Glasdon UK - Is Your School Ready For Simpler Recycling?
April 2025

With new recycling legislation introduced on the 31st of March, schools should make sure they comply with the new rules.

Simpler Recycling for England has introduced new rules for councils, businesses and public premises. As the name might suggest, the law aims to make recycling simpler and easier in an effort to improve national recycling rates, which have plateaued at around 43% over the past couple of years.

The legislation standardises the collection of waste across England and allows for dry recyclables, such as plastic, metal, and glass, to be combined into one ‘Mixed Dry Recyclables’ waste stream*. This will reduce the number of bins needed and simplify the recycling process. Residual (non-recyclable) waste, food waste, and paper & card will remain in separate bins, meaning there will be a minimum of four different types of waste streams.

While households benefit from free waste collection, all businesses and non-domestic premises are responsible for their own waste disposal, which includes schools too. That means arrangements will need to be made with private waste collectors and new processes put in place to remain compliant with the new regulations.

*There is no obligation to combine waste streams, only to provide recycling and collection for each stream.

Even with the deadline passed, here's how schools can still prepare for the new legislation.

#1 – Conduct A Waste Audit

Schools should start out by conducting a thorough waste audit across their educational premises.

- Examine the total number and type of bins located around the school. Are different bins used for different recyclables? Is proper labelling and signage in place to help guide students and staff to recycle correctly? Are there enough bins to go around? How is the waste stored? This information is all essential to understanding your school’s waste management needs.

- Assess your weekly food waste and whether it is disposed of separately or combined with general waste. If your school produces more than 5kg of food waste a week (chances are it will), then you will need to separate food waste and general waste in different waste streams by the 31st March deadline.

- Look into your waste collection provider. Are they fully licensed, and do they adhere to the new regulations? You may need to liaise with them to determine the right frequency of collection and how many bins or waste streams are needed for your premises. While not mandatory, it may help to hire a waste collector that is already DfE-approved to ensure compliance with the new rules.

If the audit concludes that your school is already compliant with the new rules, then great. If not, take note of what pieces of the puzzle are missing.

#2 – Invest In New Bin Units

Once your waste management needs have been determined, your school may need to invest in new waste infrastructure to remain compliant.

As a reminder, schools must provide recycling and collection measures for:

Glass
Metal
Plastic
Paper & Cardboard
Food Waste
General Waste

While glass, metal, and plastic can be combined into one ‘Mixed Dry Recyclables’ waste stream, there’s no obligation to do so. So long as each individual material can be recycled correctly, your school will remain compliant. However, in most cases, it will be cheaper and more effective to provide the one mixed waste stream rather than three separate streams.

Paper & Cardboard, Food Waste, and General Waste will all need their own waste stream. While paper and card should be separated from other dry recyclables, your waste collector may still collect them together. It is recommended to first speak to your waste collector to determine which option would be best for your school.

Schools must decide whether to purchase individual bin units for each stream or invest in bin units that are divided into multiple waste streams. While the latter can be a cost-effective option that takes up less space, make sure to choose an appropriate capacity bin to accommodate your school’s waste volume, and consider use of the correct signage to avoid cross-contamination.

It would also be a good idea to draw both student and staff attention to the new changes. Send out communications to staff, prompting them to inform their students. At the same time, provide clear signage and labelling alongside any new bin units to prevent confusion. Colour-coding measures and informational posters may also help to ensure staff, students, and site visitors know how to use the new system.

#3 – Partner With Compliant Waste Collectors

One major change arriving with Simpler Recycling is the responsibility for business and non-domestic premises to organise the collection of their own waste via licensed waste carriers.

It’s crucial to choose a waste collector who will fully adhere to the new regulations. Eventually, a digital system for waste tracking will be introduced, which will punish waste carriers involved in illegal waste activity, and those who follow poor procedures or dispose of waste incorrectly.

Using a provider that has already earned approval from the DfE may help to avoid this. Schools can use this tool to find a DfE approved framework for waste management solutions. There are two main frameworks available: ‘Building in use – support services’ provided by YPO, and ‘Facilities management and workplace services’ provided by CSS.

Both frameworks feature a range of waste management suppliers based all around the country, but YPO’s ‘Building in use - support services’ framework also allows local suppliers to join if they meet the requirements. This is particularly useful if your school’s current providers adhere to the new legislation, but are not already featured on the framework.

It is advisable to build in requirements to meet any new recycling criteria into your procurement process, therefore ensuring your waste collection providers will continue to remain compliant in the future.

# 4 – Stay Ahead Of Further Changes

While the Simpler Recycling legislation mandates that measures for most types of recyclables, there are some notable exceptions.

Both garden waste and plastic film are not yet covered by the legislation – garden waste is exempt, while plastic film collections are planned to come into effect by March 2027. Both of these items are not considered ‘core recyclable waste streams’ by the legislation, and therefore no immediate action is required from councils or businesses.

Additionally, Micro-firms (with 10 or fewer employees) are temporarily exempt from the legislation, until 31 March 2027. As for households, local authorities must collect the core waste streams from homes by 31 March 2026, expanding out the Simpler Recycling requirements to domestic properties.

Ultimately, recycling legislation is an ever-shifting landscape, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest changes. Stay notified of government updates, and remember that plastic film will also be collected in the not-too-distant future.

How Glasdon Can Help With Simpler Recycling

Our range of durable and cost-effective bin units provide the perfect solution to your school’s simpler recycling requirements. Whether your premises requires external or internal bins, single waste stream or multi-waste stream units, personalisation options or express delivery, Glasdon offers the right product for you.

Eco Nexus® 60 Recycling Bin

Perfect for classrooms, hallways, and canteens, the Eco Nexus 60 combines a sleek design with a 60-litre capacity and narrow footprint, allowing the unit to be tucked beside doors, tables, and drawer sets.

Available for all four of the Simpler Recycling waste streams, the Eco Nexus is manufactured from Durapol® material, meaning the unit is highly durable and can withstand the blows and thumps commonly caused by children running or playing.
Discover The Eco Nexus® 60

Nexus® Evolution Recycling Stations

Offering a 160-litre capacity split between multiple waste streams, the Nexus Evolution provides a flexible and personalised recycling solution for your school premises. Its aperture panels can be fixed together and lifted as one or left separate for individual operation, while its bungee sack retention system is designed for ease-of-use.

The Nexus Evolution is available in either Duo, Trio, or Quad variations, with full customisation over compartments, apertures, and graphics, allowing almost any configuration of waste streams. Alternatively, opt for a Nexus Evolution City if looking for an external option.
Discover The Nexus® Evolution

Nexus® 100 Recycling Stations

The Nexus 100 is single-waste stream unit suitable for areas with added waste volume. Intended to co-ordinate with other units in the range, its extended 100-litre capacity and durable frame makes the Nexus 100 perfect for school canteens, school offices, and high foot-traffic areas.

Available for all four of the Simpler Recycling waste streams, the Nexus 100 features a removable door with integrated wheels for ease-of-access and quick bin liner replacement.

How To Procure Our Products

Glasdon are featured on the North Western University Purchasing Consortium (NWUPC) framework for cleaning solutions, as an approved supplier of recycling bins and street furniture.

NWUPC manage the framework on behalf of other education consortia, including CPC, APUC, NEUPC, LUPC, SUPC, and HEUPC. If you’re looking to procure compliant recycling products for your educational premises, this framework would be a great place to start.

Reference: Framework Agreement for Cleaning Solutions Ref: JAN 3148 NW Lot 7

If you have any questions regarding our products or how to order them, you can contact us by the number or email address listed above.