Mims Davies MP Announces Consultation on Simpler Recycling for Households and Businesses in England
Mims along with her Ministerial colleagues want to make it easier for people to do the right thing, maximise use, minimise waste and drive-up recycling rates.
They have launched a consultation on additional policies related to Simpler Recycling, including expanding the list of non-domestic premises in scope. The consultations will run from 21 October 2023, closing at 11:59pm on 20 November 2023.
Share your views on the consultation here.
On Saturday 21 October 2023, the Government launched new waste reforms to make it easier for households and businesses to recycle by introducing a simpler approach to waste collections.
This common-sense approach - Simpler Recycling (formerly known as Consistency in Household and Business Recycling in England) means an end to the post code lottery so, for the first time, people across England will be able to recycle the same materials, as well as get weekly food waste collections.
Whatever product you buy with the recycling logo, all your food you don’t use, you will be able to recycle it at home – wherever you live. Weekly collections of food waste will also be introduced for most households across England by 2026 – ending the threat of smelly waste waiting weeks for collection and cutting food waste heading to landfill. This will also stop a trend towards three or four weekly bin collections seen in some local authorities across the UK, particularly in Wales.
The government is proposing new exemptions to make sure that waste collectors will be able to collect dry recyclables together, in the same bin or bag, and collect organic waste together, to reduce the number of bins required. As previously confirmed by the Prime Minister, the new plans for simpler recycling will make sure that households will not need an excessive number of bins.
The areas with the highest recycling rates use just three bins or boxes for every home to collect this already. If it works for those parts of the country, the government thinks that this approach can be undertaken by all councils. To that end, the Government will be legislating in early 2024 to enable that. It will still be for councils to decide how many bins or boxes they offer households.
The Government have listened to councils and households and as part of the simpler recycling policy, local authorities will have the flexibility to design and implement the reforms that works for their geographical areas and citizens. This means councils will not face a top-down edict on bin numbers.
They have also launched a consultation on exemptions to co-collect and statutory guidance for Simpler Recycling; consulting on introducing exemptions to allow councils to co-collect all dry recyclable waste in one bin and organic waste in another.
In continuing the journey on waste reforms, they will also bring in stricter laws for those who manage and transport waste in England and introduce mandatory digital waste tracking across the UK – taking on the dodgy-dealers, rogue-operators, and fly-tipping cowboy criminals who blight our countryside and cost our economy £1 billion every year.
Policies have been published to reform the waste carrier, broker and dealer regime in England - regulations for people and businesses involved in transporting and managing waste and the ‘Introduction of mandatory digital waste tracking’ for the UK.
Together these measures are a significant step towards a circular economy that delivers our commitments on resources and waste. They will help us achieve our 25 Year Environment Plan commitment to eliminate avoidable waste by 2050, our Environment Act target to halve the amount of residual waste we produce by 2042, and our ambition of recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2035.
Simpler Recycling will significantly contribute to the Net Zero Strategy commitment to, ‘explore options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028.’ This policy will be the main contributor to reducing residual municipal food waste per capita by the equivalent of 50% from 2019 levels, set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.
The Government remains committed to delivering the environmental benefits of its Resources and Waste package of reforms. We will continue to work with local authorities and waste management representatives to collaborate and help shape the future Simpler Recycling and wider waste reforms.
Mims and her team hope these reforms will help households and businesses recycle more in an easier fashion,