What Goes In The Recycling Bin?
What goes in the recycling bin at work depends on the type of waste and the collection service your business uses. In England, most workplaces must separate dry recyclable materials, food waste and residual waste under Simpler Recycling rules.
Dry recyclables, including plastic, metal, glass, paper and card, don’t always go into one bin. While some businesses may mix these materials in a dry mixed recycling container, others separate them into individual containers. Ensure your business follows the instructions provided by your chosen waste collection rather than relying on bin colour alone.
What can go in a recycling bin?
Paper and cardboard
Examples include:
- Office paper
- Newspapers and magazines
- Cardboard boxes
- Card packaging
- Envelopes
- Paper bags
Plastic
Examples that may be accepted depending on the service:
- Plastic bottles
- Pots
- Tubs
- Trays
- Plastic packaging
- Cartons where your service accepts them
A plastic item being technically recyclable does not mean it belongs in your business recycling bin.
Metal
Examples:
- Drinks cans
- Food tins
- Empty metal packaging
- Clean foil where accepted
Keep batteries and electrical items out of this stream.
Glass
Examples:
- Glass bottles
- Glass jars
Check the label on your recycling container or confirm accepted materials with your waste provider before adding anything you are unsure about.
What is dry mixed recycling?
Dry mixed recycling (DMR) allows several clean, dry recyclables to be collected in the same container. Usually, a DMR service accepts:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Plastic packaging
- Metal tins and cans
Some DMR services accept glass. The exact mix depends on the waste provider and the treatment facility being used.
Businesses using DMR report that fewer bins are required, which helps staff recycle effectively. DMR is adopted by offices, shops and various other workplaces. Note that dry mixed recycling only works when the correct materials go into the bin. Food, liquids and unsuitable waste can contaminate the load.
What does Simpler Recycling mean for business recycling bins?
Since March 31st, 2025, workplaces in England with more than 10 full-time employees must separate DMR, food waste, and general waste. Smaller workplaces with fewer than 10 full-time employees have until March 31st, 2027, to make these changes.
Businesses should choose container sizes and collection frequencies that match the waste they produce. All waste on the premises, including that produced by staff, customers, and visitors, is included. The March 2027 Simpler Recycling deadline also marks the introduction of dedicated plastic film collections as a required recyclable plastic stream.
What cannot go in a recycling bin?
Typical items that should not go in a standard dry mixed recycling bin include:
- Food waste
- Liquids
- Black bags containing mixed waste
- Batteries
- Electrical equipment
- Light bulbs
- Hazardous waste
- Used tissues and paper towels
- Clinical or sanitary waste
- Contaminated packaging
- Ceramics and crockery
- Mirrors and window glass
- Wood
- Polystyrene unless specifically accepted
- Bulky plastics
Expanded and high-impact polystyrene packaging does not have to be collected as part of England’s standard Simpler Recycling plastic stream. Depending on your location, specialist commercial recycling may still be available for clean EPS.
Wood is usually recyclable, but you’ll need to arrange a dedicated wood waste collection rather than grouping it with other materials. Similarly, electricals and batteries need separate WEEE and battery recycling routes, respectively.
Does food waste go in the recycling bin?
Not in a DMR bin. Food waste is recyclable, but it requires a separate container and collection. Under Simpler Recycling, restaurants, cafés, hotels, catering firms, and any other businesses covered by the rules must separate their food waste. Food contamination can spoil paper and cardboard and reduce the recyclability of these streams.
What happens if the wrong waste goes in a recycling bin?
Recycling contamination happens when the wrong material is placed into a recycling stream. Common causes of contamination include:
- Food left inside containers
- Liquids
- General waste
- Plastic bags where not accepted
- Batteries
- Electricals
Incorrect glass
Used paper towels
Hazardous substances
Contamination may not seem like an important issue, but it can cause issues throughout the process. It reduces material quality, creates additional sorting, causes rejected loads and increases disposal costs. Batteries also create a serious fire risk in lorries or sorting facilities.
Businesses should:
- Use clear bin labels
- Match bins to the waste generated in that area
- Train staff appropriately
- Keep general waste and recycling beside each other where useful
- Audit bins periodically
- Speak to the waste provider when unsure
What do the different recycling bin colours mean in the UK?
There’s no single UK-wide colour code for commercial recycling bins. Depending on your waste provider, workplace and local authority, recycling bins can be a range of colours. Lid colours can also vary even where the bin body is the same.
The label on the container is more important than the colour. Use clear labels showing exactly what can and cannot go inside each bin rather than expecting employees to recognise a colour.
What are businesses legally responsible for?
Under Simpler Recycling, businesses must separate the required waste streams that apply to their size. Organisations also have a waste Duty of Care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This entails that businesses must:
- Keep waste secure
- Prevent it escaping
- Transfer it only to authorised businesses
- Describe it accurately
- Take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled correctly
Your responsibility does not end when a bin is collected. Businesses should use authorised waste carriers and understand where their waste is going.
How can businesses choose the right recycling bins?
Consider the waste streams you produce, the volumes, your available storage space, a collection frequency which suits your operating hours, alongside your Simpler Recycling obligations.
The setup may look different depending on your sector. For instance:
- An office may need DMR, confidential paper, food and general waste.
- A restaurant may need separate food, glass, cardboard and general waste.
- A retailer may produce large volumes of cardboard and plastic packaging.
- A warehouse may benefit from balers or larger containers as well as recycling bins.
Business Waste can help you decide. We provide free recycling bins for businesses across the UK, catering to one-off, ad hoc and scheduled collections. If you need further support, we can arrange a waste audit of your premises. We’ll also provide relevant waste documentation at no extra charge. Speak to our in-house team today to get started.
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