Considering compliance as a business can feel daunting. Beyond ensuring that your employees, processes, and operations meet regulatory standards, there are often overlooked areas that also carry important compliance and legislative requirements.
Waste management is one such area. How do businesses navigate the ever-changing legislative landscape and understand the implications of the regulations they are being required to follow?
With over 20 years of experience in the waste industry, we recognize that these changes can pose challenges, even for the most seasoned environmental professionals. However, it remains essential that we continue to advocate for and drive these reforms forward.
2025 is a year of change, but what does this mean for your business?
On 31st March 2025, the ‘Simpler Recycling’ legislation will come into effect. This means that any business, school, hospital, or other ‘non-household’ municipal entity in England with over 10 full-time employees will be required to have a food waste collection service. (Micro businesses—those with fewer than 10 full-time employees—will have until 31st March 2027 to comply.)
These new regulations are designed to increase recycling rates by standardising recycling practices across England. In fact, biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill in the UK rose from 6.1 million tonnes to 6.8 million tonnes in 2021 (source: UK statistics on waste). Diverting this waste stream to general waste not only undermines the resources and energy invested in food production but also bypasses the excellent facilities available in the UK that are designed to recover this material for energy generation.
The Environment Act 2021 also allows the Secretary of State to introduce phased reductions in General Waste and Mixed Recycling services in England, with a focus on separate waste stream collections. As a result, we’ll see further introduction of recycling bins, which may be a single stream or, for smaller organizations, mixed recycling bins. These may already have been introduced by your waste provider, but if not, all businesses should prepare for these upcoming changes.
In addition to new regulations, we also know that the Landfill Tax will increase by 21.6% in April 2025, rising from £103.70 per tonne to £126.15 per tonne. This cost increase will likely be passed on to businesses through waste service providers. So, how can your business mitigate the impact of increasing costs through regulatory compliance?
- Can you divert your waste from costing you money to generating revenue?
- Are you over-paying for your waste services?
- Can you reduce the amount of waste your business generates?
- Can you increase the amount of recycling you’re doing?
It’s time to think smarter. Look at the waste your business generates and explore how segregating it can work for you instead of draining your bottom line. While the path to compliance may be tricky, the rewards for your business are well worth it.
ERA’s specialist waste advisors are here to help you navigate these changes and achieve low-cost, sustainable waste solutions. Preparing for 2025’s waste management changes is essential—and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Ask the experts today!
