Do small businesses need a food waste bin? Simpler Recycling and the 2027 deadline

If you run a small business, a change is coming that affects your bins — and there is a firm deadline. Under England's Simpler Recycling rules, businesses have to separate their waste for recycling, and from 2027 that includes the very smallest firms. Here is what it means, whether you need a food waste bin, and how to be ready in good time.

What Simpler Recycling requires

The rules require most workplaces in England to separate their waste into three streams rather than putting everything in one general bin:

• Dry recycling — paper and card, plastic, metal and glass.
• Food waste — collected separately.
• Residual (general) waste — whatever is left.

The aim is simple: keep recyclable material and food out of general waste, which is the most expensive to dispose of.

Who has to comply, and when

The rules are being phased in by business size:

• Businesses with 10 or more employees have had to comply since 31 March 2025.
• Micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees must comply by 31 March 2027.

So if you are a small or micro business, the clock is ticking towards that 2027 date.

Do small businesses need a food waste bin?

In most cases, yes. If your business produces food waste — and most do, from cafes and takeaways to offices with a kitchen or a staff canteen — you will need a separate food waste collection once the rules apply to you. The safest assumption is that a food waste bin will be part of your setup.

How to get ready

1. Check where you sit. Count your employees to see whether you are in the 2025 group or the 2027 micro-business group.
2. Arrange separate collections. You will need dry recycling and food waste collected separately from general waste, using a licensed carrier.
3. Keep your paperwork. Your duty of care still applies — use a licensed carrier and keep waste transfer notes.
4. Do it early. Sorting it before the deadline avoids a last-minute rush, and separating food and recycling can also cut what you pay for pricier general waste.

For the full picture see our guides on Simpler Recycling rules and commercial waste costs.

How Win Energy helps

We compare compliant commercial waste collection — general, recycling and food waste — for businesses across a panel of licensed UK suppliers, so you can meet the rules without overpaying. We only recommend a switch when it genuinely improves your cost or service.

The 2027 deadline is far enough away to plan properly and close enough to start now. Check your size, arrange separate recycling and food waste collections with a licensed carrier, and you will be compliant, tidy and often cheaper than leaving everything in one general bin.