Simpler Recycling compliance across West London, Surrey and the Thames Valley.

The workplace rules came into force on 31 March 2025 for businesses with 10 or more full-time-equivalent employees. Micro-firms with fewer than 10 FTE have until 31 March 2027 to comply.

Every business, charity and public sector organisation in England that generates waste similar to household waste. That includes offices, shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, care homes, manufacturers, construction sites, charity shops and places of worship.

Three core streams. Dry recyclables (plastic, metal, glass, paper and card), food waste, and general waste. Garden waste must be recycled or composted where that delivers the best environmental outcome.

Yes, but micro-firms with fewer than 10 FTE employees have until 31 March 2027. Headcount is measured across the whole business, not per site. A small chain with multiple branches that adds up to more than 10 FTE in total was in scope from 31 March 2025.

Full-time staff count as one each. Part-time staff count as a fraction of FTE based on hours worked. Volunteers, contractors and self-employed workers do not count. Headcount is taken across the entire enterprise, not per location.

On 31 March 2027 micro-firms have to comply with the same separation rules as larger businesses. The same date adds plastic film into the dry recyclable stream for every workplace and every household collection.

Yes. Food waste must be separated even if your workplace has no kitchen and does not serve food, no matter how little is produced. Coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit peel and leftovers all count.

Yes. Glass bottles and rinsed jars are collected as part of the dry recyclables stream. Drinking glasses, Pyrex, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics and window glass are not accepted in this stream.

Not yet. Plastic film joins the workplace dry recyclables stream from 31 March 2027, the same date micro-firms come into scope.

England only. Wales has its own Workplace Recycling Regulations in force since 6 April 2024. Scotland is regulated under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations. Northern Ireland uses the Waste Regulations (NI) 2011 plus the Food Waste Regulations (NI) 2015.

Up to four containers covers most workplaces. General waste, food waste (optionally combined with garden waste), paper and card, and a mixed plastic/metal/glass container. Container sizes and collection frequencies are set by volume.

Plastic, metal and glass can always be collected together as one mixed dry stream. Paper and card must be kept separate by default. They can only be combined if the waste collector completes a written co-collection assessment showing separation is not technically or economically practicable, or has no significant environmental benefit.

There is no statutory frequency, but most waste collectors recommend weekly or fortnightly collection, and food waste should not be stored for more than two weeks.

No. The collector can be a private waste company or the local authority, and a business can use more than one provider.

If a workplace produces garden waste, it must be arranged for recycling or composting where that delivers the best environmental outcome. This is most relevant to landscapers, schools, garden centres and any site with maintained grounds.

Yes. Simpler Recycling sits on top of existing duty of care requirements. Failure to produce transfer notes can attract a fixed penalty of around £300.

Yes. Educational premises are explicitly in scope and must comply from 31 March 2025 regardless of staff numbers.

Yes. Hospitals and nursing homes are listed as relevant non-domestic premises in scope. Clinical waste continues to be regulated separately.

Yes. Hospitality businesses must separate food waste from day one, plus dry recyclables and general waste. Most are well above the 10 FTE threshold, so were caught from 31 March 2025.

Yes. Charity shops are explicitly listed as Schedule 2 relevant non-domestic premises and must comply.

The Environment Agency is the regulator. Local authorities also have a role for premises they collect from.

There is no single Simpler Recycling fine. The Environment Agency issues compliance notices first, and continued non-compliance is enforced under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Duty-of-care fines can reach £5,000 on summary conviction and up to £50,000 or 12 months' imprisonment for serious offences at magistrates' court. From February 2026 the EA also charges £118 per hour for assessment work on non-compliant businesses.

Mixing food waste, dry recyclables and general waste into a single container. Failing to arrange food waste collection. Letting a collector co-collect paper with mixed recyclables without a written assessment on file.

Two. Micro-firms with fewer than 10 FTE are exempt until 31 March 2027. And the written co-collection assessment route exists where separation is not practicable or has no environmental benefit. There is no sector-wide exemption for any industry in scope.

The EA can investigate complaints or carry out targeted checks. First-year enforcement is pragmatic and focused on helping businesses comply, rather than prosecution.