Simpler Recycling Guide UK 2025

Commercial waste collection services will soon be changing in England. If your workplace has 10 or more full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees, you'll need to start removing recyclable materials from your general waste bins by 31st March 2025 in order to comply with the new set of workplace waste rules set out by the government.

Whilst we all understand the environmental benefits of this new waste legislation, understandably business owners want to minimise the additional costs associated with compliance. The good news for all business owners is that many types of waste can be compacted or baled helping to minimise the number (and cost!) of the different bins needed for your various waste streams. The process of baling also helps to lower your carbon footprint.

Booking a free Simpler Recycling Waste Audit with our team can help you to identify a cost-effective, space-saving waste compaction solution for your business waste. Plus, with the added advantage of our free equipment trials available to most businesses, you get to test our recommended solution before you commit. Our team can help you identify recyclable waste materials that can be compacted in a waste baler such as:

  • Cardboard
  • Polythene
  • Plastic
  • Aluminium

Cardboard Balers can help you comply with new simpler recycling rules

Cardboard boxes, fruit trays and cartons are all common types of cardboard packaging waste that will need to be removed from your non-recyclable waste bins ahead of the changes. Of the 5422 thousand tonnes created in 2023 by UK businesses, 73.4% of all cardboard packaging waste was recycled which, if uncompacted, translates into an unimaginable number of recycling bins cluttering up workplaces! Luckily, cardboard waste can be baled in a waste baler therefore you don't necessarily need to acquire a separate bin for it to comply with the new waste segregation rules.

Waste Balers for cardboard and plastic can help your business to be compliant to the new simpler recycling rules. This is because by baling your waste, you are segregating it from your non-recyclable waste held in bins. Compacted bales of cardboard are collected separately and sent for recycling helping to divert it from landfill which is the aim of the new legislation. In addition to helping your business comply, there are many other advantages of using a waste baler instead of a commercial recycling bin for your boxes and polythene waste. You can calculate how much you can save on your commercial cardboard recycling costs by signing up for a free waste baler trial with our team.

What are the benefits of using a Cardboard Baler for Simpler Recycling compliance?

  • SAVE MONEY - The process of baling recyclable cardboard and plastic packaging waste enables businesses to reduce the number of costly commercial recycling bins they need. 
  • SAVE SPACE - By condensing cardboard and plastic recycling into bales rather than storing loose material in bins, a greater amount of waste can be stored within the same area.
  • SAVE TIME - Recycling balers prevent the need for staff to manually compact voluminous waste into bins.

Bin Compactors can help you cut the cost of the new simpler recycling rules

Commercial bins are still likely to be one of the most popular disposal methods for commercial waste following the introduction of the new workplace recycling rules in April 2025. However, businesses are likely to find that the cost of emptying commercial bins will rise after April 2025 due to the planned increases in National Minimum Wage and National Insurance Contributions both increasing the staffing costs of waste collection companies. The increases associated with commercial waste collection predicted in 2025 could help to speed up the return on investment an individual business can achieve when installing a bin compactor. By squashing waste inside bins at a typical ratio of 5:1, more waste can be held inside helping to reduce the number of bins at your site. The size of your bins and frequency of your waste collection service typically effects the price you pay therefore it makes economic sense to try and reduce both factors in order to reduce your overall costs.

What are the benefits of using a 1100L Wheelie Bin Compactor for Simpler Recycling compliance?

  • SAVE MONEY - The process of compacting waste helps your business to fit more material into your bins before they become full
  • SAVE SPACE - By condensing waste, you may be able to downsize or reduce the number of bins you need
  • REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT - If all businesses compacted their waste, fewer collection vehicles would be driving on our roads

Taking advantage of QCR's Free Simpler Recycling Waste Survey Service can help you to calculate the savings that can be achieved.

Sources: UK statistics on waste - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)