Waste disposal information for businesses
It is your duty of care to deal responsibly with any waste your business produces. It begins from the moment the waste is produced to when it's received by a licensed waste facility.
More information about your responsibilities is available on the GOV.UK website.
From 31 March 2025 businesses will be legally required to separate recyclable materials from their general waste. The new regulations mean that businesses with ten or more full time employees will need to recycle the following materials:
- Food waste, including leftovers and waste generated by preparing food (of any volume, including if the workplace does not serve food or have a canteen)
- Paper and cardboard
- Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, and cartons
- Metal tins and cans, foil and empty aerosols
- Glass bottles and jars
The new laws apply to all businesses, healthcare establishments and academic institutions, but small businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees are temporarily exempt until 31 March 2027.
Businesses are advised to contact their waste collector to check if their current services meet the upcoming requirements. If they do not, then business owners must make new arrangements by 31 March 2025. Waste collectors will work with businesses to ensure they have the right bins and are able to use them properly.
Nottinghamshire County Council doesn’t provide a commercial waste disposal service and business waste is not accepted at our recycling centres.
Some district councils in Nottinghamshire offer a chargeable regular trade waste or recycling collection using wheeled containers provided to your commercial premises.
The new regulations are being introduced to support businesses to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal. Businesses are reminded that failure to follow these requirements by 31 March 2025 (or 31 March 2027 for micro firms), could result in a compliance notice from the Environment Agency.
Further information about the new regulations is available at: Business of Recycling | WRAP. This DEFRA funded website also includes a waste calculator, to enable firms to work out the potential costs of their waste collection service, as well as providing them with ideas on how to improve waste efficiency.
