In October 2023, DEFRA announced a scheme where all households, businesses, and workplaces will have the same recycling materials collected, so no need to check with local councils or waste collectors.
By 31 March 2025, businesses and non-domestic premises with 10 or more full-time employees must separate plastic, paper and card, glass, metals (cans, tins, foil), and food waste. This will help save resources and supports the UK circular economy.
This rule applies to all such premises, including schools and hospitals, regardless of how many employees are on site at one time. For example, if your business has 5 locations with 2 full-time employees each, you still need to follow these regulations.
This change aims to increase recycling and reduce waste, potentially lowering business costs, saving energy, conserving resources, and protecting the environment.
Food waste collected by Ealing Council is processed to generate electricity and fertiliser, which is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Smaller businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees have until 31 March 2027 to comply. These changes support a national policy to achieve a 65% recycling rate by 2035.
Timeline for changes to commercial waste collections
31 March 2025: Deadline for businesses, schools and hospitals with more than 10 full time employees to be compliant
31 March 2027: Deadline for business with fewer than ten full-time employees to be compliant
31 March 2027: Plastic bags and wrapping will be added to the items we can recycle in our recycling service
The council currently offers general waste bin and sack collections and a dry mixed recycling sack only collection. We are working on introducing a fully comprehensive service to include all general waste, dry mixed recycling and food waste bin and sack collections as soon as possible. To register your interest in working with the council for your business waste collection, please log in to your online portal and report your interest to speak with one of our business waste experts or email: businesswaste@ealing.gov.uk
More information about Simpler Recycling can be found on the WRAP website