Compare · Commercial waste
Biffa vs First Mile for commercial waste.
Biffa and First Mile compared for business waste and recycling. National scale against a London sustainability specialist, and where a West London independent fits between them.
Commercial and trade only. Not a domestic service.
The short answer
- These two are not really competing for the same customer. Biffa is a national operator; First Mile is a London specialist built around sustainability credentials.
- First Mile is B Corp certified, operates a zero to landfill policy, and uses electric vehicles and cargo bikes for central London collections.
- Biffa has the national footprint, with roughly 100,000 UK business customers and depots across the country.
- If your sites are in central London and your buyers or investors ask about credentials, First Mile answers that. If you need coverage beyond London, it does not.
Where each one is genuinely stronger.
Biffa
One of the largest integrated waste companies in the UK, serving both household and commercial customers at national scale.
- National coverage for multi-site or out-of-London operations
- Scale on heavy and industrial waste streams
- Long track record across every commercial sector
On the record
- Serves roughly 100,000 UK business customers and around 2 million households
- Handles in the region of eight million tonnes of material a year
- Over 100 years in the UK waste industry
- Taken private by Energy Capital Partners in January 2023
Company and investor statements, checked August 2026.
First Mile
A London-focused recycling specialist built around sustainability credentials and access to congested central sites.
- B Corp certification, which some tenders and clients now ask for directly
- Low-emission collections suited to congestion charge and ULEZ areas
- Seven-day collections in its core central London area
On the record
- B Corp certified
- Operates a zero to landfill policy
- Uses electric vehicles and cargo bikes for central London collections
- Offers collections seven days a week in its core area
Company published material, checked August 2026.
Neither company is linked from this page. This is a comparison, not an advert for either of them, and you should check what they say for yourself.
Where an independent fits.
FJL sits between the two for businesses in West and South West London, Surrey and the Thames Valley. Independent and family run since 1998, with an HVO-fuelled fleet for lower-carbon collections, but with the local responsiveness a national cannot offer on a single site.
When we are not the right answer
If your premises are in Zone 1 and cargo bike access is the deciding factor, a central London specialist is the better fit. Our patch runs west, and we would rather tell you that than take the enquiry.
Who published this
This comparison is published by FJL Waste Services, an independent commercial waste company that competes with both of the companies above. We are telling you that up front so you can weigh it accordingly. Every claim we make about ourselves is checkable: waste carrier registration CBDU91900 is on the public register, and we will show you a sample report before you commit to anything.
FAQ
Biffa vs First Mile, common questions
Is First Mile only available in London?
Its service is built around London and it is strongest in the central zones, where its low-emission fleet and frequent collections are designed to work. If your estate extends well beyond the capital you will usually need a provider with a wider footprint.
Does B Corp certification matter for waste?
It matters if your customers, investors or tender processes ask for it, and increasingly some do. It is a certification of the whole business rather than of any specific collection, so it sits alongside rather than replaces the diversion and tonnage figures you should be asking any provider for.
What is HVO and why does it matter?
Hydrotreated vegetable oil is a diesel substitute made from waste oils and fats, which cuts the carbon intensity of a collection round substantially compared with standard diesel. FJL runs its fleet on it. It is a fleet-level change rather than a certification, so ask any provider what their vehicles actually run on.
Can I get zero to landfill from a local operator?
Yes, and you should ask for the evidence rather than the claim. What matters is where the material actually goes and whether the provider will show you a diversion figure. Ask for a sample report before you sign anything, from anyone.
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