Simpler Recycling Requirements for Hospitality Businesses in England
From 31 March 2025, Simpler Recycling is no longer guidance for hospitality businesses in England – it is a legal requirement.
Restaurants, cafes, pubs, catering companies, dark kitchens, takeaway, hotels and other food service operators must now follow mandatory waste separation rules. Failure to comply can result in enforcement action, fines and formal notices from local authorities and the Environment Agency.
For many businesses, the challenge is not understanding the law, but putting a practical, workable system in place that fits daily operations, limited space and high staff turnover.
This page explains exactly what Simpler Recycling means for hospitality businesses, and how it should be implemented in practice.
When Simpler Recycling Applies
The legal start date depends on the size of your business.
- Businesses with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTE):
must comply from 31 March 2025
- Businesses with fewer than 10 employees:
must comply from 31 March 2027
The rules apply regardless of whether waste is collected daily, weekly or less frequently. If your business produces food waste, the obligation applies.
What Waste Must Be Separated Under Simpler Recycling
Simpler Recycling requires hospitality businesses to separate waste streams at the point of waste disposal, not after collection.
Food waste
Food waste must always be stored and collected separately. It must never be placed in general waste.
This includes:
- plate scrapings and customer leftovers
- preparation waste, peelings, bones and trimmings
- expired food and spoiled stock
- cooked and uncooked food
- sauces, rice, pasta, meat, fish and dairy products
Food waste must be sent for anaerobic digestion (AD) or composting.
The following are not permitted:
- disposing food waste via the sink or drains
- using macerators as a primary disposal method
- mixing food waste with residual waste
Dry recyclable materials
Dry recyclables must also be separated from general waste.
Depending on your waste contractor, materials may be collected together or split into separate streams. This commonly includes:
Many collectors require glass to be kept separate, which is fully compliant under the regulations and widely applied across England.
Residual (general) waste
Residual waste should contain only materials that cannot be recycled.
Typical examples include:
- contaminated packaging
- napkins and paper towels
- non-recyclable composite materials
Food waste must never appear in residual waste bins.
What Hospitality Businesses Are Required to Put in Place
Simpler Recycling is not only about separating waste – it is about demonstrating proper control of waste management systems.
Appropriate containers
Businesses must provide suitable containers for each waste stream, typically including:
- food waste bins in kitchen areas
- recycling bins in customer and service areas
- separate cardboard storage where required
- clearly designated external wheelie bins
A single black bin system is no longer compliant.
Contract with a licensed waste carrier
Your business must:
- use a registered and licensed waste contractor
- have a contract clearly stating separated waste streams
- understand where food waste is taken (AD or composting)
If a carrier mixes waste incorrectly, responsibility may still sit partly with the business under Duty of Care obligations.
Duty of Care documentation
Every hospitality business must maintain correct documentation, including:
- Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs)
- accurate descriptions of waste streams
- correct EWC codes
- records retained for a minimum of two years
These documents are frequently requested during inspections.
Staff training and signage
Enforcement officers may ask:
- whether staff have been trained
- whether signage is displayed in food preparation areas
- whether written instructions are available
This is not a formality, training and signage are actively checked.
What Businesses Must Not Do
Under Simpler Recycling, the following practices are non-compliant:
- mixing food waste with general waste
- operating “everything into one bin” systems
- disposing food waste as standard commercial waste
- discharging food waste into drainage systems
- ignoring contamination warnings from collectors
Repeated non-compliance can escalate quickly.
Enforcement, Inspections and Penalties
Compliance is monitored by:
- local council commercial waste teams
- the Environment Agency
Enforcement measures may include:
- compliance notices
- improvement notices
- financial penalties
- prosecution in serious or repeated cases
Fines for businesses can reach thousands of pounds, not the fixed penalties typically associated with household waste.
Practical Challenges Businesses Should Plan for in Advance
The Simpler Recycling requirements are now part of everyday operations for hospitality businesses in England.
In most cases, compliance itself is straightforward – however, certain practical aspects are worth planning for early to avoid disruption once the system is in place.
Common operational challenges include:
- Limited space for additional containers
Many kitchens, yards and service areas were not originally designed to accommodate multiple waste streams. Reviewing layout, bin sizes and collection frequency in advance helps prevent congestion and safety issues.
- Higher volumes in food waste bins
Once food is removed from general waste, food bins can fill more quickly during busy trading periods. This often requires adjusting collection schedules rather than increasing general waste capacity.
- Staff understanding and consistency
Hospitality environments experience regular staff turnover. Without clear signage and simple instructions, contamination can occur unintentionally – especially during peak service hours.
- Collection reliability during high-demand periods
Bank holidays, weekends and seasonal trading can place additional pressure on waste storage. Planning collections around trading patterns is key to maintaining compliance.
- Cost control through correct setup
Incorrect bin sizing or collection frequency can lead to unnecessary charges. A properly structured setup from the outset usually results in lower long-term waste costs.
- Separate glass storage where required
In some areas, glass must be stored independently. Factoring this into space planning early avoids last-minute adjustments later on.
These considerations are not obstacles – they are part of establishing a waste system that works in real hospitality environments, not just on paper.
Practical Compliance Checklist
A compliant hospitality business should have:
- a dedicated food waste bin
- separate recycling streams
- a contract with a licensed waste carrier
- valid Waste Transfer Notes
- trained staff
- clear signage in kitchens and service areas
- zero food waste in general waste bins
Simpler Recycling in One Sentence
For hospitality businesses in England, Simpler Recycling is no longer a recommendation – it is now a mandatory operating standard.
Ready to get your Simpler Recycling setup right?
For hospitality businesses, compliance is no longer optional – but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
At Affordable Waste Management, we help restaurants, cafés, pubs and catering businesses put a clear, workable waste system in place – one that fits real trading conditions, space limitations and staffing realities.
We support businesses that are:
- opening a new venue and need the correct setup from day one
- reviewing existing waste contracts ahead of inspections
- struggling with contamination or overflowing bins
- looking to reduce landfill costs and avoid unnecessary penalties
Our team will help you:
- structure compliant waste streams
- arrange licensed collections at the right frequency
- ensure documentation meets Duty of Care requirements
- avoid overpaying through poorly configured contracts
Get a free quote in just two clicks, and make sure your waste setup works for your business, not against it.