Fundamental changes to UK business waste regulations are coming that will impact how your organisation handles waste disposal. Risk Evolves’ David Hoey explains what these new waste legislation requirements mean for your business.
UK Business Waste Changes
From 31 March 2025 (or 31 March 2027 for micro-firms), all workplaces in England will have a legal duty to separate their waste streams. This must be done according to your waste collector’s arrangements, similar to household waste separation systems.
The UK business waste separation will apply to:
- Dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal, glass, paper and card)
- Food waste
- Residual waste (black bin waste)
Does This Apply to My Business?
If your business generates waste similar to household waste, these new UK business waste rules will apply across all your operations, including staff kitchens. This affects:
- Offices
- Retail and wholesale premises
- Transport and storage facilities
- Hospitality venues (cafés, restaurants, hotels)
- Educational institutions
- Healthcare facilities
- Care homes
- Charities
Under this legislation, you’ll have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to apply the waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle) and fulfil your duty of care in line with the Simpler Recycling initiative.
Common UK Business Waste Questions
What about volunteers?
Volunteers are not counted when determining your full-time equivalent (FTE) employee count, even for organisations with volunteers across multiple premises.
What if I have multiple locations?
The micro-firm exemption (until 2027) applies to businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees in total, not per location. For example, if you have three locations with five employees each, your total is 15 employees, and you must comply with UK business waste regulations by 2025.
How do I calculate part-time staff?
Add a fraction based on their pro-rated hours to determine your FTE count for UK business waste compliance.
Turning UK Business Waste Compliance into Opportunity
Rather than viewing these requirements as just another regulatory burden, consider how they might benefit your organisation:
- Could they enhance your sustainability credentials, such as supporting B Corp certification?
- Might they form part of your journey toward ISO 14001 environmental certification?
- Can you incorporate these UK business waste changes into employee engagement initiatives?
Take Action Today
At Risk Evolves, our team has helped numerous clients integrate initiatives to support their organisational values and strategic aims.
Contact us to discuss how we can help you prepare for UK business waste requirements.
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