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Business Compliance United Kingdom For businesses

Simpler Recycling & Business Waste Compliance Check

Check whether your business separates and collects waste as required by England's Simpler Recycling rules and meets its waste duty of care obligations.

Start free check 10 questions · 6 minutes · No signup
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Did you know? The numbers behind this check.

  • 31 Mar 2025Rules in force for workplaces
  • 31 Mar 2027Micro-firm food waste start
  • Under 10 FTEMicro-firm threshold
  • 2 yearsWaste transfer notes kept

Why this matters.

Since 31 March 2025, workplaces in England have had to present core recyclable materials — paper and card, plastic, metal and glass — separately from general waste, under the Simpler Recycling reforms made through the Environment Act 2021 and the Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024. Businesses must also arrange a separate food waste collection, with a delayed start until 31 March 2027 for micro-firms (fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees). Your waste contractor will increasingly ask you to sort waste correctly, and mixed or contaminated bins can mean refused collections or extra charges.

Separately, every business has a waste duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You must store waste safely, pass it only to an authorised carrier, and complete and keep a waste transfer note for each transfer (for at least two years). Failing to meet these duties can lead to fixed penalty notices and prosecution, with unlimited fines for serious offences. The rules apply in England only — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regimes.

Have these to hand.

  • The number of full-time equivalent employees at each of your premises
  • Your current waste contract and the bins or collections you receive
  • Copies of recent waste transfer notes or duty of care paperwork
  • The types of waste your business produces, including food waste and glass

What you’ll get.

  • 1A score out of 100Where you stand today, at a glance.
  • 2Findings ranked by riskWhat could cost you, highest risk first.
  • 3A plan with timeframesWhat to fix first and by when.

Use this free tool to check whether your business sorts and collects waste in line with England’s Simpler Recycling rules and your waste duty of care. Get a clear action plan in minutes.

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General guidance only, not legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor or adviser in your jurisdiction for specific issues.