Simpler Recycling regulations have been developed by DEFRA to deliver improved recycling requirements in England. They come into force on 31 March 2025.

It has been created to end the confusion over what can and can’t be recycled, and, in time, Simpler Recycling will help both households and businesses recycle more and push the country towards its recycling target of 65%.

To begin with, all businesses and other non-household premises, with 10 or more Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees, must separate plastic, paper and card, glass, metals (cans, tins and foil) and food waste from their general waste.

By doing this, Simpler Recycling aims to reduce the amount of valuable resources that are not currently being recycled and support the UK’s circular economy.

Simpler Recycling regulations come into force on 31 March 2025.

Willshee’s is here to help you navigate Simpler Recycling legislation to ensure you remain compliant and that all your waste is managed responsibly. We work with our clients to provide a convenient way to separate and recycle as much of their waste as possible.

What’s changing with Simpler Recycling?

The big change is that businesses will no longer be able to use general waste for all your waste. Instead, you will need separate containers and implement a method of segregation.

From 31 March 2025:

English businesses and organisations with 10 or more FTEs will need to separate recyclable materials from general waste.

From 31 March 2026:

The new legislation will be rolled out to households. Local Authorities will have to provide services that allow householders to separate recyclables.

From 31 March 2027:

Micro-firms – Businesses with less than 10 full-time employees – will also need to separate out plastic film, packaging, and bags.

How do I comply with Simpler Recycling rules?

You need to ensure you have the means to segregate different wastes and recycle correctly.

You must ensure that your recycled material does not get contaminated. Contamination means that a bin contains materials that don’t belong there. For example, if your general waste bin contains food waste or recyclable materials then, it is considered contaminated.

You must store your materials responsibly until they are ready for collection.

You need to work with a registered waste carrier, like Willshee’s, who will collect and recycle all waste.

If your wastes are not separated properly, you will contaminate your recyclable materials. If a business is continually found to be non-compliant, they run the risk of being issued a Compliance Notice by the Environment Agency, and eventually be liable for fines or prosecution.

What materials do I need to separate?

Any business with more than 10 FTEs, that produces any in-scope recyclable materials, will need to separate their waste. It doesn’t matter how much, or little, you produce, you are still required to separate from the residual (general) waste.

As part of the regulations, the recycling acceptance list has been standardised across England and expanded to allow for more materials. To help you understand the legiations, we’ve highlighted the current list of items included within the Simpler Recycling regulations.

Metal	Plastic	Paper & card	Food	Glass
Steel and aluminium tins and cans Aluminium foil and food trays Steel and aluminium jars and bottle lids Empty, non-toxic aerosol cans	Plastic bottles Pots, tubs and trays PE and PP plastic tubes (larger than 40mm x 40mm) Empty cartons for food and drink Plastic bags, packaging and film (from 31st March 2027)	Office paper Newspaper Cardboard Paperboard Magazines	Plate scrapings Tea bags Coffee grinds Peelings and off-cuts Unusable food waste	Glass bottles Glass jars

Will Simpler Recycling affect me?

From 31 March 2025, the new Simpler Recycling legislation will come into play for companies employing more than 10 full time employees. By 2027, businesses of all sizes will become in-scope.

Example scenarios:

Total FTEs	15
Total sites	3
Site A FTEs	9
Site B FTEs	4
Site C FTEs	2
In-scope of Simpler Recycling	Yes. All sites are in-scope from 31 March 2025.

Total FTEs	9
Total sites	2
Site A FTEs	7
Site B FTEs	2
In-scope of Simpler Recycling	Yes. Both sites are in-scope from 31 March 2027.

What type of bins will I need in order to comply with Simpler Recycling?

We know lots of different bins have the potential to disrupt your site. So with Willshee’s, all your dry recyclables, including plastic, paper, cardboard and metal can be collected together. This means you don’t need a separate bin for each of these materials.

We do provide separate wheelie bins and caddies for food waste and glass, to ensure all the waste is recycled.

What steps do you need to take to become Simpler Recycling ready?

At Willshee’s, we have been supporting businesses with their waste management requirements for over 40 years.

Simpler Recycling may seem daunting, but we are here to help and can take the stress out of complying with this new regulation.

A simple phone call to Willshee’s will ensure you’re compliant in no time at all.

A quick and easy phone call to determine what you need

An efficient, cost-effective, space-saving solution with flexible bin and collection options

Guidance and support on briefing your employees on how to separate waste

Guidance on how to avoid contamination and penalties

Free educational materials on the new regulations

Want to know more about Simpler Recycling legislation and how it will affect you business? Read our article in Sustainable Business Magazine here.

How does Willshee’s help clients become Simpler Recycling compliant?

Willshee’s operates a diverse fleet of vehicles to efficiently manage and transport various waste and recycling materials to our state-of-the-art facilities in the Midlands.

The fleet includes trade waste vehicles for emptying wheelie bins of all sizes and REL’s designed for the collection of small or large volumes of waste, suitable for all sizes of commercial and industrial customers.

We also operate a large number of skip and roll on roll off vehicles to deliver and exchange a full range of skip sizes from 2.5 yards to 40-yard roro’s.

Additionally, we provide moffet collections with our specialised vehicles that are equipped with mounted forklifts. This allows for the efficient collection of baled recyclable materials. We also operate hook lift vehicles, artics, curtain sided pick up vehicles and walking floor artics.

Willshee’s already provides separate methods of collections that comply with Simpler Recycling regulations. For example, we have a twin compartment vehicle specifically for food and glass.

By partnering with Willshee’s, your business can seamlessly transition to the new waste segregation requirements, ensuring compliance with DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling regulations while promoting sustainable waste management practices.

Willshee’s conducts full site audits to assess your current waste management practices and provide tailored recommendations to enhance recycling efficiency.

Willshee’s offer a range of containers and collection schedules designed to meet the specific needs of your business, ensuring proper separation of recyclables, food waste, and residual waste.

With significant investments in state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facilities, Willshee’s ensures that collected waste is processed efficiently. This helps maximise recycling rates and minimises the environmental impact by diverting any residual waste from landfill.

Willshee’s provides expert advice to ensure your business remains compliant with all legal requirements.

Willshee’s offers an online Customer Portal designed to enhance transparency and efficiency in waste management, giving access to detailed monthly reports outlining all collections made, tonnages collected, recycling rates, and comprehensive pricing and rebate information. These reports include graphs and charts for easy analysis.