmental impact and make a positive difference to our ecosystem.
“As a business, we are already making huge strides in making long-term and sustainable changes by pushing sustainability in every aspect of the business. Ingraining environmental consciousness within the company’s culture and Footprint Recycling will be a fundamental driver in helping us to facilitate this.
“No longer is it acceptable for companies to provide a 'sustainability statement' as consumers are far savvier and more discerning about how they spend their money and what businesses they’re willing to support and trade with.
“More than that though it’s vital that as a growing business we respond to the current climate crisis and act accordingly. The government has set a pledge for the UK to achieve Net Zero status by 2050, and as a company that strives for sustainability, we want to join the fight against global warming by driving down our environmental impact over the coming years.”
Robyn Brook, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Footprint Recycling commented: “Our business is built on a foundation of helping our customers embrace the circular economy and improve their sustainability with a focus on achieving zero waste to landfill through recycling and reducing emissions.
“With pressure on businesses, like Panther, to do more to minimise their environmental impacts, our aim is not only to manage waste but to challenge the industry norms by developing processes bespoke to each client and introducing new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
“We’ve been working with Panther for several years, over which we have developed a fantastic relationship that allows us to continually strive and look at new ways to help them improve their environmental credentials and assist with their sustainability journey.”