An Acumen Guide to the Changes in Waste Management Your Business Must Embrace This Year
As we move forward through 2024, businesses need to be constantly considering changes to their practices when it comes to waste management. Here at Acumen, we believe that 2024 is a big year for business’ waste management, for a variety of reasons.
While there has been a larger shift toward recycling in the last 10 years, there is still a long way to go before the UK reaches many of its targets. A 2023 WRAP survey found that 90% of citizens regularly recycle, however, over half miss opportunities to regularly recycle and 81% contaminate their recycling with non-accepted materials. And while the government’s target recycling rate is at 65%, the actual figure still a long way off. So, how is this being combatted, and what changes should your business make this year?
Simpler Recycling
To combat these worrying trends, the Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced a ‘Simpler Recycling’ scheme in late 2023. This regulation will aim to standardise local, previously confusing, recycling rules as well as allow for dry recyclables to be collected in one bin. For businesses, these collections will be performed by waste collection services, so considering your options is imperative. The deadline of March 2025 for non-municipal premises means that you will need to start looking ahead now, and investing in employee education and developing a waste strategy, as well as finding a waste management company.
If you’d like to learn more about Simpler Recycling and what it means for your business, click here.
Single-use materials are on their way out – plan ahead
In our move to a more sustainable Britain, many single-use plastics are being phased out or banned, getting ahead of this curve could save your business time, money, and resources in the long run. Examples of these bans include polystyrene in food packaging, single-use plastic drink stirrers, and many other single-use plastic devices. While these changes may not affect your industry directly currently, it is an opportunity to reflect on your current supply chain and consider where you can adapt and introduce more sustainable materials and products.
Landfill costs increase
In April 2024, landfill costs will increase incrementally to £103.70 per tonne. While this change is not monumental, it will still affect your business’ margins and maybe the chance to explore alternatives. Waste collection services can offer alternative disposal techniques, which can be more sustainable. This means that your business avoids the rising costs of using landfills while also contributing to a more environmentally friendly disposal method.
EPR – and what to do
The government are introducing a new format: Extended Producer Responsibility, to drive businesses to use more sustainable packaging. Packaging will be judged upon three key metrics:
- How easy it is for customers to put it into recycling collections.
- Whether the UK’s recycling infrastructure will collect the materials used and how easily it can be recycled.
- The market is available for recycled material.
The costs for collecting and dealing with this packaging will rest with the producer, encouraging them to move toward using more sustainable materials. As a business you will also have to pay waste management fees, collect packaging data, and get packaging recycling notes to meet strict targets. Fees will not have to be paid for 2024, although 2023 reports must be produced, and preparations for the future of EPR should be made.
Wales workplace regulations
As of April 2024, all businesses based in Wales will have to adhere to new workplace recycling rules, so if you’re a Welsh business owner, read on! These new regulations focus upon waste separation, to ensure that each recycling stream is distinct and uncontaminated. One bin will be expected to be used for paper and card, and another for metal, plastics and cartons together, while glass collections are separate. There are also stricter regulations on the disposal of food and wood waste. Your business must be prepared for these changes, as they’re to be enforced next month, a fine could greet you if not.
So, from single-use plastic bans to UK-wide standardisations of collection, 2024 is a big year for waste management, and one that may see sweeping changes for your business. Whether they directly affect your business or not, you should still be spending this year to adapt and consider any shifts in policy you could embrace.
Contact Acumen today to discuss your waste management needs.
