ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) would like to remind retailers about the guidance available on the Simpler Recycling regulations which came into force on 31st March.
The regulations state that businesses in England with more than 10 full time equivalent employees across the entire business that produce waste collected in customer facing bins or from their business operations must separate and present their waste to their waste collector into the following four waste streams:
- Dry recycling (glass, metal and plastic)*
- Paper and card*
- Food waste
- Black bin waste (to be sent to landfill)
*some waste collectors will take dry recycling and paper/card together, but retailers will need to confirm this with their collector.
Any business that does not comply with the requirements set out by the new regulations are at risk of receiving a compliance notice from the Environment Agency. Businesses with fewer than 10 FTE employees will have until March 2027 to comply with the regulations.
Be sure to check the ACS guidance for a clear understanding of what you’ll need to do to comply with the rules. Anyone affected by the rules will need to:
- Review bin provision that they are responsible for, especially outside of the store, where there is a higher risk of waste streams being contaminated.
- Contact their waste collector to understand their responsibilities and any additional costs.
You can download the Simpler Recycling guide here.
