How to Reduce Recycling Contamination

Navigating Simpler Recycling Legislation: A Guide for Businesses

From 31 March 2025, businesses across England must comply with the simpler recycling legislation, which introduces new waste management requirements.

Understanding these changes and taking the right steps now will help businesses stay compliant, improve recycling efforts, and potentially lower waste disposal costs.

At WM101, we provide the support and services businesses need to meet their recycling obligations while keeping waste disposal efficient and cost-effective.

How To Avoid Recycling Contamination

How Can Businesses Comply With the Simpler Recycling Legislation?

Key Takeaways:

1. Update waste services to meet simpler recycling legislation rules.

2. Train employees and work with WM101 for new waste regulations 2025 compliance.

3. Track recycling data and review waste disposal costs.

What Is Recycling Contamination

Understanding the New Recycling Legislation

The simpler recycling legislation aims to standardise business waste management across England, supporting sustainability efforts and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Under the new food waste legislation UK 2025, businesses must separate dry recyclables from general waste, implement food waste collections where applicable, and follow stricter waste management procedures to minimise landfill waste.

Types of Recycling Contamination

Assess Current Recycling Practices

To comply with simpler recycling legislation, businesses should assess their current waste management by auditing waste sorting practices, identifying areas for improvement, and reviewing collection contracts to ensure alignment with the new regulations.

Updating Recycling Systems and Procedures

After reviewing their current recycling systems and practices, businesses should update their processes to comply with the new waste regulations 2025. This includes revising waste segregation procedures to meet simpler recycling legislation requirements, ensuring recycling bins are properly labelled to prevent contamination, and setting up clear waste collection points to make compliance easier to manage.

Why is contamination such a major problem in recycling

Train and Educate Employees

Successful implementation of the new waste regulations 2025 depends on employees understanding their role in compliance and following correct recycling processes. Businesses should provide clear training materials, schedule regular sessions to ensure staff separate waste correctly, and make recycling simple and accessible to encourage workplace engagement.

Engage with Recycling Contractors or Services

At WM101, we advise businesses to contact recycling providers, such as ourselves, to understand how the recycling legislation 2025 will affect collections and what new requirements need to be met.

It's also important to review existing waste collection agreements to ensure they remain compliant.

How Can We Reduce Recycling Contamination

Keep Track of Recycling Data and Documentation

To comply with simpler recycling 2025, businesses must track recycling efforts by monitoring waste volumes, keeping records of collection reports, and using data to identify ways to reduce waste more effectively.

Stay Updated on Future Legislation Changes

Whilst the simpler recycling legislation has only just been introduced, it is likely that this will evolve and change over time to keep up with sustainability improvements.

It is crucial to stay informed and review updates, subscribe to government or industry newsletters for updates and attend relevant workshops or webinars to stay ahead and compliant with regulatory changes.

Why is contamination such a major problem in recycling

Review Impact on Waste Disposal Costs

The simpler recycling legislation may impact waste disposal costs, so businesses should assess whether compliance leads to savings, explore ways to improve recycling efficiency, and work with trusted providers such as WM101 to implement cost-effective waste management solutions.

Ensure Transparency and Accountability

A strong recycling strategy should be well-documented and visible across the business. This includes creating clear reporting systems to track recycling progress, sharing achievements with customers and stakeholders, and making sustainability a key part of corporate responsibility efforts to ensure compliance with simpler recycling legislation.

How Can We Reduce Recycling Contamination

Promote Environmental Responsibility within the Business

Beyond compliance, businesses can integrate sustainability into their broader goals by encouraging employees and customers to take part in recycling efforts, exploring eco-friendly initiatives beyond waste management, and making sustainability a core business value to support responsible waste regulations 2025 compliance.

Avoiding Recycling Contamination With Services WM101

Simpler Recycling Compliance with WM101

At WM101, we stay up to date with new waste regulations 2025 to ensure our customers receive the support they need to implement cost-effective and compliant waste disposal and recycling strategies.

We provide flexible collection schedules, expert guidance on compliance with simpler recycling legislation and reliable waste management to meet regulatory requirements.

To learn more about how WM101 can support your business in meeting the recycling legislation 2025, contact us today at 01629 817000.


26/02/2025