The amount of waste we create in the UK increases by around 30% over the Christmas period. Much of this is due to homes and consumers buying lots more food, gifts, and packaging that gets thrown away. Businesses also produce significantly more waste when celebrating the festive season.

Christmas parties, workplace decorations, client and staff gifts, and festive lunches all make waste that doesn’t occur at other times of year. Reducing the amount of rubbish your business generates is better for the environment, cheaper to manage, and avoids issues when dealing with commercial waste at Christmas.

Aiming for zero waste helps companies work towards corporate social responsibility goals and take a proactive approach to going greener. Discover ways your company can celebrate sustainably and minimise how much rubbish it generates with these zero waste Christmas ideas.

Putting up Christmas decorations is a big part of getting into the festive spirit whether you run a shop, restaurant, office, pub, hotel, or any other business. The easiest way to eliminate waste is to use the same decorations from last year. Hopefully, you’ve stored them safely and can bring out the boxes to decorate your workplace.

An artificial Christmas tree is a zero waste solution if you store it and reuse it for many years or donate it to charity once you have no need for it. Having a real Christmas tree can be sustainable when you dispose of an old Christmas tree responsibly (such as replanting or composting rather than sending it to landfill).

When you need some new decorations search for eco-friendly options and those made from recycled materials. This is vital if you buy tinsel as traditional types are tricky to recycle, so look for plastic-free and recycled alternatives. You could even host a decoration workshop as a fun seasonal activity to get staff to make their own from paper, card, and other recyclable materials.

Christmas lunches, activities, and other seasonal celebrations across your business can also create waste. There are many things you can do to reduce food waste at Christmas as lots of us like to overindulge, which includes at work. These are a few ways to host a waste free Christmas lunch in your business:

• Encourage everyone to bring a homemade dish. This adds to the fun and variety while also reducing packaging waste.
• Avoid single-use party plates and tablecloths. Use cutlery, glasses, and plates from your company kitchen that can be washed or hire items if required.
• Buy food items with minimal or recyclable packaging. Head to farm shops, markets, or bulk buy to minimise waste packaging.
• Plan carefully with an accurate list of attendees, dietary requirements, and items required to avoid overbuying and creating lots of food waste.
• Donate any leftover packaged food to local food banks or charities. Open foodstuffs should be kept and eaten where possible.

Want more ideas on how to reduce waste during your commercial Christmas celebrations? We’ve produced a range of expert guides full of tips for your business to enjoy the festive season sustainably.

Black Friday offers a good opportunity for consumers to get great deals on all sorts of products. As the name suggests though, there’s a much darker side to the US-imported ‘holiday’. The environmental impact of producing and distributing millions of goods and the waste it generates is shocking.

It’s estimated that Black Friday creates an extra 1.5 million tonnes of waste in the UK – around half of this is from packaging alone. About £3 billion is spent on Black Friday by UK consumers but the cost to the environment is much worse as lots of this waste ends up in landfills.

Discover some more facts and statistics about Black Friday waste, its environmental impact, and ways to act sustainably this year.

Black Friday is bad for the environment in many ways. Discounts encourage overconsumption with people buying items they don’t need based on a fear of missing out on big savings. Producing, delivering, and disposing of these extra products is estimated to generate 429,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from Black Friday purchases in the UK.

This massive increase in carbon emissions is terrible as the likes of carbon dioxide trap heat from the sun and the earth’s surface, which contributes to global warming. The power and energy required to support a huge surge in online shopping across Black Friday and Cyber Monday also has a negative environmental impact.

Then there’s all the waste generated. This includes old items thrown away as they’re replaced by new ones, unwanted impulse purchases that are quickly binned, and all the packaging waste it creates. Many Black Friday buys are made from cheap and unsustainable materials too. Transportation and disposal of this waste requires energy and has a further negative environmental effect.

When throwing away any type of bottle at home or work you might wonder what to do with the cap. It could be from a plastic bottle of water, a glass beer bottle, an empty milk bottle from the office kitchen, or even a bottle of detergent or another cleaning product. Recycling bottle tops is the answer.

The myths and old messaging around what to do with bottle lids was to remove them – but that’s not the case now. Most bottle lids can be left on when they’re recycled as they’re easily separated at recycling facilities. Removing them could mean the caps end up in landfills or littering the environment.

They might be small but with 1.3 billion bottles used worldwide every day and each one having a lid, it soon adds up to a lot of waste. Discover what to do with bottle caps of any type and everything you need to know about bottle top recycling with this guide.

Bottle caps are recyclable. You can recycle bottle tops made from plastic or metal of any colour. Leave plastic bottle caps on when you dispose of them in a plastic recycling bin, dry mixed recycling bin, or household recycling bin. Metal bottle caps can be recycled with glass bottles too.

All bottles and their caps must be clean and dry before they’re thrown away to remove any contaminants. They’ll be taken to a recycling centre where the bottles and lids are checked and separated. Magnets remove metal bottle caps while plastic bottle caps are separated due to their different densities and weights.

After they’re separated the caps are recycled in their individual material streams. For example, HDPE plastic lids are recycled with other HDPE waste. This is often cleaned, shredded, melted, and formed into pellets to create new HDPE plastic products. Metal lids are segregated and recycled to form fresh steel or aluminium materials.

In the summer of 2024, a new EU policy came into force that means plastic bottles now have tethered caps. Rather than a lid that screws off completely, there are small extra strips of plastic that attach the cap to the bottle. The mandatory design across EU states aims to reduce single-use plastic waste.

It’s hoped that by having the plastic bottle cap attached people will recycle both bottle and lid together. This should reduce the risk of people separating them and littering the top or throwing both away with general waste. Plastic bottle tops are one of the most littered items in Europe, which the measure aims to reduce.

Recycling bottle tops is essential to protect the environment. Many are made from types of plastic and metal that take hundreds of thousands of years to degrade and release various chemicals as they do so. Bottle lids are also small and often mistaken for food by birds, fish, and other animals – which can cause choking and death.

More than 20 million bottle caps have been removed during beach clearances across the world in the past 30 years. Research from the Dutch North Shore coastline found 80% of bottle caps littering beaches were from consumer drinks and food packaging and 70% were damaged. This suggests they’d been in the environment for a long time.

Every bottle has some kind of lid made from a material that’s often recyclable. This includes empty milk, wine, and drinks bottles, as well as bottles and caps for cosmetic and cleaning products. Recycling them helps extract value from the material, contribute to a circular economy, and avoid adding to landfill levels.

Many businesses dispose of all sorts of bottles and their lids. This includes office workers throwing away drinks bottles, restaurants getting rid of empty beer and wine bottles, and cleaning companies disposing of detergent bottles. Recycling empty bottles and their caps is important for businesses to help the environment and save money.

Recycling such bottles and their tops rather than disposing of them with general waste prevents them from going to landfill sites. This has a positive environmental impact and reduces how much landfill tax your company pays. It helps extract value from the materials too.

There are more than 24,000 schools in the UK attended by around nine million pupils – including both primary and secondary schools. Every educational establishment creates lots of waste that needs managing effectively. This includes leftover food in the cafeteria, used workbooks, e-waste from the IT department, and broken sports equipment.

It’s estimated that every primary school pupil creates 45kg of waste each year, while the average secondary school student produces 22kg of waste annually. This adds up to huge volumes of waste, but the good news is that 80% of school waste is recyclable. However, very few UK schools recycle that much.

Recycling for schools is important as it teaches the importance of looking after the environment practically. Plus, it reduces landfill tax costs for waste disposal to free up more budget to invest in education. Use these ideas for recycling at school to improve your school’s sustainability whether you’re a teacher, member of staff, or pupil.

Glass is infinitely recyclable, whereas some types of plastic are trickier to recycle. Therefore it’s better for the environment to use products at school in glass bottles and jars rather than plastic bottles and containers. This applies to bottles of milk in classrooms, ingredients bought for school kitchens, and juices.

There may be concerns about safety due to the risk of broken glass at school. A good way to reduce this is by having teachers and staff pour any drinks from glass bottles into reusable plastic cups. These can be washed and reused, which eliminates single-use plastic waste and improves recycling rates for waste glass.

Introducing a little competition is a great way to engage pupils to recycle at school. It could be a friendly challenge between classrooms or forms to see which one recycles the most by the end of the week. Put an empty dry mixed recycling bin in each then weigh and compare results when the school week is over.

On-the-spot rewards for pupils seen by teachers and staff recycling rubbish properly is another good incentive. This can be as simple as giving any student caught putting a plastic bottle in the correct recycling bin a reward (like a sweet). Word should quickly spread to encourage more pupils to actively recycle.

Look out for recycling competition between schools as well. There are various initiatives run throughout the year aimed at improving recycling rates for schools through competition. These have included the Schools Recycle Right Challenge by Planet Ark and the Green School Project by TerraCycle.

The ongoing digital transformation that sees the world rely more on technology also impacts classrooms. Schools still produce plenty of paper recycling, but many more classrooms use laptops, tablets, and other technology to replace physical books, paper, and other materials. It means schools produce much more e-waste than ever before.

Recycling e-waste is possible and should be done to avoid old electronics ending up in landfill. It ensures precious metals are recovered and other materials such as plastic casings and metals are recycled. Donate any old laptops, computers, and printers that still work but those that are broken and irreparable should be sent for WEEE recycling.

Digital transformation is the change to use technology to replace or enhance business processes, operations, and customer experiences. It often involves switching analogue tools and manual processes for online and digital alternatives. Many digital transformations are being implemented by businesses to reduce waste through various means.

It’s important for businesses of all sizes, industries, and locations to try and reduce how much waste they produce. This helps protect the environment and lowers waste management costs. Digital transformation is regularly viewed as an effective waste reduction strategy as it involves moving things online with less physical reliance.

Many businesses are shifting to more digitised processes, often to go paperless and cut back on how much waste paper they produce. However, various side effects lead to companies inadvertently generating other types of waste. Here we explore whether digital transformation helps or harms ways to reduce waste.

A consequence of reduced paper use by many businesses is a reduction in printing. Offices now store most documents online or in the cloud, which means significantly less printing done at work. The days of the average office worker using 10,000 sheets of printed copy paper a year are behind us.

Screen advertising also means there are fewer printed posters around towns and cities. This all results in businesses not printing as many materials and creating less waste ink cartridges and toners, which can be challenging to recycle. Companies may require fewer printers onsite too, leading to less e-waste.

As digital transformation could see fewer printers in offices in the future it also reduces the type of hazardous waste from printer ink and cartridges. While many ink cartridges can be refilled, plenty are disposed of or replaced. Improper disposal can harm the environment, so creating less printer-related waste should have a positive impact.

There are various great ways that digital transformation is helping reduce waste. However, the main consequence of this shift to more digital processes is that it’s leading to significant growth in one waste stream – e-waste or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Digital transformation drives a demand for electronic products. Businesses may use fewer printers and photocopiers but there’s a greater reliance on computers, laptops, tablets, and many other electronic goods. Many of these experience regular upgrades and updates as devices become obsolete quicker and need replacing more regularly, which leads to more e-waste.

New commercial food waste legislation in the UK will be in place from the end of March 2025. It means that from this date most businesses will have to separate food waste from other rubbish streams. Companies must store food waste in separate bins and arrange collection by licensed waste carriers.

These are part of Defra’s simpler recycling plans that aim to improve recycling rates, simplify waste management, and benefit the environment. Mandatory food waste separation should ensure less waste food makes its way to landfill sites and is instead disposed of responsibly.

At Business Waste we can help companies of any industry and size anywhere in the UK arrange separate food waste collections. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today for a free quote to prepare for the new food waste law. Keep reading to find out more about the changes to food waste legislation in the UK.

Mandatory food waste separation will apply to all non-domestic properties in England that produce more than 5kg of food waste a week, under the new regulation. This covers all businesses, prisons, hospitals, care homes, offices, schools, garages, and transport hubs. It’s especially relevant for restaurants, cafes, pubs, takeaways, bakeries, and butchers.

Micro businesses will be exempt from the new food waste regulation. That means any firm with fewer than ten full-time employees can still dispose of food scraps and leftovers in general waste bins. However, separating food waste is advisable where possible for companies of any size and industry.

It’s much better for the environment for waste food to be composted or sent to an anaerobic digestion plant rather than going to landfill or for incineration. These options create natural fertilisers and biogas that can be used as an energy source. Plus, your business will pay less landfill tax as part of your waste management costs by separating food waste.

If you run any kind of business in England that creates more than 5kg of food waste per week then you should start to prepare for the new commercial food waste regulation. You must have arranged separate storage and collection of food waste by 31^st March 2025.

At Business Waste we can help you prepare for these changes and comply with the new regulation. Save money with free food waste bins for your business anywhere in the UK – you only pay for the collection costs. There are no rental or delivery fees. Our expert team can answer your questions and determine the best solution for your organisation.

Follow these steps to prepare for the commercial food waste legislation changes in England:

A recent survey conducted by OnePoll looked at companies’ actual commitments for carbon offsetting initiatives.

The study participants included business owners and company employees, revealing unexpected findings about corporate environmental practices.

Environmental Accreditation

A surprising 66% of respondents said they aren’t aware of their company having any environmental accreditation, such as an Environmental Management System, Leadership in Energy, and Environmental Design. This lack of accreditation suggests that many businesses aren’t as engaged with sustainable practices as expected.

Environmental Practices

The study delved into a few standard environmental practices, such as recycling, waste reduction strategies, and cycle-to-work schemes. The results were quite disheartening – a third of all UK businesses haven’t adopted any of these common practices. Less than one in five companies promoted cycle-to-work schemes, and more than three quarters (77%) don’t have an established recycling facility on site.

When compared with Australia and the US, the UK scored the lowest for working with third parties and consultants to measure their environmental impact and build a decarbonisation strategy.

A digital product passport (DPP) is a label, QR code, or scannable chip that displays information about the item’s environmental impact, composition, production, and history. The DPP helps track each stage of the product’s journey from its beginning to what’s in front of you. It shows what it’s made of, where the materials came from, and its carbon footprint.

But what does this have to do with waste management? Well, the use of a digital product passport in the UK for various items is important to improve the sustainability, recyclability, and recovery of products. It could help prevent many products from making their way to landfills and reduce wasteful practices.

Discover everything you need to know about what digital product passports are, how they work, what businesses and customers should understand about them, and the sustainable benefits they could introduce.

Various bits of data are covered with the digital product passport requirements. It should show where the product came from, what it contains, and other information about its sustainability. Digital product passport requirements include information about the item’s:

• General data – information about the product weight and volume, the product ID, batch, and reference numbers, where and when it was produced, and manufacturer operating ID. This proves the item’s authenticity to help consumers avoid forgeries.
• Origin – the source of raw materials and components used in the product, information about any recycled or recovered materials used to create it, sustainability credentials for the manufacturing or production processes, and locations of where everything within the product came from as well as manufacturing locations.
• Carbon footprint – details about the carbon footprint of the product such as its estimated waste output, lifecycle, expected lifespan and usage. Energy, emissions, water, and raw materials used in the production process should be present, which shows resource consumption and the rough environmental impact of the item.
• Documentation – the warranty, service, insurance, and guarantee documentation can be stored digitally. Expiry and repurchase data also help the buyer see its product history and check any potential claims.
• Maintenance – any repairs that have happened to the product. This includes what the repairs were, where they occurred and when, the cost, and why the repairs were required.

There are some existing digital product passport examples already in use by certain manufacturers and plenty of scope for future applications. The clothing and textiles industry is adopting them, especially sustainable fashion brands. Scannable labels or QR codes on labels display information about the item’s production, carbon footprint, and care guidelines.

This helps to inform buyers looking for ethical and sustainable clothing, provides full transparency about where the item has come from, and provides maintenance information to help prolong its life. The use of DPPs is expected to grow quickly in the coming years for the clothing industry given the focus on the huge amounts of fashion waste generated annually.

A digital product passport drives transparency and accountability for everything that goes into producing an item. Potential buyers seeking sustainable products can assess and compare options with greater trust and choose the one with the lowest carbon footprint, local materials, or least energy consumption. Manufacturers can’t hide and this places more of an impetus for them to create truly sustainable products.

The design stage determines 80% of a product’s environmental impact. Highlighting the production cycle of a product with a DPP could encourage manufacturers to work towards more sustainable designs, especially if potential buyers are put off by what a DPP shows them. Insight into the materials from a DPP helps designers create more durable items.

A product passport isn’t just for buyers browsing the rails in a clothes shop. They’re useful for different people from the start to the end of a product’s life. These are the three main stages and people that use a DPP in different ways that help improve sustainability:

• Manufacturers – the growing use of DPPs means more manufacturers are applying them to items. It helps make the supply chain more transparent, assess ways they can improve design, and build trust with customers. As more customers start to expect or demand a product passport it encourages more manufacturers to develop and provide them.
• Consumers – buyers, customers, and consumers scan DPPs to see relevant information about the product to inform their purchasing decisions. This includes buying personal goods like food and clothes as well as business items such as building materials or office furniture. They also use the DPP to follow guidance around usage, maintenance, care, repairs, and waste disposal.
• Recyclers – at the end of a product’s life it must be disposed of properly to ensure circularity. The DPP should include information for consumers about how to dispose of it sustainably. This should also inform recyclers of what to do to recycle and recover the product with a breakdown of the materials and components, alongside important information that avoids waste going to landfill.

Currently, there’s no digital product passport regulation in the UK. It’s therefore up to manufacturers whether they use DPPs for their products or not. However, in the EU it’s expected that digital product legislation will be introduced after a provisional agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council.

This was for the introduction of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Digital product passports are a key feature of the ESPR, and the new rules will apply to all products on the EU market, regardless of whether they are produced inside or outside the EU.

Digital product regulation is anticipated to be adopted and mandated by the EU between 2026 and 2030 as part of the ESPR. It will apply to all 27 EU countries and looks to prioritise products with a high environmental impact and potential to improve. This includes textiles, furniture, chemicals, batteries, consumer electronics and devices, and construction products.

Flying is often the biggest contributor to many of our personal carbon footprints. About 2.4% of global CO2 emissions are from the aviation industry, which may not sound as much as you might expect. However, including the gases and water vapour trails aircraft produce means flights are responsible for around 5% of global warming.

The obvious solution is to simply not fly to eliminate these carbon emissions. That’s not realistic for many people who fly for work, to visit friends and family, and to enjoy a well-deserved holiday somewhere warmer than the UK. Instead, more of us aim to offset the carbon emissions from flying in other ways.

Unless you’re an engineer working on fuel efficiency improvements for aircraft, the best way you can have a positive environmental impact is by thinking about how you fly. It’s not just the aeroplane that contributes to carbon footprints when flying. Use the following expert tips to have a low-waste flight the next time you take to the skies.

Reducing waste when flying starts well before you get on board the aeroplane. With a little bit of preparation, you can eliminate and minimise small amounts of waste for your journey. These are a few easy ways to prepare for a low-waste flight:

• Download your boarding pass – save paper by downloading your boarding pass onto your smartphone. Most airlines have their own apps, and you can save the boarding pass to your phone for use offline (or take a screenshot to be safe). Check this is fine, as some airlines and airports do require you to print your boarding pass.
• Buy a reusable transparent toiletry bag – save plastic and stress with a reusable clear toiletry bag. Most of the thin plastic zip-lock bags at airports for your liquids are used once and then binned, often going to landfill or being incinerated. Buy a reusable transparent plastic toiletry bag that you can pack at home, so you’re prepared, and you can use it for multiple flights. It’s a great way to reduce plastic waste.
• Purchase a sustainable suitcase – get a suitcase or travel bag that’s built to last and ideally one made from recycled materials. It won’t completely offset the carbon footprint of your flight, but it goes a little way.
• Create a zero-waste flight kit – prepare for the airport and your flight by putting together a zero-waste kit. Pack an empty reusable water bottle to fill up at a water fountain in the airport to eliminate buying a plastic water bottle. Take a travel mug and ask for any hot drinks to be poured into it rather than being handed a disposable coffee cup. Cloth handkerchiefs and napkins, reusable plastic cutlery, and low-waste toiletries like bars of soap and shampoo and a bamboo toothbrush are other sustainable ideas.

Before boarding your flight you’ll likely have a couple of hours to kill in the airport (assuming you arrive early enough). Sitting around with little to do is when temptations that create waste can arise. Follow these steps to avoid doing anything that results in avoidable waste:

• Avoid duty-free – lots of items sold in airport duty-free shops come in tamper-proof plastic bags. This is to protect them but creates additional plastic packaging waste that you wouldn’t get in most other shops. Resist the temptation to save a couple of quid and walk fast past duty-free.
• Eat and drink in – forgot your sandwiches? When you’ve got time it’s best to eat in at one of the restaurants, cafes, or fast food joints in an airport rather than buying food for the plane. This avoids excess packaging waste from snacks and sandwiches you’ll throw away on the flight. Having a pint or soft drink in one of the bars also eliminates glass or plastic waste as it should be served in a glass that’s washed and reused. Sustainable and refreshing!
• Refill water bottles – all airports should have free water fountains. Rather than buying bottled water take an empty reusable bottle with you and fill it up before you board. You can’t take full bottles through security but should be fine to bring along an empty one.
• Washroom etiquette – use hand dryers rather than paper towels when drying your hands in airport bathrooms.

The Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF) Audits estimates that flying produces 3,600,000 tonnes of cabin and catering waste each year. This includes everything from leftover food scraps, drinks cans and bottles, snack wrappers, and other bits of packaging. Unfortunately, it often all gets thrown away together and not recycled after landing.

The easiest way to avoid waste on a flight is to simply not buy anything onboard. Bring your own food and drink where possible and take away any recyclable rubbish, such as plastic bottles and empty drink cans. You can put them in a recycling bin at the airport your hotel, or when you get home.

Does your business produce lots of dry waste such as cardboard and paper, general waste, or dry mixed recycling? If you’re looking for a cost-effective solution for affordable commercial waste management in the UK then you might consider a front or rear end loader bin. Storing more waste can reduce how many collections you need and cut your waste management costs.

Front and rear end loaders are both big static metal containers, similar in size and shape to a skip. However, they’re generally more secure than skips as they each have a roof and lockable lids. They’re placed in a set position on your site and specialist lifting equipment empties and removes them.

You can use either a front or rear end loader to store a range of dry waste types but not glass, liquid, or hazardous waste. While rear and front end loader bins are cut from the same cloth there are some important differences between the two. Work out which is best for your business below.

The main difference between front and rear end loader bins are their sizes and shapes. They both come in different sizes, but generally, rear end loaders are larger waste containers. For example, a 10-yard front end loader can hold around 80 bags of waste while a 10-yard rear end loader has the capacity for up to 100 bags of waste.

It’s the shape that affects their capacity. This also impacts how you access these skips to throw away bags of waste. With a front end loader, you simply lift the lid and drop in your waste like a big wheelie bin. The lids of some FELs are split into two panels or there may be a panel on the side you slide across for access.

With a rear end loader, access is at the back. Their shape is more like a traditional skip with a lid that you lift from the back to drop in waste. It’s normally a slanting lid that you pull up while the top of the bin has a metal roof or plastic panel covering it to protect contents from rain and theft.

There are benefits to using either waste container, the right one depends on your company’s waste management needs.

The main reasons to consider a front end loader rather than a rear end loader bin are:

• Need less space – front end loaders are smaller and have more of a cuboid shape compared to their rear end alternatives. This makes it easier to slot into tighter areas for businesses where space on-site is limited.
• Easy to access – the shape and simple lid are light and easy for most people to lift when throwing away waste. They can be placed in a position to ensure access is good for everyone who uses the bin.
• Slightly cheaper – as front end loaders are generally smaller than rear end loaders they can be cheaper to use. This includes any purchase, hire, rental, and collection costs.

Starting a zero waste shop is a growing trend that can benefit the environment and local community, and turn a profit. There are around 200 zero waste shops in the UK. Many of these popped up over the past few years and have become popular, successful, and inspirational to others.

Research suggests just over two-thirds of consumers claim to be zero waste advocates, so now could be the time to fill a gap in the market. Most zero waste stores aim to eliminate or significantly reduce packaging and generate as little waste as possible through their operations. It’s all about sustainability from start to finish.

The growing trend for zero waste shops that sell all sorts of goods means now could be the prime time to open one up. There are many things to consider before opening any business and you should seek professional advice before you start. Use the following tips for a rough idea of how to start a zero waste shop.

Setting up a zero waste shop is a great idea when there’s a clear opportunity. It can help reduce packaging waste, offer a more sustainable retail experience, and be a successful business. However, opening a shop of any kind is a big commitment and the same risks as starting any new shop apply.

If you’re serious about beginning a zero waste shop in your area you must think it through thoroughly. There’s no specific order you must follow but you should consider each of the following factors to assess the feasibility of setting up a zero waste shop before you begin:

• Stock – what will your zero waste shop sell? Most focus on dry foodstuffs like pasta, coffee, and beans that are easy to stock and sell without packaging. Some sell health and beauty products like soap bars without packaging or bulk volumes of washing powder. Other options include stocking ugly food (fruit and veg not accepted by supermarkets), second-hand clothing, or anything else that’s sustainably sourced and generates zero or little waste.
• Location – research the area where you plan to open a zero waste shop in detail. Consider the demographics in the area (is there a demand for a zero waste shop?), the potential footfall (are there other busy shops nearby), and access (good public transport links?). If you think the area is promising you’ll need to find an empty shop with clear visibility and accessibility.
• Target market – your target customers will be eco-conscious people who want to reduce waste when shopping. But what types of goods do they buy? Consider if there’s a strong demand for organic or vegetarian food that further focuses on sustainability. Or if people in the area have other options for buying food in a low waste way would setting up a zero waste clothes or beauty shop be better?
• Competition – when assessing the potential location it’s vital you check out the competition. Review what people can already buy in the area. Are there greengrocers and butchers selling fruit, veg, and meat in low packaging ways? And if there’s already a zero waste food shop in the area it could be time to look elsewhere. Alternatively, see what they do well, struggle with, and if there’s an opportunity to compete or not.
• Budget – opening a zero waste shop isn’t cheap, even though your packaging costs should be low. Draw up a budget that covers the equipment, shop fitting, staff costs, branding and marketing, stock, rent, legal fees, insurance, cleaning, waste management costs, and other costs. Then think about how you plan to finance your store, such as with a business loan.

Do plenty of in-depth research and if you decide your idea for a zero waste shop is feasible then it’s time to get (more) serious. If you’ve run a business in the UK before then hopefully you have a good idea of what setting one entails. Otherwise, you should seek professional business advice.

There are many steps to opening a zero waste shop, but these are some of the key ones:

• Create a business plan – every business must have a solid business plan. This outlines the overall idea, and your goals, and demonstrates its feasibility. Most banks, lenders, or other financial backers require a good business plan to convince them to back your idea. Some of the main points your zero waste shop’s business plan should include are a summary of your business idea, the products you’ll sell, your target market, a competitor analysis, sales and marketing strategies, the budget and financial goals/projections, your intended suppliers, and team of staff.
• Secure financing – unless you’ve got enough of your own funds you’ll likely need some financial backing to start a zero waste shop. Bank and business loans are common but check the repayment terms carefully and shop around. There are sometimes grants available that help, as you don’t have to repay them. Otherwise, angel investors, venture capitalists, and local investors are good options. All will ask to see your business plan and may renegotiate your initial terms.
• Hire staff – once you’ve got funding and secured premises for your zero waste store you can put some job adverts out for staff (if needed). Your business plan should include how many employees you’ll hire and their wages. Who you hire is up to you, but sourcing locally is always good and ideally people on board with a zero waste lifestyle.
• Build branding, advertising, and marketing – hopefully, you’ll have an idea for a name and a rough colour scheme already. It should be something that reflects the sustainable and environmentally friendly nature of your shop. It’s always a good idea to use professionals for the best results. Setting up social media accounts is vital in the modern day as is advertising in the local press and using your shop front to advertise your store before it opens.
• Decide on payment options – many businesses are card only and for a zero waste shop this is an ideal way to operate in a paper-free manner. Set up your payment systems with card machines and QR codes next to items as a way to reduce labels. If you’ll be selling goods online then your online payment system must be sorted too.

There’s lots of equipment you’ll need when starting a zero waste store to ensure things run smoothly. Some items are similar to what’s required when operating any shop while others are specific to zero waste businesses. Here are some of the main things your new zero waste shop needs:

• Food dispensers – if you’re going to sell dry food in bulk then effective dispensers are vital. They offer an easy way for customers to fill up their containers without putting too much in by accident. When stocks are running low you simply fill up the food dispenser again, which significantly reduces packaging waste from your shelves.
• Electronic scales – most food in zero waste shops are priced by weight so having working scales is essential. Ensure these are big enough to accommodate the container sizes your customers are likely to use and that you have enough sets of scales in your store to cope with busy periods.
• Chalkboards and signs – putting a fold-up chalkboard outside is an easy way to advertise your shop. You can also change what it says each day without wasting paper. Using small chalkboard signs next to items for sale within your shop also eliminates label and paper waste. Plus, it’s simple to change prices when required.
• Natural displays – reusable displays such as wicker baskets for bread or wooden boxes for clothes and other items provide a sustainable and natural feel to your shop. Think about the layout and how you can minimise waste with your displays.
• Technology equipment – to operate your shop you’ll need at least one till, a couple of card readers (in case one stops working), CCTV for safety, energy-efficient lighting, and speakers if you’ll be playing music in the store.

Starting a zero waste shop online follows most of the above steps. However, there’s much more competition as you’ll be entering a wider market as people can order pretty much anything online today. Think about how to differentiate your online zero waste shop from others with some genuine unique selling points (USPs).

Using sustainable suppliers and being able to demonstrate truly zero waste practices are vital. All your products should be delivered with no packaging or at least biodegradable or recyclable packaging. Again, having a transparent plan for how your business manages any waste helps build trust and demonstrates your sustainability.

There are more than 16,000 laboratories in the UK – from university chemistry labs to hospital, medical, research and development facilities, and even computer labs. On average they carry out around 300,000 tests every day. All these experiments, research, and tests produce lots of waste materials each year – including 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste.

The importance of laboratory waste management can’t be underestimated. It must be stored, removed, and disposed of safely, legally, and responsibly to protect humans from exposure to potentially dangerous materials and to ensure no harm happens to the environment. There are various guidelines in place to reduce the risks when disposing of lab waste.

To help ensure your tests, experiments, and research run smoothly we’ve created this laboratory waste disposal guide. Discover how to manage and get rid of rubbish from any type or size of lab with these laboratory waste disposal guidelines for UK organisations.

Laboratory waste disposal guidelines in the UK are governed by various laws, regulations, and legislation – there’s no single law. Before working with any materials in the lab that are potentially harmful to humans and the environment you must carry out a risk assessment. This includes when using chemicals, radioactive substances, biological agents, and animal by-products.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency are the main bodies that oversee lab waste disposal. They provide guidelines and advice around chemical waste and biological waste storage and disposal. Adhering to relevant regulations for lab waste disposal is essential, otherwise, you could face penalties including significant fines.

The main legal guidelines and legislation that cover laboratory waste disposal are:

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2022 – employers must assess the risks associated with using hazardous substances under the COSHH Regulations. It includes health and safety risks related to the storage, handling, or disposal of any hazardous substances with measures to prevent and control exposure.
• Hazardous Waste Regulations – organisations must make sure any hazardous waste produced in laboratories is segregated from non-hazardous waste. You have a legal responsibility to ensure it causes no harm or damage to humans or the environment. Hazardous waste must be stored safely, removed by licensed waste carriers, and disposed of properly under these regulations.
• Radioactive Substances Act 1993 – this act regulates the storage and disposal of radioactive materials (including contaminated equipment). It prohibits disposal or accumulation of radioactive waste unless authorised by the Environment Agency. Any lab that creates radioactive waste should check they comply with the Radioactive Substances Act.

The importance of laboratory waste management can’t be underestimated due to the potentially dangerous nature of some materials. Storing and disposing of all waste from a lab properly and responsibly is vital to minimise and eliminate associated risks, such as:

• Waste material leaking from unsecured sharps bins and boxes
• Split bags leaking waste
• Injuries due to needles and sharps waste put in incorrect containers
• Failures to destroy pathogenic organisms and/or genetically modified organisms
• Pathogenic waste being stockpiled within a laboratory
• Illness or injury to staff handling waste due to exposure to unsecured waste types

To dispose of any type and amount of lab waste safely and legally you should use a commercial waste collection service – such as through Business Waste. Separate and store your lab waste in relevant bins, bags, and containers within any weight limits or max fill lines. Then arrange for licensed waste carriers to remove it.

Check that the waste carriers are authorised to collect and transport your lab waste. You should receive a duty of care certificate/waste transfer note that confirms the disposal method and location of your waste as proof it was managed legally and responsibly. Some steps to dispose of lab waste safely include:

• Separate hazardous and non-hazardous waste – all waste types should be separated especially hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Check the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for any products if you’re unsure whether it’s hazardous or not.
• Use the right bins – have a range of bins, bags, and containers in place across your lab to store all waste safely. This could include different coloured sharps bins, drums and barrels, clinical waste bags, and recycling bins. It makes separating waste at the point of production easy.
• Install a fume hood and ventilation system – if your laboratory work releases dust or gases then having a fume hood or local exhaust ventilation system in place with filters can remove harmful materials from the air.

Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday) is all about celebrating some of the most important women in our lives and the sacrifices they make for their children. Aside from the two billion mums around the world, there’s another matriarchal figure that deserves plenty of respect on this day – Mother Earth.

Celebrating Mother’s Day as a child or mother might not reach the same level of excess as Christmas, but it still creates plenty of waste. In the UK we spend around £1.3 billion for Mother’s Day every year. The good news is that around a third of people aim to buy ethically sourced or sustainable presents, according to Forbes.

Choosing zero and low-waste gifts shows Mother Earth and your own mum, step-mum, aunty, grandma, or anyone else that you care. Discover ways to celebrate Mother’s Day sustainably this year, whether you’re planning something special for your mum or are a mother yourself.

It’s the thought that counts – and zero waste Mother’s Day gifts show plenty of consideration for the planet as well as your mum. They help avoid adding to general waste and landfill once the present and any packaging is used. Always try to buy packaging-free products or at least in recyclable packaging.

Here are some more ideas for sustainable zero waste Mother’s Day gifts:

• Handpicked garden flowers – supermarket flowers can have a high carbon footprint and come with thin plastic bags and packaging that’s hard to recycle. If you’ve got a garden then consider picking some from it. This is sustainable as you can easily plant more, and they should last for longer.
• Potted plants – flowers only last a couple of weeks but a potted plant like a succulent or cactus should last for years. Avoid those in plastic pots or with excess packaging though. You could always decorate an old jam jar or food tin and upcycle it as a personalised plant pot.
• Tickets – is your mum a fan of the theatre, music, comedy, ballet, musicals, or sports? Then buying a couple of tickets to an event she’d love is an easy way to make her day and avoid creating any unnecessary waste. Most tickets are online now, so there’s not even any paper waste.
• Sustainable subscription services – many modern subscription services send out a monthly item, such as coffee, wine, make-up, or books. Packaging for most of these products can be recycled and items like books passed on. Some services may even offer a takeback option to eliminate waste.

As a mother, you’ve little control over what gifts you might receive. Even when buying presents for your own mum, it’s almost impossible for everything to be packaging-free. How you dispose of it can reduce its environmental impact though. Here’s how to get rid of some common waste you might create this Mothering Sunday:

• Flowers – once your flowers have wilted and can’t be revived you should either add them to a compost heap or dispose of them in a garden waste bin.
• Card – as long as there’s no glitter, plastic, or metallic foil, you can recycle most Mother’s Day cards in your household recycling bin.
• Wrapping paper – do the scrunch test (squeeze it into a ball and if it doesn’t unfurl then it should be recyclable).
• Gift bags and boxes – save any gift bags and boxes to reuse for other birthdays and celebrations. Some charity shops may also accept them. Otherwise, if they’re made from paper or card you should be able to put them in your domestic recycling bin.
• Chocolate boxes – once you’ve munched through the chocolates you can normally recycle the box in your household recycling bin. If there’s a plastic tray, check the plastic type and if your local authority accepts and recycles it (otherwise it may have to go in your general waste bin).
• Wine bottles – ensure the bottles are empty (a tough ask!), rinse them out, and drop them off at your nearest bottle bank to be recycled.

Peel back the glamorous outer layer and it reveals a few problems in the beauty industry. One of the main ones is the huge amount of waste the sector generates and what happens to it. For starters, the global beauty industry creates 120 billion bits of packaging every year, which all end up as waste.

Nail bars, hair salons, and beauty parlours all produce high volumes and wide ranges of rubbish. Then there’s the waste from makeup containers, cosmetics, and personal care items used at home. Manufacturers, beauty businesses, and consumers all need to act to improve the sustainability of looking stunning by recycling and reducing waste.

Discover all about the beauty industry’s problems with waste, how to create an effective recycling plan for your beauty business, and ways to responsibly dispose of cosmetics and their containers as a consumer in this guide.

Start by reviewing your current waste management practices. This should include the types and amount of waste your business creates, where it’s stored, and the disposal method. Any aesthetics waste, chemical waste, or hazardous materials must be stored safely on your site before removal.

Review the results of your audit and the current bins you use to see if there are any areas where you’re throwing out recyclable rubbish with general waste – such as cardboard packaging or glass containers. If so, you should consider adding a dry mixed recycling or cardboard recycling bin to your waste services.

Consider any areas where you create high levels of waste and try to work out why this is. It could be poor working practices, an ordering error, or something else. There might be ways to cut this down, which may also reduce the number of bins and collections you need to lower your waste management costs.

Some types of makeup packaging are trickier to recycle than others and aren’t accepted in many domestic recycling bins. It’s mainly due to the materials and contamination risks. This includes items like plastic eyeshadow palettes, mascara/eye shadow tubes, eyeliner pens, face cream pots, and face mask packaging.

As a beauty business, you can help the environment and consumers by offering a makeup recycling program. Some retailers already provide a take-back scheme for beauty packaging. Doing so demonstrates your organisation’s eco-credentials and helps get customers through the door who may then be likelier to use your other services.

One cause of waste for beauty businesses is products expiring before they’re used or sold. Maintain an updated inventory and rotate stock (use the first in first out process) to avoid items going out of date. This is important whether you’re looking to reduce waste in a hair salon, tattoo parlour, shop, or beauty salon.

Make sure all products are stored in appropriate places and conditions to prevent the likes of creams and cosmetics from getting too warm or cold and spoiling. If you end up with some items close to their expiry date consider selling them at a reduced price to customers. This should mean less is wasted.

Makeup recycling is an easy way to reduce waste, whether you’re getting rid of unwanted lipstick or an empty face cream tub. Recycling unused or used products is possible in various ways. Never pour makeup down the sink or a drain though, as the chemicals may then enter waterways and damage the environment.

These are a few ideas for ways to recycle old makeup:

• Pass on products – if you’ve got some half-used makeup items you no longer want, consider passing them on to a friend or family member who might use them. Maybe the eye shadow colour isn’t quite right, or the skin cream caused a reaction – it’s better if someone else finishes using it rather than it going in the bin.
• Donate to a charity – many charity shops might accept makeup products if they’re unopened, in date, and intact to sell and support their cause. There are also women’s charities that can redistribute items to help those in need.
• Sell items online – you could raise a bit of money by selling unwanted makeup products online through sites such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, and Vinted. Ensure they’re in date and decent condition.
• Recycle makeup packaging at home – you can recycle cardboard and paper packaging from makeup products in most domestic recycling bins, bags, or containers. Check with your local authority as some accept certain types of plastic waste too. Ensure they’re clean and dry before throwing them away. You can take clean and dry glass makeup jars or pots to bottle banks too.

Consumers can help reduce waste in the beauty industry by recycling cosmetics and changing behaviours for a more sustainable future. Here are a few ways to buy and use beauty products in a way that will hopefully create less waste:

• Choose cosmetics in recyclable packaging – purchasing creams, conditioners, and other beauty products in glass bottles and jars is better than plastic. This is because glass is easier to recycle and infinitely recyclable.
• Buy beauty products with less packaging – look for beauty products that come with little or no packaging. Buying a bar of soap in a paper wrapper creates less waste than a plastic bottle of shower gel, for example.
• Recycle beauty products in-store – clean out empty beauty products and return the containers to drop-off points offered by retailers to ensure they’re disposed of properly.

Find more information on our page about managing beauty salon waste.

Or explore more expert guides about reducing waste of many other materials.

Many restaurants serve up something unsavoury alongside their delicious dishes – lots of avoidable waste. There’s all the leftover food, packaging from ingredients, and even furniture when it’s time for a refurbishment every five or so years. A growing trend for low and zero-waste restaurants aims to make the sector more sustainable.

The UK hospitality industry creates £3.2 billion of food waste each year according to WRAP. This includes hotels, bars, and other entertainment venues alongside restaurants, and they produce many other waste materials at high cost too. Running a zero-waste restaurant could help your business save money as well as the planet.

There are many areas to look at if you want to operate a low or no-waste restaurant. Small changes and large improvements can help cut your waste management costs and benefit the environment. Find out how to run a zero-waste restaurant with these ideas.

Leftovers from customers – also known as plate waste – are a big reason for the high levels of food waste created by restaurants. Research found plate waste makes up 34% of food binned in restaurants, so it’s a key area to tackle. These are a few things you can try to phase out plate waste in your restaurant:

• Offer doggy bags – an easy way to get rid of plate waste is to let customers take any leftovers home with them. Use a recyclable box or bag if possible. You can’t guarantee they won’t throw the food in the bin at home, but it at least provides an opportunity to eat it later.
• Improve portion sizes – lots of plate waste could be a sign your portions are too big. Either reduce plate and portion sizes or offer a choice of portion sizes (at different prices) so customers can choose what they fancy.

It’s estimated that food service and hospitality companies throw away 920,000 tonnes of waste food annually. According to WRAP, 21% of food wasted is due to ingredient spoilage in UK hospitality every year. Eliminating waste in your commercial kitchen is something you have more control over when running a restaurant than plate waste.

Use the following tips to reduce waste food from your restaurant’s kitchen:

• Store ingredients properly – review your fridges, freezers, and other storage facilities to ensure they operate at the right temperature to keep ingredients fresh. Keep the areas clean and tidy and place lower-risk foods on higher shelves to reduce the risk of spoilage.
• Explore ways to use leftovers – save leftovers from your meal preparations and find ways to incorporate them into your menu. Vegetable peelings and animal bones are great for making stocks, soups, and cooking vinegars while old bread can be turned into croutons or breadcrumbs.
• Juice imperfect fruit and veg – if you receive any fruit or veg that’s squashed, out of shape, or too soft to use in your dishes, juice them. It avoids waste and you can add to your menu or offer a small glass to customers on the house as a nice amuse bouche.
• Use local and seasonal produce – there’s less distance to travel when sourcing local ingredients. This saves energy and minimises fuel pollution. Plus, there’s less chance of spoilage during shorter transportation and foodstuffs should arrive fresh.
• Regularly review your menu – track your orders to see which dishes are most and least popular. Use this information to adapt the ingredients you use to avoid over-ordering items that go off. Remove any unpopular dishes from the menu too.
• Train kitchen staff – upskilling chefs and other kitchen staff by sending them on training courses can help reduce food waste in the kitchen. Little things like chopping, cooking, and preparation techniques can all help lower waste levels and inspire new ways to cut down on restaurant kitchen food waste.

Many restaurants, cafes, and pubs produce lots of waste oil from frying up food in their kitchen. It can clog drains and sewers due to improper disposal and pollute the environment. There are a few ways to cut down on oil waste in your restaurant:

• Reuse cooking oil where possible. It can be cleaned, filtered, and reused for frying in your kitchen.
• Reduce the number of fried items on your menu to minimise how much oil you use each day.
• Grill, bake, poach, or steam ingredients where possible rather than frying or deep-frying. This significantly reduces how much oil you use and offers healthier options for diners.

Out front in your restaurant is another place where you can reduce waste with a few simple steps. At the table, many waste materials may build up beyond leftover food. Transition to a zero-waste restaurant with these actions to minimise waste at your tables:

• Switch to cloth napkins – used paper napkins aren’t recyclable due to contamination and their thin paper fibres. Cloth napkins can be cleaned and reused, which eliminates waste.
• Ditch the tablecloth – disposable tablecloths should be avoided at all costs, while even cloth ones can be problematic. This is because often those washed professionally are returned in thin plastic bags that aren’t recyclable. Bare tables offer an appealing aesthetic and are easier to clean too.
• Keep condiments in containers – avoid little packets of salt, pepper, ketchup, and other condiments as the packaging isn’t always recycled. Bulk buy such condiments and put them out on tables in glass containers that can be refilled and reused.
• Provide jugs of tap water – plastic water bottles have a hugely negative impact on the environment. Simply put a jug of tap water with glasses on every table to avoid the need to sell them.
• Serve draught drinks – cut back on glass and plastic bottle waste by providing beer, soft drinks, and even cocktails on draught.
• Create recycled table decorations – clean and dry empty wine bottles and add light strings inside or use old ingredients jars as candle holders or vases. It’s cost-effective and good for the environment.

Many restaurants have a refurbishment every five or seven years. Rather than chucking out old furniture when the time comes, consider upholstering chairs and tables instead. Repairing and upcycling furniture saves lots of waste going to landfill. You can always donate furniture to a charity if you must get rid of it.

Repair rather than replace broken equipment from your restaurant where possible too. Get some experts to repair any kitchen equipment such as ovens, dishwashers, or even electric whisks. This saves huge amounts of WEEE and should be cheaper than buying brand-new equipment.

As the calendar flips over into 2024, the freshest wave of baby name trends arrives – yet this one has an eco-twist! Our new research has unearthed the ‘greenest’ baby names in 2024. And it turns out that if your newborn is named David or Emma they could have a green future.

We analysed 20,000 names from our company’s internal data and looked both at the frequency of the names coming up and the type of ‘green’ request they made. This narrowed down the top 50 most sustainable customer names. Then we cross-referenced our greenest names with BabyCentre’s list of the most popular baby names in 2024.

This determined the most popular baby names for little ones most likely to become eco-warriors and enjoy an environmentally friendly life. Discover the top eco-friendly baby names in 2024 and inspiration for other nature-themed names.

As we navigate the era of sustainability, nature is inspiring more parents when naming their newborns. People have always chosen names that sound nice but often also have a deeper meaning. These names are both beautiful and seem to be championing the cause of a cleaner and greener tomorrow.

Adam and Maria, both biblically rooted, now sprout new meaning in the green baby name trend. These names are growing in popularity among families who cherish the earth. Zoe, a name with a zest for life and currently in favour, is fast becoming synonymous with a desire to live sustainably.

This list might be a good source of inspiration for new parents who hope their kids will be green advocates for our planet. Other nature-based names from the list that stand out include Hazel, which simply originates from the hazel tree and Oliver, which harks back to the olive tree.

Our research found the 40 greenest baby names currently in use but there are many more nature-inspired names out there. Some are still very popular, a few are subtle, and others are pretty on the nose. Find further inspiration as new parents with this list of the most beautiful nature-inspired baby names:

Healthcare facilities deal with a wide range of waste types but the most common is clinical waste (and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably). There are various hazards when working with healthcare waste, so responsible and effective management is vital. This helps protect patients, staff, and the environment.

Every healthcare organisation must have a strong waste management plan in place to ensure the safe and legal storage, removal, and disposal processes for clinical waste. Hospitals, doctor’s surgeries, dentists, care homes, and anywhere else that provides healthcare services will produce such waste. For example, NHS providers generate around 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste annually.

This guide helps you understand what healthcare waste is and how to deal with it effectively. Discover how to store, manage, and dispose of clinical waste responsibly in your healthcare organisation with this guide to efficient healthcare waste management.

Clinical waste bins and bags are used to store all sorts of healthcare waste safely and securely before it’s removed and disposed of properly. This includes everything from masks and bandages to needles and blood bags. However, clinical waste isn’t just all thrown away together in the same bin, bag, or container.

There are different bins and bags for specific types of clinical waste. Often the colour of the bin/bag or its lid identifies the kind of waste that goes in it. For example, yellow clinical waste bins are for highly infectious waste such as contaminated gloves worn by a surgeon when operating, while red bins/bags are for anatomical waste.

Most clinical waste should be treated as hazardous unless it’s proven to be non-infectious. This is because many types of clinical waste pose a risk to the health of anyone they come into contact with and can harm the environment if not disposed of safely. It’s why many require high-temperature treatment for disposal.

Hazardous and non-hazardous clinical waste must be kept separate from the point of production and in storage before it’s removed and disposed of. This reduces the risk of harm to staff and patients, as it could spread infection and disease, while also preventing contamination of non-hazardous waste.

Examples of hazardous clinical waste include:

• Infectious waste – anything contaminated such as PPE, dressings, and wipes
• Sharps waste – both medicinally and non-medicinally contaminated
• Anatomical waste – anything chemically preserved or that’s infectious but not chemically preserved
• Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicine and contaminated instruments – like sharps and gloves contaminated with such medicine

To dispose of clinical waste safely it’s important that you identify and separate waste by type as close to the point of production as possible. This helps reduce the risk of contamination and exposure to potentially infectious and hazardous materials. Create an effective waste management plan that highlights the healthcare waste your organisation produces and the processes to manage it.

This should include having the right type, number, and sizes of bins on your premises for the safe storage of all clinical waste produced. Place the relevant bins, bags, or containers as close as possible to the area where each type of healthcare waste is created. Ensure each one is colour-coded to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

The beginning of a new year is a popular time to set goals for the coming 12 months. Businesses update targets while many people renew gym memberships and try to stay away from cigarettes, chocolate, or other vices. January feels like a fresh start for making behavioural changes.

Beyond the traditional tried and tested New Year’s resolutions, why not aim for something that benefits the environment this year? Reducing waste is important for businesses and households across the world. Setting a few simple goals helps keep you on track with just some small behavioural tweaks needed to reach them.

Get started with our 12 New Year’s resolutions to reduce waste – one for every month of the year. Each goal helps protect the planet but may also save your business or household money. Choose your favourites, do them all, or try one a month, whichever method you prefer should make a positive difference.

In the modern digital world is there much need for paper? Request online rather than paper bank statements, read eBooks as opposed to hard or paperbacks, and opt for an email receipt wherever possible. Take a bag when you go shopping or collect a takeaway to avoid being given items in a paper bag.

Many offices can reduce their number of printers to minimise the amount of pointless documents printed out and paper wasted. Making it less convenient to print off posters or other items should ensure staff think twice before doing so. Move from paper to online pay cheques too.

Strive to buy as many things as you can second hand. This avoids the items going to waste, saves on energy and resources to create new products, and is always cheaper. Scour charity shops or online marketplaces such as Gumtree, Vinted, and eBay for clothes, furniture, cooking equipment, suitcases, games, and almost anything else you need.

Avoid the impulse to throw something away as soon as there’s a slight issue with it. Lost a button on a shirt? Sew a new one on. Snapped the handle off your favourite mug? Stick it back on with some glue. You can always take items in need of repair to professionals such as a tailor, cobbler, or electrician.

Businesses can offer discounts on damaged goods, whether it’s superficial damage to the packaging, a part missing, or something with a minor crack or blemish. Alternatively, find ways to improve and upcycle slightly damaged things by adding a fresh coat of paint, accessories, or using other creative methods.

A great way to deal with food waste is to start a compost pile. If you’ve got a garden or even just a small back yard you could buy a compost bin or create your own heap. This is a natural way to recycle waste food and create fertiliser. Learn how to compost.

Try to throw as little rubbish as possible into your general waste bin. Aim to check anything you’re about to dispose of with general waste and work out if you can recycle or reuse it. If you can’t recycle it in your household recycling bin, make a pile for items to take to your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC).

Workplaces should make a New Year’s resolution to increase recycling rates too. An easy way to start this is by introducing more recycling bins for different materials that are easy to access. Consider separate bins for cardboard, plastic, glass, metal, and food waste – or smaller businesses can combine with one dry mixed recycling bin.

Aim to avoid buying anything that can’t be recycled, reused, or donated. Stay away from food, electrical items, clothes, and other goods in non-recyclable packaging and any items made from non-recyclable materials like certain plastics. Over time you’ll start to make it a habit to check if something is recyclable or reusable, gradually giving them up.

Around 4 million Christmas dinners end up in the bin in the UK every year.

Christmas is one of the most anticipated times of the year for many people. Unfortunately, it’s also the most wasteful period with 270,000 tons of festive food disposed of despite being edible. All festive foods that get thrown away every year amount to filling up 7 million bins.

A significant amount ends up in landfill where it rots and releases methane, which contributes to global warming. Yet, there’s a lot people can do to avoid this. To help Britons make more sustainable decisions this Christmas, we’ve put together 6 easy tips to reduce waste food this festive season.

One of the easiest and most delicious ways to reuse your Christmas leftovers is by transforming your remaining vegetables, meats, and even grains into hearty soups or stews. It’s a great way to use up odds and ends that might otherwise be thrown away.

Turn stale bread into croutons for salads, breadcrumbs for coatings, or even a bread pudding. This is a simple way to give new life to bread that might otherwise be discarded. Another delicious option is to make bread pudding, where the stale bread’s ability to absorb flavours and custard makes for a rich, delightful dessert.

Mark Hall, Director at Business Waste, says:

“It’s really unfortunate to see tons of Christmas food being wasted every year, with huge amounts ending up in landfill. There are plenty of ways we can still enjoy all the Christmas festivities in more sustainable ways.

If we all try to implement at least a few of the tips shared above, collectively, we could help reduce this year’s Christmas waste.”

The Welsh Parliament (the Senedd) passed a new law in the last week of November – the Workplace Recycling Regulations. This will change how all workplaces across the country store, manage and dispose of commercial waste from the start of April 2024.

Businesses, charities, and public and third sector organisations must separate certain recyclable materials and arrange collection away from other waste. Essentially, it means workplaces will legally have to separate paper and card, glass, packaging, food, electrical, and textile waste for recycling like most households already do.

The Senedd is making this a legal requirement to improve recycling rates in Wales and move the country closer to becoming a zero-waste nation and reducing carbon emissions. Failure to comply could result in a fine for your business.

Learn all about the new Workplace Recycling Regulations and how to prepare for them with Business Waste.

The Workplace Recycling Regulations is a new law that legally requires all workplaces in Wales to separate certain waste materials and arrange collection separate from other waste. Businesses, charities, and public sector organisations will need to use bins or containers to store paper and card, glass, packaging, food, unsold small WEEE, and unsold textiles.

Workplaces will no longer be able to put all waste in a single bin if it includes any of these recyclable materials. However, you can use one bin for paper and card, and another to collect metal, plastics, and cartons (packaging) together. Glass must be collected on its own.

Changes to the law around workplace recycling in Wales aim to help the country work towards becoming a zero-waste nation and reducing carbon emissions by 2050. Recycling rates for households in Wales are already high compared to most other countries. Just over 65% of materials collected by local authorities from homes are recycled.

The new Workplace Recycling Regulations aim to replicate these results for businesses and improve recycling rates in Wales across the commercial, charity, and public sectors. Separating and sorting recycling in workplaces should ensure greater volumes of high-quality recycling are produced and much less waste is sent to landfill and for incineration.

There’s also an economic boost by increasing recycling rates across Wales. It helps to keep materials in use for longer, which tackles the rising cost of materials and reduces how much landfill tax businesses pay for their waste management. Greater recycling should also create new and more job opportunities.

Under the new Workplace Recycling Regulations, certain waste materials must be collected separately. This aims to avoid contamination and increase the quantity and quality of individual recycling streams. The following waste materials must be stored and collected separately from other rubbish:

• Paper and card (can be mixed together)
• Metal, plastic, and cartons(can be mixed together)
• Glass recycling
• Food waste – only premises that produce more than 5kg of food waste a week
• Unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
• Unsold textiles

Every workplace in Wales is required to follow the new Workplace Recycling Regulations. This includes businesses, charities, and public sector organisations. The occupiers of a workplace must ensure recycling is separated for collection and the new law is followed whether you own, lease, rent, or temporarily occupy the premises.

For any workplace in a shared location, the individual organisations are responsible for complying with the regulations. If a central recycling system is required then you might need an agreement in place with the landlord or facilities manager. The regulations also cover waste and recycling collectors and processors who manage household-like waste from workplaces.

Christmas is the season of giving. But that doesn’t mean presenting your binmen or waste collection company with gifts of extra rubbish to remove this year. It happens though, as UK homes create almost a third more waste over the festive period – and businesses aren’t much better.

For example, around 227,000 miles of wrapping paper and 270,000 tons of food are chucked out every year at Christmas. It’s enough to turn Rudolf’s nose red with anger. Check out our Christmas waste facts for more shameful stats about how much rubbish we churn out every holiday season.

There are many ways to be sustainable at Christmas and give back to the environment. Your decorations, food, and celebrations can be as green as one of Santa’s elves’ outfits with a little effort. Use these sustainable Christmas ideas to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year in an eco-friendly way.

The most sustainable Christmas trees are real ones grown locally in the UK. Once cut a new tree can be planted and grown, which is highly sustainable. Ones sourced locally require less transport, fuel, and carbon emissions too. You should check if any tree is from a sustainable forest (or FSC-certified) before you buy.

Other sustainable Christmas tree ideas include renting a real tree rather than buying one. This can be cost-effective and ensures the tree is replanted in the new year. The tree can have a positive impact on the environment and wildlife throughout the year and be used again next Christmas.

It’s estimated that we send around eight billion Christmas cards in the UK every year. That’s an awful lot of trees chopped down for the paper and card to make them all. Most Christmas cards are recyclable and therefore fairly sustainable, although those featuring glitter, glue, and plastic are trickier to recycle.

Recycling Christmas cards also requires energy and effort, so a more sustainable option can be to consider sending an e-card or simply don’t bother this year. Finding a cute Christmas picture and sending it to friends and family over social media, WhatsApp, or email could suffice and use zero paper and card.

Tinsel is terrible for the environment as the PVC film and metallic coating can’t be separated and recycled. Thankfully, there are many eco-friendly alternatives for decorating your home or workplace in December. These include making a sustainable Christmas wreath from natural items to stringing up solar lights outside or on your Christmas tree.

Handmade decorations, sustainably sourced baubles, and table decorations – including sustainable Christmas crackers – are essential. Avoid plastic decorations and those that use a combination of materials as they’re harder to recycle. One of the most sustainable actions is to simply use the same decorations from last year and store them for many years to come.

Looking for more ways to reduce waste and celebrate a sustainable Christmas this year? We’ve put together a range of expert guides with tips and advice about reducing waste at home and work this festive season.

Umbrellas protect against the UK’s frequent wet and windy weather. The battering they receive from numerous storms adds up after a while though, tearing the material and sometimes snapping their spokes. If you’ve popped up a parasol for the last time or struggled as your umbrella turned inside out once too many, it’s probably time to get rid of it.

Around 1.45 million umbrellas are sold every year in the UK to help keep us dry on those all too common grey and drizzly days. Sales have also increased over the past few years with more than £14 million spent annually on new umbrellas. But what do you do when one reaches the end of its life?

Recycle an umbrella rather than chucking it in the bin where there’s a chance it could end up in landfill. There are various ways to reuse and recover the materials of a broken umbrella. Discover some great umbrella recycling ideas in this guide.

Various businesses can find themselves with umbrellas they need to dispose of as well. It could be shops with excess umbrellas they can’t sell or damaged stock, umbrellas left behind after an event such as a festival, or even manufacturing firms that produce umbrellas having broken items they need to get rid of from a factory.

Umbrellas that any type of business wants to recycle or dispose of class as commercial waste. If your business has lots of old, unused, or broken umbrellas it no longer needs then you must arrange commercial waste collection. Licensed waste carriers will remove them and transport them to a waste management facility for recycling and responsible disposal.

Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online for a free quote to collect and dispose of your commercial umbrella waste.

There are many ways you can reuse an old or broken umbrella even if it won’t keep the rain or sunshine out any more. Upcycling umbrellas helps to reduce waste, keep them out of landfill, and save on the energy and resources required for recycling. Plus, it puts them to good use in other ways.

Here are a few easy ideas for upcycling by turning your old umbrella into a:

• Light shade – colourful umbrella canopies make wonderful light shades for your living room, hallway, or garage. Keep the ribs in place with the umbrella top open and position it over a bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling for great effect.
• Chandelier – remove the canopy and turn the frame of your old umbrella upside down to form a DIY chandelier. Hang and attach decorative bits to the ribs to add a touch of class.
• Mini greenhouse – transparent plastic umbrella canopies and the ribs are ideal as a cover for precious plants in your garden, acting like a small greenhouse. Remove the shaft and handle and secure it in the ground so it won’t blow away to help plants thrive.
• Hanging basket – simply flip an old umbrella upside down and hang it outside for an easy hanging basket. You can also partially close the umbrella and hang it indoors or outside then fill it with a bouquet of flowers.
• Coat rack – traditional curved umbrella handles make a great coat rack. Remove them from the rest of the umbrella, turn them upside down, and nail them into a small board for a quick and easy coat rack.
• Clothesline – get rid of the canopy and use the metal shaft and ribs of an umbrella as a clothesline either inside or outside. Find something to hang it from, such as a tree or pole. It’s great for drying small items like socks and tea towels.
• Costume – dressing up as Mary Poppins? It doesn’t matter if the umbrella is in working order or not – you’re unlikely to fly away with it anyway. Get creative and use the canopy of an old black umbrella as the wings of a bat for a spooky Halloween costume or transform the fabric into a cape.

Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield OBE will lace up his running trainers once again to take on another epic endurance event this December. Sinfield and his team will run an ultra marathon each day for seven days in seven cities to raise awareness and money to support people impacted by motor neurone disease (MND).

And for the second year in a row, Business Waste is proud to sponsor Sinfield with our name on the front of his jersey as he tackles his fourth fundraiser. So far he’s raised more than £8 million for the fight against MND across three endurance events. Each one has been inspired by his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow MBE.

This challenge is no different with the team also inspired by sporting warriors Ed Slater, Marcus Stewart, Stephen Darby, the late Doddie Weir, and the 5,000 other people living with MND in the UK today. The aim is to raise £777,777 for five charities that support and care for people affected by MND and their families and invest in research for effective treatments and a cure for the disease.

Just another excuse for fly-tipping criminals?

November 5th sees millions of people lighting bonfires to celebrate gunpowder, treason and plot on Guy Fawkes Night.

But many thousands of these bonfires will be hiding a filthy secret – unwanted waste going up in flames, releasing who knows what into the sky.

Burning waste on your bonfire is still fly-tipping and comes with the usual huge fines if you’re caught, says waste and recycling company BusinessWaste.co.uk

“We know a thing or two about the right way to get rid of trash”, says company spokesperson Mark Hall. “Don’t get burnt with a big fine for burning your rubbish. That would be rubbish,” he says. 

There are plenty of ways to reduce waste and your environmental impact if you’re planning a Bonfire Night party at home. Fireworks are the main focus of the evening, so ensuring these are as environmentally friendly as possible is vital. A greater awareness of the effect fireworks have on the environment means there are now eco-friendly options available.

Eco-friendly fireworks are made with a nitrogen-based fuel that burns cleaner and produces a lot less smoke. They’re designed to reduce atmospheric pollution caused by traditional fireworks that have charcoal and sulphur fuel. Currently, they’re not as easy to find but making the effort to source eco-friendly fireworks is worth it for a sustainable Bonfire Night.

Burning rubbish might sound like a great way to avoid any non-recyclable waste ending up in landfill, but you should avoid this. Building a bonfire with household waste, plastics, wet wood, and many other materials can pollute the air, create lots of smoke, and an unpleasant smell.

Burning many waste types is also illegal with a potential fine of up to £50,000. As well as environmental concerns there are also safety risks, so fires must be held in a secure place with plenty of water nearby. If you’re planning a bonfire then here’s how to have one in the most environmentally friendly way:

• Only burn dry, untreated, and unpainted scrap wood. Any wood that could be reused, repurposed, or recycled shouldn’t be burned, as this isn’t sustainable. This includes garden waste, which it’s better to compost rather than burn on a fire.
• Just use small amounts of paper or cardboard to help start the fire. Recycling paper and cardboard is the best way to dispose of these materials, so don’t burn loads on your bonfire.
• Check the weather forecast as it’s best to have bonfires on clear nights with no wind or mist to minimise their impact.
• Look into the bonfire before lighting it to ensure no hedgehogs or other animals are living inside. Building the bonfire on the day helps reduce this risk.
• Dispose of ash properly after your bonfire has burned out. Ensure it’s cooled down and then you can add pure wood ash to a compost heap.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) revealed reforms to bin collections and the UK’s waste system at the end of October 2023. These proposals have been dubbed ‘Simpler Recycling.’ They aim to increase, improve, and standardise recycling and waste collections by local authorities across the country for households and businesses.

This should get rid of the current ‘postcode lottery’ where homes in some areas of the country can recycle materials like glass in their domestic recycling bins, while others can’t. The plans also aim to crack down on waste crime, which costs England £1 billion a year, through mandatory digital waste tracking.

Businesses in England with 10 or more employees must separate dry recyclables into individual containers and arrange separate food waste collections by the end of March 2025.

For most other proposed changes there’s a deadline of the end of March 2026, so there’s plenty of time to get to grips with them. Understand what Defra’s simpler recycling plans are and how they could affect your business or household with these answers to your common questions.

Note: Simpler Recycling reforms are not currently in force and the proposed changes and timeline could change. Below is all the current information and expected dates about the plans available. You can find more information on the UK government website.

Businesses will need to arrange collections and recycling of all food waste, paper and cardboard, and dry recycling (glass, plastic, and metals) they produce by licensed waste carriers. All businesses, schools, hospitals, and other ‘non-household municipal premises in England’ must arrange collection for recycling or composting of the same recyclable waste streams as households under Defra’s new plans – excluding garden waste.

These arrangements must be in place by the end of March 2025 for businesses in England with 10 or more full-time employees. Using commercial waste collection services and licensed waste carriers should ensure compliance with the new plans. You could use separate bins for each recycling stream or dry mixed recycling bin collections to combine plastic and metals for ease. Paper and card must be collected separately from other dry recyclables.

The government plans to hold a consultation about the definition of ‘non-household municipal premises.’ Depending on the outcome of this it could mean places of worship, prisons, charity shops, and residential hostels are included and will also need to arrange recycling collections in line with the new plans.

A few key areas of the Separation of Waste (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 are also still under review by the government. These could affect how recyclable materials are collected and which can be mixed and the deadline for micro-businesses, which may be subject to change.

Household recycling rates in England have grown from 11% in 2001 to 42% in 2022. However, they’ve stagnated and missed the target of reaching an average of 50% by 2020. Ensuring all domestic waste collections include the seven core recycling streams should improve recycling rates towards the UK’s household waste recycling target of 65% by 2035.

Applying Defra’s simpler recycling scheme across all households and businesses will mean the same materials can be recycled at home or work anywhere in the UK. This removes the current ‘postcode lottery’ about what can be recycled where and avoids any confusion. It should encourage manufacturers to design sustainable packaging that’s recyclable anywhere in the UK, helping boost recycling rates.

Around 18% of waste in England might be managed illegally according to the Environment Agency. This can have a hugely negative impact on the environment and businesses and costs the economy in England £1 billion a year. Reforming the licensing system for waste carriers, brokers, and dealers with mandatory digital waste tracking aims to centralise reporting and reduce illegal waste activity and its negative impact.

Most of the reaction has been positive but a few concerns have been raised. An announcement was initially promised by the end of 2022. With nearly a year’s delay, it wouldn’t be a surprise if deadlines are pushed back again and could make implementation challenging due to this initial delay.

The commingling of materials was also highlighted as disappointing. However, updates to Simpler Recycling plans mean paper and card will now be collected separately to reduce cross-contamination and improve the quality of collected material. It’s hoped that simplifying the number of bins should increase recycling participation levels.

Have you experienced extra strain carrying your Halloween pumpkin to your car from the supermarket this year? The good news is that there’s nothing to be scared about and you’re not getting weaker – it’s the pumpkins that are getting bigger this year.

Farmers have commented that the wet July and August (with enough sunny intervals) has seen pumpkin crops thrive[1]. A warm September and early October helped ripen the fruits at the right time too[2]. With between 10 and 15 million pumpkins grown and harvested in the UK every year that means most pumpkins sold are bigger and heavier than usual.

You might get more pumpkin for your pound thanks to the miserable summer, but experts at Business Waste are worried it will lead to more pumpkins being wasted. Already around 24 million pumpkins are sold in the UK every year to celebrate Halloween with 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins thrown away that end up in landfill.

“More than half of Brits who buy pumpkins once a year just to make a jack-o’-lantern aren’t aware that they can eat and use the fruit,” says Mark Hall, representative for waste management company Business Waste. “Instead, they scoop out the insides and chuck it straight in the bin, meaning thousands of tonnes of edible pumpkins go to waste. It’s a real shame, especially with the millions of homes in the UK currently experiencing food insecurity.”

There are no exact figures about how much bigger pumpkins are compared to last year. However, as 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins are thrown out normally in a year, even a 1% increase in size could lead to significant amounts of extra waste:

• 1% increase in pumpkin size – 180 extra tons – the weight of 30 elephants
• 5% increase in pumpkin size – 900 extra tons – the weight of 150 elephants
• 10% increase in pumpkin size – 1,800 extra tons – the weight of 300 elephants

The average pumpkin that you buy in the supermarket has a diameter of 15 to 25cm and weighs between 2 and 3kg[3]. Medium pumpkins range in size from 60 to 80cm in diameter and can weigh as much as 9kg.

The bigger the pumpkin size you normally buy, the larger it will likely be this year, and the more food waste it will create if disposed of irresponsibly. Unless more consumers eat or use the pumpkin flesh then those buying bigger pumpkins for their porch could create more avoidable food waste in the UK.

“Unfortunately, more food often leads to more waste,” adds Hall. “We encourage people to only buy the number and sizes of pumpkins they need. You should also plan how you’re going to use all of the pumpkin and manage it properly, as after carving a pumpkin it only lasts for 3 days to a week before it starts to rot.”

Around 8 out of 10 party stores think banning plastic balloon sticks isn’t a priority, according to our research. Many can’t get down with the idea and believe the focus should be on banning or finding recyclable solutions for more common plastic waste types instead. This includes the millions of crisp packets and plastic packaging thrown away every day.

The UK government extends the single-use plastic ban from 1 October 2023 to cover single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, and balloon sticks – as well as polystyrene food and drink containers. Businesses must not supply, sell, or offer them online or over the counter (including new and existing stock).

It’s a positive step forward to reduce the UK’s plastic waste and litter, as single-use plastics make up around 20% of all litter found on UK beaches[1]. However, balloon sticks are responsible for less than 1% of litter on beaches and a tiny amount of the country’s overall plastic waste[2]. Party planners, entertainers, and retailers believe to make a real difference the ban should focus on other non-recyclable items.

“Banning single-use plastics is important to prevent them ending up in landfill and contributing to pollution,” said Business Waste representative Mark Hall. “Switching from plastic balloon sticks to recyclable and biodegradable alternatives is great. However, many other disposable plastics are much more of a problem for the environment than balloon sticks, like the millions of crisp packets thrown away every day.”

Balloons need sticks otherwise they’ll blow away and cause all sorts of environmental damage. With the single-use plastic ban, many alternatives are hitting the market. Businesses are switching from plastic balloon sticks to paper balloon holders or paper balloon sticks[7]. Paper balloon sticks degrade 650 times faster than plastic ones.

Currently, there are no plans to ban balloons, even though most aren’t recyclable or biodegradable. Foil balloons are an exception and TerraCycle has collection points in some Card Factory stores where consumers can recycle them.

Crisp packets are also notoriously difficult to recycle. However, crisp packet recycling is slowly becoming a thing with some supermarkets providing collection points to recycle plastic bags (including some crisp packets). This doesn’t cover all crisp packets and information, awareness, and uptake by consumers are low with a long way still to go.

Hall adds: “Developing recyclable balloon sticks, balloons, and crisp packets can help avoid this waste making its way into landfill and our oceans where it causes havoc for the environment. A better option is to find ways for businesses and homes to reduce plastic use and waste by seeking alternatives. This could be choosing different snacks that come in cardboard packaging that’s easy to recycle or using paper bunting for your next celebration instead of balloons.”

Reducing waste production is a key challenge for every country to tackle pollution and climate change. Global waste generation was 2.24 billion tons in 2020, and is predicted to increase to 3.88 billion tons by 2050, according to the World Bank. Homes and businesses can play their part to cut waste production at the source, but advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are helping across the board.

Waste management involves many processes, from production and storage to transportation, inspection, and disposal. AI is already essential for lots of data processing and behind the scenes work around waste management. It’s now being introduced for more applications that are much more visible and businesses can use to reduce waste, save time, and money.

There are many innovative ways AI benefits the waste management sector and how it can help your business reduce its waste production levels and the associated costs.

Around 17% of food produced globally is wasted according to the UN. The food service industry accounts for about 5% of this, so efforts are ongoing to reduce this amount. For example, the average restaurant in The Netherlands throws away around 10,000kg of edible food waste every year.

Trials using cameras and AI software developed by Orbisk are in place within some professional kitchens to cut down on the amount of waste food restaurants, cafes, and takeouts produce. This places cameras above food waste bins in the kitchen. They use AI image recognition technology to identify the type and amount of food waste, its level of processing (prepared, whole, or cutting waste), the time of disposal and reason for disposal.

Waste management companies work to determine the most efficient routes to collect garbage from homes and businesses. This saves them money on fuel, which has a positive environmental effect too, and cuts the time it takes so they can make more pickups in a day. AI offers solutions to accurately map the areas that a waste management company covers, which can use historical data and new information to develop the most efficient routes.

Research has found that using AI could reduce transportation distances by up to 36.8% for waste logistics. This could make time savings of up to 28.22%, which leads to better efficiencies and may cut costs for waste collections by up to 13.35%.

Holidays, seasonal events, and traffic regularly impact waste collections, leading to longer and slower routes. AI integration can automatically generate route plans for trucks while they’re out on the road, making changes in real time to avoid traffic jams, road closures, and avoid delays where possible.

It’s not just rubbish on planet earth that AI helps to combat, it’s now got its sights set on the stars (kind of). The European Space Agency estimates there are more than 170 million bits of debris in space larger than 1mm, which could harm an operational spacecraft. This includes natural meteoroid and human-made orbital debris, such as mission-related debris, spacecraft fragmentation, and nonfunctional spacecraft.

All this waste in space could be dangerous for astronauts navigating orbit, communication networks and weather satellites, and future missions. AI is now helping spearhead a space clean-up. The Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network (SSN) uses sensors to track around 27,000 large bits of space junk, but development is ongoing to use recognition technology to identify smaller debris in space.

Start-ups are innovating to come up with solutions that go beyond just detecting waste in space too. StartRocket is working on a foam debris catcher. It delivers a small satellite into orbit that releases foam as it comes close to a cloud of debris in space, which absorbs the waste. Then it falls from orbit, destroying the debris as it burns up in the atmosphere.

Automating various processes of waste management with AI capabilities can reduce the amount of waste we create and ensure responsible disposal in many ways. Future developments and innovations could hopefully help make waste reduction even easier for homes and businesses to have a positive environmental impact.

What to do with old candles when they’ve burnt out for the last time is important. Candles may seem like a green way to illuminate your space and add a warming atmosphere, as they don’t rely on electricity. Yet at the end of their life, you’re left with a jar, part of a wick, and some small bits of wax.

How to dispose of a candle responsibly depends on what parts of the candle you’ve got left, the condition, what materials they’re made from, and if you’re getting rid of a candle from your home or business. With the right steps, you can reuse and recycle candles in various ways.

Find out how to dispose of candles in this guide with ideas about what to do with old candle jars, leftover wax, and the wick.

To dispose of candles in the UK at home you must first separate the parts of your old candle. Start by scooping out any remnants of candle wax that remain at the bottom of the jar or candle holder. This should be put to one side for reuse or thrown away in your household general waste bin.

Most wax in domestic candles is made of paraffin, vegetable or animal fats, or oils. Recycling candle wax and recovery of this material isn’t economically viable for many local councils and authorities, so general waste is the only option for disposal in most cases. However, you can reuse the candle wax in various ways (see below).

You can recycle glass candle jars with most other old glass bottles and jars. Empty out any leftover wax and wicks then take them to your local bottle bank or HWRC. Recycle glass candle jars in the mixed glass recycling bottle bank or the one for its specific colour.

To recycle glass candle jars from your business you put them in any glass bins you have and add them to your commercial glass waste collections. Again, you must remove any wax and wash out the jars before doing so. This removes contaminants and increases the chance of recycling.

Recycling glass candle jars is important as glass is fully recyclable. It can be endlessly recycled with no loss of quality and is used to create many new glass products. This saves on the energy and resources required to create fresh glass candle jars, resulting in a positive environmental impact.

Any businesses with old candles and jars to dispose of must arrange commercial waste collection. It’s a legal requirement that only licensed waste carriers remove commercial waste from your premises, which includes old candles from shops, hotels, restaurants, and any other business. Use a professional waste management company that ensures recycling of your candles.

An easy way to dispose of candles from your business is to remove any wax and wicks, and then recycle them with your current commercial glass waste collection. Just like recycling candle jars at home, you can dispose of them responsibly at work with other waste glass bottles and jars.

This ensures all the candle jars from your business are recycled and turned into new glass products. It also saves you money on landfill tax by reducing the amount of waste you send to landfill. Arrange commercial waste collections to get rid of old candles whether it’s leftover stock, broken candles, or used ones from tables in a restaurant.

Changes to the classification of ten waste wood items will come into play from 1 September 2023 in the UK. The new classification of these products as hazardous and potentially hazardous waste will affect both producers of waste wood (businesses) and recyclers. Understand the updated regulations to ensure the proper disposal of your wood waste.

The regulatory changes follow around five years of work and testing by the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA) to determine the hazardous waste content of various waste wood products. They mainly affect ‘amber’ waste wood items from the construction and demolition (C&D) sectors, though it could impact some other industries.

Learn all about these changes to wood waste regulations and what your business might need to do to ensure the safe, legal, and responsible disposal of your wood waste.

Ten items of waste wood from pre-2007 buildings now classify as hazardous:

• Barge boards
• External fascia
• Soffit boards
• External joinery
• External doors
• Roof timber
• Tiling cladding
• Tiling battens
• Timber frames
• Timber joists

If your organisation produces any of the ten types of waste wood items from pre-2007 buildings they’ll now be treated as hazardous waste. This means you can’t dispose of the likes of external doors or roof timber from pre-2007 buildings with the rest of your wood waste.

Instead, you’ll have to book a separate hazardous waste collection for any of these ten items or arrange suitable testing. You can organise testing of your waste wood items and if it’s proven to not contain any hazardous elements then you can recycle it with the rest of your wood as normal. Confirmation of the test and results must be sent to the wood recyclers.

Research by the WRA estimates that less than 1% of waste wood from C&D activities will contain hazardous content. This represents a small amount of UK waste wood production of around 4,000 tonnes in total. The amount of these potentially hazardous waste wood items is also predicted to fall over time due to newer buildings being constructed and continued testing.

The regulation changes mean most wood recyclers will update their acceptance criteria to exclude the ten types of hazardous wood waste. This is because most wood recyclers don’t have the facilities to dispose of hazardous waste. Upgrading to accept and dispose of hazardous waste properly would come at a great cost to most wood recyclers to deal with only a small amount of waste.

Wood recyclers will continue to accept most non-hazardous wood waste. They can also take and recycle any of the ten potentially hazardous wood waste items if they’ve been tested and certified as non-hazardous. Disposing of hazardous wood waste through proper channels reduces the risk of contamination and ensures safe, legal, and responsible disposal.

Brits look up tips to lose weight, delete Instagram, and make pancakes over 70,000 times more than recycling advice every month, according to recent online search engine data.

Around 8.5 billion Google searches are made globally every day. This includes millions in the UK that provide a good indicator of topics of interest to the public. But how many relate to recycling? Fewer than the number of people looking up ‘Barbie dream house’ combined it seems (36,000 searches a month).

According to what we’re searching online, most of us are more interested in learning how to solve a Rubik’s cube than finding out where to recycle batteries. With household recycling rates stagnating across the past ten years in the UK, could few searches for recycling tips and information signal a dwindling lack of interest in recycling by the British public?

To get a good idea of what items and materials Brits are most interested in recycling we looked at the most common search terms starting with ‘how to recycle…’ by volume. This was done using the Keywords Explorer tool from Ahrefs – provider of leading SEO (search engine optimisation) tools – and filtering to UK results.

The results highlight that people search most for information about how to recycle common materials like plastic, paper, and glass. Trickier items to recycle like polystyrene and light bulbs are also high on the list, as well as searches for recycling methods for the latest trend that’s hard to recycle – vapes.

These are some of the most searched-for ‘how to recycle…’ terms every month in the UK:

To provide some context, contrast the online searches for terms starting with ‘how to…’ that have the highest volume. There are tens of thousands more every month for a range of useful (and questionable) information. In some ways, it shows Brits care more about knowing how to delete their social media accounts than finding ways to recycle and dispose of waste properly.

“The fact that tens of thousands of us are searching for tips to solve a Rubik’s cube compared to just a handful wanting to know how to recycle plastic bottles suggests recycling has fallen down the list of priorities,” adds Hall.

“And for anyone interested, less than 10 people a month search for ‘how to recycle a Rubik’s cube’. We’d advise donating it to a charity shop or passing it on to someone else.”

Household waste recycling rates have more than doubled in England from 19% in 2003/4 to 44.1% in 2021, according to the latest government figures. However, stagnation means there’s lots of work for the UK to meet its waste recycling target of 65% by 2035.

Better education and awareness about what materials are recyclable and how to recycle common items for households and businesses is essential to achieve these goals.

“Online search data isn’t an exact measure of recycling activities and through our work we see many businesses and households upping their recycling efforts. As a general guide for trends and public interest, the low search volumes for many recycling terms are concerning. Most of us spend half our lives online, so hopefully a boost to recycling search terms will be represented with a real increase in recycling in the real world,” concludes Hall.

Mandatory food waste reporting will not be introduced for large businesses in England after a consultation by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). This is despite 80% of almost 4,000 respondents being in favour of new food waste legislation in the UK for waste food reporting by large and medium-sized businesses.

Currently, food waste reporting is voluntary, which is set to continue for the next few years. More than 200 businesses voluntarily reported their waste food figures in 2022 and year-on-year data shows such organisations managed to reduce their food waste. However, there are concerns about costs and inflation, which led to mandatory reporting being ruled out.

Learn all about food waste reporting, what the consultation found, the advantages and disadvantages, and what the future holds for food waste reporting.

The UK creates 9.5 million tonnes of food waste annually, with most of it produced by households. This has a total cost of around £19 billion and associated emissions of 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Of this amount, businesses create more than 2.9 million tonnes of food waste every year.

The UK government has a 25-Year Environment Plan that aims to improve the environment. Food waste plays a part in this and the Resources and Waste Strategy (RWS) for England outlines the government’s approach to food waste in the country. It includes a pledge to consult on annual reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses.

The consultation ran from 13 June 2022 to 5 September 2022, with the summary of responses and government response published on 28 July 2023. These are some of the key results and data from the consultation about mandatory food waste reporting:

• There were 3,851 respondents to the consultation.
• 39% of respondents qualified as large-sized businesses
• 80% of respondents were in favour of Option 2, requiring food waste measurement and reporting for large food businesses. Individuals, respondents from charities and social enterprises, and hospitality and retail sectors, all primarily shared this view.
• 64% of respondents didn’t agree that medium-sized businesses (MSBs) should be outside the scope of any regulations. However, only 4% of respondents responding to this question qualified as MSBs.
• Around half of all large food businesses in England measured and reported their food waste figures voluntarily in 2022.

The main advantage of mandatory food waste reporting is that it should help businesses reduce the amount of waste food they produce. As the progress report by WRAP shows, of the 140 businesses that provided voluntary food waste reporting in 2021 they achieved an average of 17% reduction in food waste.

Another key advantage of mandatory food waste reporting is the amount of money it can also save businesses. The same WRAP report found organisations that reported their food waste managed to save a total of £365 million. And cutting food waste also helps reduce carbon emissions related to its transportation and disposal.

There’s a decent uptake of voluntary food waste reporting by businesses. Making it mandatory with new food waste legislation in the UK would ensure all relevant companies take action. This could help the country work towards its target to cut food waste by 50% by 2030 and positively impact the environment.

One of the main issues with mandatory food waste reporting and reasons why the government hasn’t yet implemented it is the costs involved. It’s estimated that the total average annual reporting costs to business would be around £5.3 million. That’s significantly more than the £0.3 million to enhance current voluntary food waste reporting agreements.

The total cost across the 12-year appraisal period is estimated to be £63.8m to require food waste measurement and reporting for large food businesses. That’s compared to £11.7m for enhancing voluntary reporting. Reporting for large food businesses works out at up to £32,362 per year for a business new to food waste reporting.

One body that opposed mandatory reporting due to such cost issues was the National Farmers Union. The voluntary approach to food waste reporting has also proved fairly successful, so continuing to encourage this without the costs and time involved to bring in new legislation is the government’s preferred route.

At Business Waste, we encourage all organisations to reduce their food waste as much as possible. Our experts can advise where necessary and help you create an effective waste management plan. We also arrange collections of commercial food waste and ensure responsible disposal. It’s sent for composting or anaerobic digestion, never to landfill.

We provide a wide range of free bins to store food waste your business produces with no rental or delivery fees – you only pay for collection. Book food waste collection on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly schedule to suit your schedule. Collections are available anywhere in the UK.

The bill for litter cleaning up and down the UK currently costs local authorities around £586 million a year, which of course is money raised straight from the tax payer.

Business Waste don’t think this is fair on local councils and tax payers to have to pay when they aren’t the ones profiting from the sale of these goods, especially as consumers are often stuck for choice when it comes to making a sustainable choice when buying fast-food.

Hall: “Consumers have no choice as to what packaging their favourite products come in, so if the big brands don’t want to be eco-friendly then they should have to reach into their pockets to pay for the inevitable amount of waste their items produce.

“This could be the incentive they need to become more environmentally friendly.”

Could chants of “we recycle more than you!”, “you’re unsustainable, and you know you are!”, and “who’s the ****** not recycling!” be bellowed from the terraces this season? If so, don’t expect to hear many in a Scouse or Brummie accent. That’s according to a revised Premier League table based on recycling rates in the areas of each stadium.

At Business Waste we used the latest data for household waste recycling rates across England to predict how this season’s Premier League could pan out. Rather than focusing on wins, draws, and losses, the rankings use the recycling rates of the local authority that covers every stadium’s location.

Data covering recycling rates for individual constituencies isn’t available, which means Everton and Liverpool are tied, as are Chelsea and Fulham. These teams are placed in alphabetical order (and given their positions, there aren’t any worries about bragging rights). To make things fair all data is from 2021/22, as government data for 2022/23 is yet to be released.

The table shows there’s still plenty of work for most areas in England to reach the government’s target of recycling 50% of all household waste. While Premier League clubs can’t have a direct impact, they can all play their part to encourage increased recycling and sustainability for their clubs and fans.

Many teams are working towards a greener future. The Premier League Sustainability Rankings considers what clubs themselves are doing to improve their climate credentials. Last season Spurs and Liverpool came out on top, showing that while their local authorities may be falling behind they take sustainability more seriously. And unlike the recycling rate table, Bournemouth find themselves down at the bottom of the sustainability rankings.

Hall adds: “Given the huge amount of money floating around in football it’s about time more teams invested in sustainable waste solutions inside and outside their stadiums. Running a football club that’s as green as its pristine pitch should be the goal for every top-tier team in England.”

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a new UK regulation that aims to increase the responsibility of businesses that supply or import packaging. It’s a reform to the current Packaging Waste Regulations that will change the management and funding of packaging waste. The costs of managing packaging once it becomes waste will shift to the producers rather than the consumers.

Any organisation in the UK that produces, supplies, or imports packaging will need to report packaging data and ensure EPR compliance when it comes into effect. In July 2023 it was announced that the full introduction of the UK EPR scheme will be pushed back by a year. Businesses should still start preparing for the scheme though.

Getting to grips with extended producer responsibility can seem complex before it’s enforced. Understand what EPR is and whether your business will be affected and need to make any changes with our detailed guide.

The UK produces more than 10 million tonnes of packaging waste every year. Around two-thirds of this are recyclable or reusable, yet vast amounts make their way to landfill sites across the country. By placing the responsibility and costs for packaging disposal on the producers, EPR aims to encourage businesses to develop more sustainable and recyclable packaging.

An increase in costs for packaging producers should kickstart an improvement in creating and using formats and materials that are recyclable. This should have a positive effect on the environment and reduce the associated costs for businesses, as recycling is more cost-effective than sending waste to landfill and other disposal methods.

The EPR scheme applies to any organisation in the UK that supplies or imports packaging. Normally EPR applies to a brand owner or importer. This includes any business that:

• Supplies packaged goods to the UK market under your own brand
• Puts items into packaging that’s unbranded when it’s supplied
• Imports products in packaging
• Owns an online marketplace
• Hires or loans out reusable packaging
• Provides empty packaging

If your business does any of the above then it will need to collect and report its packaging data. EPR regulations apply to any UK organisation that:

• Is an individual business, subsidiary, or group (but not a charity)
• Has an annual turnover of £1 million or more (based on your most recent annual accounts)
• Was responsible for more than 25 tonnes of packaging in 2022
• Carries out any of the packaging activities

For example, imagine you run a food company with branded packaging for your goods. You supply supermarkets and other food retailers with your products that are sold to consumers in the UK. Here the food company must comply with EPR regulations. But if the food items were sold under the supermarket’s branded packaging then the supermarket would be responsible.

The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (England) Regulations 2023 came into effect on 28 February 2023. This means producers of packaging should already be collecting and reporting data about the amount and type of packaging they place on the market in England. Large organisations should have registered for the EPR packaging online service by April 2023, while for smaller companies it opens in 2024.

Large organisations in the UK must submit packaging data between 1 January 2024 and 1 April 2024 (this is to cover the period of 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023). Small organisations should work to the same dates but for data from 1 March 2023 to 31 December 2023.

The introduction of EPR legislation is phased though. In July 2023 the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced a delay for payments for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging by a year, pushing it back to October 2025. Defra claims the delay is to help efforts to drive down inflation

From October 2025 onwards producers will pay fees based on the recyclability/sustainability of their packaging. The exact charges will depend on how widely recycled the material is and other factors. More detailed data on packaging materials will be necessary at this point compared to what’s reported in the current system.

One advantage of the delay to extended producer responsibility regulations is that businesses have an extra year to prepare for them. Understanding whether EPR legislation will affect your organisation and what you need to do is vital to comply with these new regulations. Important ways to prepare for EPR as a business include to:

• Check whether EPR applies to your organisation or not – your suppliers may hold responsibility.
• Identify any areas of your business where EPR applies and understand its impact.
• Model the regulatory costs and factor upcoming EPR charges into your budget to financially prepare for such change.
• Plan how you’ll gather, collect, and store all data about your packaging and waste. Check your data is accurate and provides complete coverage.
• Consider alternative packaging options to ensure full recyclability and other ways to use sustainable packaging that’s environmentally friendly and financially beneficial for your business.

• Increases the recyclability of packaging
• Reduces the amount of packaging waste in landfill
• Encourages more sustainable packaging designs
• Businesses are likelier to seek out alternative eco-friendly packaging solutions
• Packaging producers cover the costs of waste disposal

POPs is an acronym for persistent organic pollutants. These are chemical substances that don’t break down and can be harmful to humans and the environment. They also spread easily via air, water, and wildlife. The main types of POPs waste include upholstered domestic seating (armchairs, sofas, and office chairs) and electrical devices and components.

The Environment Agency introduced new regulations on 1 January 2023 covering the storage and disposal of POPs waste. Homes and businesses must ensure any waste they have that contains any persistent organic pollutants is managed, removed, and disposed of safely and in line with this legislation. POPs waste cannot be disposed of in landfill sites.

Learn all you need to know about what POPs waste is, common examples of POPs waste, and how to dispose of it properly.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemical substances that are harmful to human health and the environment. They don’t break down and remain in the environment for a long time, negatively affecting any wildlife and humans they encounter. POPs can transfer by air, and water, and pass from one species to another through the food chain.

This means the impact of POPs can spread far from where they’re produced, used, and released into the environment. Some of the most common examples of persistent organic pollutants are synthetic chemicals used for pest and disease control, crop production, and industrial purposes. These can be produced intentionally or unintentionally (such as byproducts of combustion and industrial processes).

POPs waste doesn’t just affect industries and organisations that produce chemical waste. Various items of furniture and old electrical and electronic devices and products could contain persistent organic pollutants found in homes and businesses. These must be identified, managed, and disposed of responsibly.

Some of the most common examples of POPs waste found in homes and businesses include upholstered domestic seating. POPs may be present in any parts that contain or are made of leather, synthetic leather, fabric, or foam. Often they’re in the back of the covers and in the foam, which may contaminate any lining and wadding in contact with it.

Common examples of upholstered seating that may contain POPs are:

• Sofas, sofa beds, and futons
• Armchairs
• Kitchen and dining room chairs
• Stools and footstools
• Home office chairs
• Bean bags, floor and sofa cushions

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulations 2007 requires the destruction of POPs in any waste to protect the environment and impacts on the food chain. It means any waste containing POPs must be incinerated and never reused, recycled, or landfilled. The regulation also makes production and placing on the market any POPs an offence.

The waste management of POPs is covered by this regulation. Any producer or holder of POPs waste who fails to dispose of or recover it in compliance with these regulations commits an offence. Anyone breaching these regulations could face potential penalties of a fine or imprisonment.

In the UK, the Environment Agency brought new legislation into effect from 1 January 2023 for the storage and disposal of POPs waste. These new compliance procedures mean local authorities are now legally required to change their processes for dealing with potential POPs waste. Essentially, any upholstered domestic seating waste must be incinerated.

For any POPs waste you’ve got at home you should check if your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC) accepts upholstered domestic seating. Most HWRCs do, just ensure you keep it separate from other waste and dispose of your POPs waste in the correct container at the site. Your local authority can advise on the process.

Businesses must arrange commercial waste collection by licensed waste carriers for any waste containing POPs. At Business Waste we can provide a free no obligation quote to remove and dispose of any kind and amount of POPs waste from companies anywhere in the UK. One-off collections and disposal of domestic POPs waste is also available.

Single use plastic cutlery, plates, and cups are cheap and convenient, but their disposal is problematic. They don’t break down and can leach chemicals, adding to pollution if they end up in landfill. Even though most single use plastics are recyclable only 10% of single use plastic items are recycled.

To reduce this negative environmental impact the UK government is introducing a single use plastic ban in England from October 2023. This follows on from the existing plastic ban on microbeads in 2018 and single use plastic straws in 2020. And there’s already a single use plastic ban in Scotland that came into force in June 2022.

If your business in England relies on single use plastic products in any form you should be adapting to comply with the ban. To help your organisation prepare for the ban on single use plastic we’ve answered the most important questions about it and provided some useful tips to remove single use plastics from your operations.

Single use plastics – also known as disposable plastics – are items made from plastic designed to be used once and then thrown away. They’re made from a variety of fossil fuel-based chemicals (petrochemicals) depending on the product. Common examples of single use plastics include disposable plastic cutlery, plates, and straws.

Up to 50% of plastic products are single use plastics around the world. This reflects the disposable lifestyle and culture that’s developed globally, and many industries rely on. While many single use plastics are recyclable lots end up in general waste, landfill, and as litter due to their throwaway nature.

There are a few exemptions to the England single use plastics ban for specific items:

• Single use plastic plates, bowls, and trays – you can still supply these if it’s to another business or they’re pre-supplied packaging (pre-filled or filled at the point of sale). Examples include a pre-filled salad bowl packaged in a tray, a plate filled at a takeaway counter, or a tray to deliver food.
• Single use polystyrene food and drinks containers – food or drink can still be supplied in polystyrene containers when it requires additional preparation before consumption. For example, this could mean adding water, microwaving, or toasting.

There are no exemptions for supplying single use plastic cutlery and balloon sticks.

The single use plastic ban in the UK is being introduced across different dates for England, Scotland, and Wales:

• The single use plastic ban in Scotland has been in action since 1 June 2022.
• In England, the single use plastics ban comes into force from 1 October 2023.
• The single use plastic ban in Wales is being introduced in two phases. Most single use plastics will be banned from Autumn 2023, but the following items won’t be banned until 2024 – single-use plastic carrier bags, polystyrene lids for cups and takeaway food containers, and oxo-degradable plastic products.

The main reason the UK government is banning single use plastics is to boost efforts to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Currently, in England, around 2.7 billion single-use cutlery items (mostly plastic) and 721 million single-use plates are thrown away every year. This ban aims to wipe out such waste.

Plastic cutlery was in the top 15 most littered items in the UK by count in 2020. And according to the European Commission, the 10 most common single-use plastic products found on European beaches account for 70% of all marine litter in the EU (alongside fishing gear).

Such a big change and the potential penalties for breaching the plastic ban in the UK means businesses need to be ready for the new rules. Companies in every industry must be compliant with the rules, whether you only provide a few disposable plastic spoons to customers in an ice cream café or regularly use polystyrene food containers.

There are a few things your business should do to prepare for the ban on single use plastic properly:

• Check your stock for disposable products – do an inventory of all single use plastic products your business still has and plan to use, sell, or donate them all before 1 October 2023.
• Find alternatives to single use plastic items – explore reusable, compostable, and biodegradable alternative solutions to the single use plastic items you currently use. Speak to your existing suppliers to see if they can offer an alternative and search for sustainable suppliers.
• Assess the costs – switching to different products and new suppliers will affect the costs to your business. Analyse how this fits with your budget and whether it’s the best choice.
• Consider the consumer – ensure whatever alternatives you source are still of a high quality that will impact your consumers as little as possible. Especially as most single use plastic items are used for food and drink, you’ll need to ensure the alternatives you use still meet all relevant food safety standards.

Buying a wheelie bin may seem like a sensible solution to store waste safely at your business or home. Working out the best price for a wheelie bin can be tricky though. There’s no single wheelie bin price and they vary greatly in cost across different suppliers and manufacturers.

How much a wheelie bin is usually depends on its size and quality (the material it’s manufactured from and any standards it meets). The price of wheelie bins for sale currently ranges from £30 to more than £200 based on the size and the seller. Buying a wheelie bin isn’t always the most cost-effective option though.

Avoid the cost and hassle of buying a wheelie bin with Business Waste. Get free wheelie bins delivered to your organisation anywhere in the UK – you only pay for collection. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online for a free no obligation quote tailored to the specific type, size, and number of wheelie bins you need.

Some waste management companies may charge rental or hire fees to use their wheelie bins to store your commercial waste. Renting should be cheaper than buying a wheelie bin. Hire costs for wheelie bins often depend on their size, waste type, collection frequency, how long you need to use them, and where your business is based.

Rental prices for wheelie bins vary greatly from as little as £1 or £2 a day to £60 a week. The supplier and number of wheelie bins you rent at a time can all impact the price. It should still work out cheaper than renting a skip for your commercial waste.

At Business Waste we provide free wheelie bins for your company to use – you only pay for collection. There are no rental charges or costs to hire or purchase any wheelie bin, whatever the size, type, and number of wheelie bins you need and wherever your business is based in the UK.

Councils have a legal obligation to collect household waste but will only do so if it’s in an appropriate bin that they provide. This is because the bin must fit the mechanical lifting equipment of their waste trucks. If you buy your own domestic bin and it’s the wrong size or type they may not collect your waste.

In many cases, you can buy a wheelie bin from the council in your area. Often you’ll need to do this if your old bin was stolen or damaged, you move into a new home without a bin, or you want an extra bin for your home. Not all councils allow additional household bins though, so check with your local authority first.

The cost of a replacement wheelie bin from the council is normally free, but there’s often an admin and delivery fee. A wheelie bin replacement cost can vary depending on the size and type of bin and your specific local council and their fees. Generally, the cost of a replacement wheelie bin is anywhere from £40 to £50.

Businesses and homes build up stacks of documents containing sensitive information that eventually need destroying. It could be old bank statements, invoices, CVs, and anything else with personal data. They must be disposed of responsibly to protect the individuals and businesses whose private information they contain – they can’t be recycled with paper.

Shredding confidential papers is an easy and efficient way to destroy sensitive documents and data. However, not every business and household owns a shredder. You might not have the space, money, or need to use a shredder regularly enough to justify buying one. There are other ways to destroy important documents without a shredder though.

Find out how to get rid of confidential papers without a shredder in your business or at home with this guide.

Soaking paper documents in water for one or two days and mixing it around is an effective way to make them unreadable. This dissolves the paper into a pulp that you can break up by hand. However, you’ll need the space and patience to leave your documents in buckets of water in a secure place.

You can speed up the paper pulping process by adding bleach to the water. Ensure you use a container that can withstand bleach and wear protective gloves. The bleach destroys the colourants within the ink to leave little traces behind. Then drain the water and bleach safely to avoid it affecting the environment.

Leave the pulp to dry in the sun before disposing of it with your general waste, as unfortunately, it won’t be recyclable. If you only used water and no bleach then the wet pup could be used as mulch on a garden and possibly sent for composting.

Cutting up confidential documents with scissors or tearing them by hand is a cheap and easy way to destroy important papers without a shredder. You can also use a hole punch to make printed words and numbers unreadable, such as bank account numbers and addresses. Depending on the size, you might be able to recycle this paper too.

However, it’s a time-consuming task depending on how many documents you need to destroy and the size of your team. It’s not always the most secure way to get rid of confidential data either, as if the papers aren’t torn or cut up small enough then potential thieves could stick them back together.

If you want to shred your confidential documents but don’t own a shredder there are various alternatives. Shredding important papers into smaller pieces can make it harder for any information or data from them to be stolen. It’s also much more environmentally friendly than burning paper or using chemicals such as bleach to destroy them.

Consider an alternative to a paper shredder with these methods:

• Scissors – manually shredding paper with scissors is a simple and effective solution. It can take a while and be labour-intensive, depending on how many sheets you need to shred. Speed up the process with shears or multi-blade scissors.
• Tearing – simply tearing up your confidential papers by hand is a cheap and easy way to destroy them. You’ll need to ensure they’re split into incredibly thin pieces so the information can’t be stuck back together though.
• Hole punch – if you’ve got paper documents that only contain a few bits of sensitive information then using a hole punch on these sections is an effective method. This can remove private data and make it hard to read. You can dispose of it separately from the rest of the document for added security.

You can destroy paper documents in a washing machine. Water turns paper into a pulp and the added spins and force of the machine make the writing unreadable. However, you should put the paper documents in a laundry bag or stocking and tie the top tightly to avoid ending up with a mess.

Once the spin cycle is over just open the bag to check the documents are destroyed and dispose of them with your general waste. You can only destroy regular paper documents in a washing machine, it won’t work for laminated paper or some types of glossy paper.

The government plans to introduce mandatory digital waste tracking across the UK by 2024. It aims to provide a comprehensive way to see what happens to the more than 200 million tonnes of waste the UK produces annually. This should show where and how waste is created, who handles it, what happens to it, and where it ends up.

Currently, there’s no single way of tracking all waste created in the UK. Legislation around waste transport, management and descriptions have been introduced separately over the last few decades. Data about waste is collected by both private contractors and the government across different IT and even paper systems. Mandatory digital waste tracking aims to centralise this.

We’ve answered some key questions about the service to help you understand what mandatory digital waste tracking is, why it’s being introduced, how it could work, and what it might mean for your business.

Under the proposed mandatory digital waste tracking service all waste types will be tracked. This includes hazardous and non-hazardous waste, green waste, extractive waste (from quarries), and all other types of commercial and industrial waste. Therefore, every business will be affected by the new tracking service whatever types and amounts of commercial waste they produce.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency set out commitments in the ‘Resources and waste strategy for England’ published in 2018. This is a strategy to minimise waste, promote resource efficiency and move towards a circular economy to preserve material resources.

Mandatory digital waste tracking aims to work towards these commitments and:

• Determine what happens to our waste – to gain a good understanding of whether waste is recycled, recovered, or disposed of and identify actions for improvement.
• Improve sustainability – waste producers and waste managers will have accurate data to see how much waste they produce and how it’s managed, to make informed decisions and changes to enhance their sustainability.
• Centralise, collate, and digitise waste data – current waste data is spread across digital and paper systems and tracking isn’t mandatory. Mandatory digital waste tracking aims to bring all waste information together.

The vaping market is one of the UK’s largest growing consumer goods sectors, currently valued at around £1 billion. Vaping shops and the many varieties of e-cigarettes they sell are everywhere. However, there are still many unknowns and some growing concerns around vaping as it’s a relatively recent innovation.

These range from health effects to advertising rules and the environmental impact of old vapes. We’re not medical professionals or advertising gurus, but we are waste management experts who can advise on how to dispose of vapes. The materials they’re made from, how they’re made, and what people and businesses do with them can have a significant environmental effect.

Correct vape disposal depends on various factors, including the type, brand, and whether it’s a consumer or business getting rid of an old one. Discover how and where to dispose of vapes safely and in an eco-friendly way with this guide.

• Vape disposal facts
• Types of vapes
• How to dispose of a reusable vape
• How to recycle vapes
• How to dispose of disposable vapes

There were some earlier developments but the first type of e-cigarette (or vape) on the market arrived in 2004, according to the National Library of Medicine. Since then, the vaping market has boomed and there are a few different types of vapes available:

• Vape pens – these are common vapes in a cylindrical shape that can be either disposable or reusable depending on the brand.
• Pod vapes – there are two parts to a pod vape (or pod mod), a rechargeable battery and the replaceable and refillable pod.
• Box mods – currently these are the biggest vapes that have an external battery with variable wattage and temperature control, and a refillable tank.
• Disposable vapes – disposable vapes come in many sizes and flavours and once the battery or liquid runs out you throw it away.

Many brands are bringing out new vapes all the time and should include proper disposal instructions with their products. Generally, the best way to dispose of a vape depends on whether it’s a reusable or disposable vape.

Vape recycling is possible for reusable and refillable devices. The most sustainable option is to keep refilling and reusing the same vape where possible. However, if the vape becomes badly damaged, the battery completely dies, or you need to upgrade then recycling the vape is your next best option.

You can recycle vapes by dismantling them and separating their parts to recycle them alongside the same materials:

• Battery recycling – if your vape has a removable battery you can separate it and take it to any battery recycling point, found in many supermarkets. Vapes with built-in batteries can be taken to most local household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) for recycling with WEEE waste or returned to many vape retailers.
• Pods and tanks – remove the pod, tank, or cartridge from your vape and thoroughly wash it out with water to remove all the excess e-liquid residue. Any glass tanks or pods can then be recycled with glass recycling. If it’s made of plastic, check the packaging and bottom of the cartridge or pod for a recycling symbol and number. Check if you can recycle this type of plastic in your household recycling bin or if you should take it to your nearby HWRC.
• Coils – most coils are removable from the pod or tank, but if not please check the recycling instructions for your specific vape. Remove the coil and separate the cotton or wicking, then wash off any e-liquid residue. The remaining coil can be recycled with metals and in some household recycling bins.

You can recycle disposable vapes. Place them in a vape disposal bin, return them to an electrical retailer, or recycle them with WEEE items at your local HWRC. They’ll be transported to a recycling facility where the vapes are dismantled and separated into their components.

These components are checked, sorted, cleaned, and recycled alongside the same materials. The only element of a vape that can’t be recycled is the cotton wick, as it will be heavily contaminated and may even be burnt. Learn more about how each part of a vape is recycled based on its material in our comprehensive guides:

• Battery recycling – lithium-ion battery from the vape
• Metal recycling – the coil inside a vape
• Plastic recycling – the plastic exterior
• Glass recycling – if the vape has a glass tank or component

Businesses must arrange commercial waste collection of any old vapes they produce. This could be through customer returns, staff getting rid of old vapes, or any other means. Removal by licensed waste carriers and recycling is vital and a legal requirement. The easiest way to do this is with WEEE bins and collections.

At Business Waste, we can provide free WEEE bins in a range of sizes to store old vapes safely on your premises. Then arrange collection on a schedule that suits you – either a one-off removal or regular collections. Licensed waste carriers remove your WEEE bins and ensure it’s recycled and disposed of responsibly.

Festival waste has been a big challenge for decades. Photos of abandoned tents, trampled food waste, empty beer cans and plastic bottles littering muddy fields follow each instance of Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds festivals, and Parklife every year. The amount of waste created isn’t the worrying thing though – it’s what happens to it.

A shocking 68% of waste ends up in landfill that’s produced at UK music festivals annually. Effective festival waste management could significantly reduce that and ensure as much as possible is recycled and reused. And it’s not just the big festivals, the likes of local beer festivals, summer fairs, and street carnivals all need strong waste management plans.

Understand how to overcome the challenges of festival waste whatever size, type, and length of festival you’re holding. Use the following top tips for successful, smooth, and stress-free festival waste management.

Putting together a festival waste management plan is essential before running any event. It means you can assess your festival, identify potential problem areas, and take a proactive approach to minimise waste-related risks. This vital document should cover everything you need to ensure smooth waste management.

A good place to start is to ask existing and successful festivals of a similar size, type, and location if you can see their waste management plan. You can use this as a blueprint and at the same time ask if they’ve got any advice or useful information about managing waste from their experiences.

Otherwise, you can create your festival waste management plan from scratch. Use information such as ticket sales, the maximum capacity, the number of vendors and staff, details of the site, and any data from previous events to inform your plan where possible.

Having a range of recycling bins onsite is the first step to reducing your festival waste. These need clearly labelling with the specific recyclable rubbish they’re designed to hold. Use different coloured bins for each waste type to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and encourage segregation.

Place clear signs around the site directing towards recycling bins and add the recycling station to any site maps. For all vendors, you should also have a recycling policy in place outlining their responsibilities. Provide enough recycling bins for each vendor and stall so they also recycle as much as possible.

The best way to encourage recycling at a festival is to lead by example too. Serve drinks in recyclable or compostable plastic or paper cups, use recyclable or biodegradable cutlery and plates, and eliminate all single-use plastic. Requiring vendors to follow such guidelines can significantly increase recycling rates across your festival.

Unfortunately, there’ll always be some people who don’t use the right bins (or any bins at all!), no matter how hard you try to control consumer waste at your festival. This can result in empty plastic cups, food packaging, paper plates, and more being littered across the site.

Assemble a team dedicated to festival waste management to combat those rogue festivalgoers. Include litter pickers to reduce the amount of rubbish that could fly off the site and negatively impact the local environment. Also, have professionals overseeing the wider waste operations – ensuring bins don’t overflow, access routes are clear, and collections happen on time.

Most festivals either pay their dedicated waste management team or enlist the help of volunteers by providing free tickets. Have a rota to ensure staff aren’t overworked and have enough time to enjoy the festivities. The best option depends on the size, type, popularity, and budget for your festival.

Ensure you book delivery of all bins, bags, and containers well in advance of your festival, so they can be placed on site in good time. Waste collections should be arranged with as little disruption to festival goers and vendors as possible. If you’re running a one-day event, it makes sense to do this the following day.

For multi-day festivals, you might need waste collection across the weekend. Arrange these at the quietest times when access routes should be clear. This avoids delaying the removal of your festival waste, reduces the risk of accidents, and empties bins before they become too full (which can be a health hazard and result in overweight charges).

Easter egg packaging recycling is essential to ensure no trace is left behind from the 80 million Easter eggs we buy in the UK every year. Most of us eat all the chocolate (often faster than we’d like to admit). But what we do with the card, plastic, and foil packaging affects the environment.

Chocolatiers and brands focus on bright and colourful Easter egg packaging to attract the attention of both young and older chocoholics. And it works. Who doesn’t associate that purple, red, and yellow splash with a Cadbury Crème Egg? But how easy is recycling Easter egg packaging once you’ve scoffed the chocolate?

Eggsplore some facts about Easter waste, ways to recycle Easter egg packaging, and how to reduce the amount of Easter packaging your household or business uses in this guide.

The good news is that today, most Easter egg packaging is recyclable. Only the plastic windows and some wrappers for sweets, chocolates, and treats that certain Easter eggs include are trickier or impossible to recycle. Most packaging can be recycled in your household or workplace recycling bins but check with your local authority or waste service first.

Separate the individual materials and follow these tips for recycling Easter egg packaging:

• Easter egg foil recycling – clean off any chocolate to ensure it’s clean and to avoid contamination. Scrunch it into a ball the size of your fist, which reduces the risk of small bits falling through or getting caught in the recycling machines. Then place it in your recycling bin.
• Cardboard – take out any plastic windows first and check if there’s any glitter or plastic attached. If so, these can’t be recycled and should go in your general waste bin. Most cardboard Easter egg packaging is recyclable though, just flatten it and place it in your recycling bin or a cardboard or paper bin at work.
• Plastic shell – check the type of plastic the shell is made from (the number in a recycling triangle). Most are PET1, which is the same plastic type used for plastic drinks bottles. Nearly all local authorities in the UK accept these in their household recycling bins, while you can also recycle them in commercial plastic recycling bins.
• Plastic wrappers – look at the back of the wrapper and it should say whether the wrapper is recyclable and/or have a plastic type number. Check whether your local authority accepts these in domestic recycling bins. If not, you can take them to some supermarkets that collect plastic bags and film, as well as a TerraCycle point. Otherwise, they should be disposed of with general waste.

Once you’ve separated the Easter egg packaging waste, put it in the right recycling bins, and they’ve been collected, what happens next? The recycling process is different for each type of material. Generally, Easter egg packaging is recycled in these ways:

• Foil recycling – when recycling Easter egg foil it’s sorted and recycled alongside other aluminium foil, like foil trays and aluminium drinks cans. It’s all cleaned, compressed, and melted down into raw aluminium. This is used to create new foil sheets, trays, cans, and other products.
• Cardboard recycling – waste cardboard is separated into boxboard and corrugated cardboard and different grades. It’s shredded, mixed with water to form a slurry, and combined with pulp made from wood chips. Finally, it’s filtered, chemically processed, cleaned, dried, and turned into new cardboard sheets.
• Plastic recycling – plastics are sorted and cleaned first. Then it’s shredded into flakes and melted into pellets that are used to create new plastic products. Some recycling uses waste plastic to produce petroleum.

Not everything about Easter is eggcellent. Despite that classic pun being used in every marketing campaign for the holiday, the celebrations create lots of eggstra waste (ok, the puns stop here). We Brits spend around £300 million on chocolate at Easter every year but produce tonnes more food, packaging, and other waste celebrating.

And it’s not just our additional chocolate consumption that creates more waste at this time of year. There’s extra food for an Easter feast, decorations, cards, and wrapping paper for gifts. Lots of this rubbish is recyclable, yet plenty still makes its way to landfill. With a few tips, we can change this and keep Easter the sign of new life it’s supposed to be.

Crack on with these fascinating facts about the holiday and ideas for a low and zero waste Easter at home and in your business.

Many Easter eggs come with lots of packaging that’s not always 100% recyclable – especially if it gets damaged being hidden outside. Hiding chocolate eggs with no protection isn’t a hygienic or safe idea inside or outside though. There are plenty of other ways you can plan and eggsecute (last one) a fun zero waste Easter egg hunt:

• Hide wooden eggs in the garden. Kids can find these and then get rewarded with a chocolate egg. They’re better for the environment than plastic eggs and can be reused next year or for other activities, such as painting.
• Make your own paper or card eggs if you’re having an indoor hunt. It’s a great way to use up any old paper and card you’ve got lying around and it can be recycled.
• Buy chocolate Easter eggs in foil without the additional plastic casing. This protects the chocolate when placed outside and the foil is recyclable.
• Decorate small stones with egg designs that you can reuse or wash off after the hunt.
• Give kids a map and clues to follow, rather than searching for eggs, with a big Easter-themed prize at the end.

Lots of businesses and homes use plastic grass to add a spring touch. However, plastic grass is rarely recyclable and can take around 500 years to degrade. If it goes to landfill the chemicals the plastic contains can leach into the ground and contaminate nearby ground and water.

There are many sustainable and recyclable Easter decorations to consider instead. Flowers, plants, and branches make a great centrepiece and can be arranged into wreaths for natural decorations. Plenty of paper and card decorations are fully recyclable or can be kept for reuse next year.

You can also make your own Easter decorations from stuff at home. Use old toilet or kitchen rolls and attach little card ears and feet to create rabbits. Traditional hand-painted eggs are another great way to use up eggshells. Paint them or use felt tip pens, and add glitter, ribbons, and any other decorations.

Shrove Tuesday – commonly known as Pancake Day, Pancake Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday – should be one of the most celebrated days for reducing food waste. It’s observed by Christians around the world as the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent – 40 days when many Christians fast (or give up a luxury food or drink item).

The idea of pancakes comes from the tradition of using up rich and luxurious foods (mainly eggs, milk, and sugar) before the fast starts. While the religious ties may have lessened in the UK, slapping together sweet and savoury pancakes on this Tuesday is as strong as ever. However, the practice of reducing food waste has also fallen off, with the day creating more waste food in some cases.

Don’t let your day go as flat as those first pancakes by adding to the UK’s already terrifying food waste figures. Discover how to reduce food waste in your home or business when flipping those pancakes this Shrove Tuesday.

Follow a tried and tested pancake recipe so you’ve got a good idea of how many you’ll make. Portion control is important to avoid excess batter and pancakes, so consider how many you’ll all likely eat before you begin. Measuring jugs, scales, and frying pans are your friend here.

Planning your portions also helps estimate how many ingredients you need to save money by avoiding overbuying items. Check your cupboards before you go shopping as you might already have most of the things you need to make pancakes. Flour and sugar especially last for ages and are used in many other recipes. It’s a great way to use up ingredients and reduce food waste.

If you do need to buy fresh ingredients, consider shopping at a zero-waste store. This can reduce the amount of packaging waste created when preparing pancakes.

Pancake Day throws up more than just food waste. There’s all the packaging for your ingredients to deal with as well. Check the labels first but thankfully most packaging should be recyclable, which is a more sustainable option than throwing them away with your general waste. Recycle different packaging materials in the following ways:

• Glass recycling – glass bottles and jars for milk, honey, and jam should be rinsed out and recycled at your local bottle bank. Businesses can arrange glass waste collection.
• Plastic recycling – plastic milk bottles, margarine tubs, and pots should be washed out and dried then put in your household recycling bin. Check the plastic number and if your local authority accepts the type in your domestic recycling if you’re unsure.
• Paper recycling – flour and sugar bags are often made of paper, which can be recycled with your household recycling. Try to remove as much flour or sugar as possible but ensure the packets stay dry.

If there’s one thing we all agree on, it’s that putting pineapple on pizza is one of the greatest sins ever committed in the name of cooking.

And that’s why one British waste company is launching a national campaign to have this culinary blasphemy deleted from takeaway menus across the country, and – if necessary – naming and shaming the guilty parties.

While some people might think this a bit extreme, it’s clear that there’s a growing wave of public disgust at the Hawaiian Pizza, UK waste management company Businesswaste.co.uk says.

“Every time you order a Hawaiian, a pizza chef loses a tiny piece of his soul,” says Businesswaste.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall, “and if we do not act now there’ll be no room left for proper British creations like Chicken Tikka Masala pizza and Full English Breakfast pizza.”

“These people need to be stopped.”

A 2017 YouGov poll claimed that an unhealthy 53% enjoyed pineapple on pizza, while 41% said they disliked it (the rest said ‘don’t know, and we’ve no time for fence-sitters). However, it appears attitudes have hardened in the intervening six years.

Our own informal poll carried out among over 1000 Business Waste customers in December 2022 found just a single respondent saying that they liked a crafty Hawaiian pizza, while a staggering 85% saying that pineapple on pizza should “get in the bin”.

Once again there were a umber of fence-sitters who claimed not to eat pizza, and we are minded to respect their life choices without further comment.
And that’s why Businesswaste.co.uk is launching its campaign to eradicate the Hawaiian.

“It’s not even from Hawaii,” says Businesswaste.co.uk’s Mark Hall, “It’s from Canada, and frankly they should apologise to the United Nations”.

It’s a call with international backing, with Iceland’s president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson saying that he would actually ban pineapple on pizza if he had the power to do so. He eventually rolled back on his proposal, presumably under pressure from Big Pineapple.

And an expert analysis on the legal situation called the Hawaiian “a barbaric practice that violates the very essence of morality, humanity, culinary dignity of all peoples and good taste”, and it doesn’t get any blunter than that.

Love is in the air, but sadly so is plenty of pollution. Mother Earth is always left unimpressed at this time of year due to the amount of Valentine’s Day waste we create. Empty chocolate boxes, deflated balloons, and novelty plastic gifts rotting in landfill all add to carbon emissions and pollution levels.

But there’s no need to be a hopeless romantic. Show your passion for the planet and your other half with a low or zero-waste Valentine’s this year. There are plenty of little things we can all do to cut down on how much rubbish we produce showering each other with love.

Make your Valentine’s Day as green as your true love’s rival admirers with these facts and tips for a low-waste-loving celebration.

The easiest way to have a low-waste Valentine’s Day is to simply not celebrate it. Sack off the plastic presents, packaged chocolates, and wilting roses. Save on the fuel and food waste that going out for a meal could create. And prepare to face the wrath of your better half.

Skipping Valentine’s Day is only possible when you’re both truly on board with it. A safer and greener option is to have a low-waste Valentine’s Day, which you can do with these ideas:

• Cook at home – it’s cheaper, saves on fuel, and gives you more control over food waste. Eat up any leftovers the next day and use any by-products from preparation in other dishes. Plus, it ensures you both get a meal you enjoy and shows your thoughtful side.
• Ditch the gifts – loads of valentine’s gifts are gimmicky, made from cheap plastic, and get thrown out a few weeks later. Why not make a pact to not buy gifts this year (a serious pact)? Use the money on an experience you’ll both enjoy instead.
• Pick potted plants – bouquets of cut roses and other flowers only last a week or so. Then there’s the plastic wrapping that’s normally impossible or difficult to recycle. Instead, buy a potted plant (ideally UK grown too) for the home or garden, which will last much longer. Tulips and hydrangeas are good as they bloom in spring.
• Dim the lights – an easy way to both save electricity and form a warm and romantic atmosphere.
• Make your own card – many Valentine’s Day cards are sustainable but those with glitter and plastic as part of their design aren’t recyclable. Craft your own using card and photos you’ve got lying around the house already for an eco-friendlier option.
• Avoid wrapping paper – plenty of romantic gifts come ready wrapped but unless it’s 100% paper it’s often not recyclable. Place presents in a reusable bag or use paper that’s recyclable to avoid adding more waste to landfill.

“Roses are red, Violets are blue, Compost old flowers, And save the planet too.” It might not be as romantic as the original rhyme, but it’s some good advice to cut down on your Valentine’s Day waste. You’ve no control over what gifts you might receive from your secret admirer(s), but you can control how you get rid of them.

Recycle and dispose of valentine’s Day gifts sustainably with these actions:

• Compost flowers – never throw old flowers in with your general waste. They’re organic waste and will decompose, creating good-quality compost to use in your garden in the future.
• Recycle cards – nobody keeps their Valentine’s cards up all year. Remove any glitter, plastic, and other materials then dispose of them with your dry mixed recycling at home or work.
• Glass recycling – clean out old candle holders, perfume bottles, wine and beer bottles and take them to your local bottle bank to recycle.
• Return electronic presents – if you received any loving gifts that use batteries, whatever they may be, you can return electronic items at the end of their life to most manufacturers or electronic retailers. They should accept your WEEE waste and arrange for it to be recycled.
• Donate unwanted gifts – things not work out? Teddy bears and plastic romantic gifts from your ex might not be recyclable but give them a clean and donate them at your local charity shop so someone else can find a loving home for them.

A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a document containing information about specific chemical substances and the potential hazards of a product. It details the chemicals it contains, the possible hazards (health, fire, reactivity, and environmental), and how to safely handle, store, and dispose of it.

Organisations that work with chemicals or products containing any amount of hazardous materials must pay close attention to the MSDS. This includes if you supply, handle, or use any hazardous items. It ensures employees are familiar with their potentially harmful substances, how to handle them, and stay safe.

MSDS and waste management are closely linked as the sheet includes information about safe disposal. It’s important for all industries but especially healthcare, research laboratories, and automotive sectors. Learn more about what a material safety data sheet is and how to use it to keep your business safe.

Any chemical waste and types of hazardous waste will likely come with a material safety data sheet (MSDS). This mainly covers chemical waste and a variety of medical waste – such as infectious waste, old medication, and more. The MSDS with this waste should detail how to store and dispose of it safely.

Some of the main types of waste that have an MSDS include:

• Clinical waste – medicines and vials that may be hazardous
• Pharmaceutical waste – old medication and prescription drugs
• Oil waste – including waste motor oil and engine oil types
• Batteries – old AA batteries to car batteries may contain hazardous materials
• WEEE waste – certain electrical products that contain hazardous materials

An important purpose of a material safety data sheet is to protect the environment, as well as keeping employees safe when handling hazardous materials. Every MSDS should include information about the disposal considerations, and the ecological and environmental impact of the product. These are essential for managing the waste disposal of the product properly.

You’ll need to arrange commercial waste collection for any waste you produce that comes with an MSDS as a business. Professional waste management companies such as Business Waste can use the MSDS and advise on the appropriate measures to store, remove, and dispose of such waste in a safe, legal, and environmentally friendly way.

Stringing up Christmas lights creates a warm and festive atmosphere in any office, shop, restaurant, home, or garden. But it’s always a bit sad when the holiday season’s over and you’ve got to take them down without getting too tangled up. The best, most sustainable thing to do is keep them for next year.

Fairy and Christmas tree lights can break, stop working, or you just might not need them anymore. When this happens it’s important you don’t throw them away. Instead, there are many more eco-friendly options to recycle Christmas lights that have been in your tree, decorating the office walls or hotel lobby.

Here we run through all your options whether you’ve got old Christmas lights that don’t work, haven’t got enough storage space to keep them until next year, or simply fancy some new lights for your tree.

Recycling Christmas lights is fairly straightforward, but it depends on the type of bulbs they have. If you have old Christmas lights with incandescent bulbs, then you should remove these from the light string first and recycle the light bulbs separately. For fairy lights with LED bulbs, you can recycle the light string as one electrical item.

Arrange delivery and collection of WEEE bins to your premises with Business Waste. We can provide free bins of many sizes for you to fill with electrical waste including old Christmas lights. Our licensed waste carriers will collect and transport the bins to a nearby waste management facility, where the lights will be recycled.

To recycle Christmas lights at home the easiest way is to visit your local household waste recycling centre. There should be a section for electrical items where you can recycle them. You should not throw Christmas lights away in your general waste or household recycling bin.

You can recycle old Christmas lights that don’t work either by arranging delivery and collection of WEEE bins to your workplace or at a local household recycling centre. Recycling Christmas tree lights still uses energy, so there are other options to prolong the life of any old festive fairy lights, such as:

• Make some repairs – if you’ve had the lights for a few years, it could be that the bulbs just need changing. Replace them and if they light up again then you can keep using them. Another problem could be the wiring, which you might be able to pass on to an electrician to fix.
• Repurpose the lights – even when they don’t light up Christmas lights can make a decorative festive addition to a wreath or garland. When only a few bubs have burnt out you can also put the light string in an empty jar or vase to create a new illuminated Christmas decoration.
• Paint the bulbs – should your Christmas lights be at the end of their life you could paint over all the bulbs to upcycle them. Use festive colours like red and green along with adding glitter to keep their sparkle. Then add to a wreath or just put them up in your office or home for an energy-free festive decoration.

The good old days of traditional card advent calendars are pretty much over. Pulling back a little paper door and seeing an image of a donkey in a stable just doesn’t cut it for kids these days. They need advent calendars packed with chocolate, sweets, and toys. The problem is the extra plastic waste modern advent calendars creates.

And in recent years there’s been a growing trend for more outlandish advent calendars aimed at big kids (adults) as well. Advent calendars for beer, gin, coffee capsules, beauty products, chili sauce, even pork scratchings, all exist. These also introduce extra packaging and materials that make recycling advent calendars tricky.

There are solutions with many sustainable and plastic free advent calendars available, as well as ways to reduce the waste leftover from any advent calendar you or your children have this year. Learn how to recycle and reuse advent calendars this festive season.

Traditional advent calendars are made from a combination of different materials. Separate the advent calendar and you can recycle the outer cardboard box in your domestic recycling bin. Check the plastic tray for a number and see if that type of plastic is accepted in your household recycling bin.

If the plastic tray is made from PET (1), HDPE (2), or PP (5) then there’s more chance of it being recyclable. This needs to be clean and dry to recycle though. Plastic trays from advent calendars made from other plastic types are less likely to be recyclable and should be disposed of with general waste.

The foil from advent calendars is also recyclable but it must be clean too. If there are bits of chocolate stuck to it this could contaminate the load. So, while you might not be able to recycle a complete advent calendar whole, breaking it down into recyclable parts offers the next best solution.

If you find some of the materials in your empty advent calendar aren’t recyclable, don’t despair. There are many things you can do with the materials to reuse them and ensure it ends up being a more sustainable advent calendar anyway. Try the following things to do with an empty advent calendar:

• Refill and reuse – clean the plastic tray, melt some chocolate, and you’ve got some festive-shaped little chocolates. If the cardboard box and doors weren’t ripped off in excitement opening them, you might be able to reclose them with an adhesive or sticky tape to reuse the advent calendar next year.
• Make decorations – most advent calendars can’t be reused but you can cut out bits of the cardboard designs to make decorations. Put together paper chains, Christmas tree decorations, or wall hangers from the box.
• Create Christmas cards – if there are any characters or design elements intact from your empty advent calendar you can cut them out and stick on some card to make a unique Christmas card. It’s never too early to prepare for next Christmas!
• Gift tags and placeholders – make some last-minute gift tags or placeholders ready for Christmas dinner with your empty advent calendar. Cut out a square or rectangle from the cardboard and write your message or name on the back. It can then be recycled when the day is done.
• Craft confetti – when there’s not much of the design that’s salvageable from your advent calendar you could always shred it to form confetti for any upcoming celebrations, such as New Year.

Recycling Christmas cards is incredibly easy for both businesses and households. As January arrives, it’s time to take down all those cards with nativity scenes, cartoon reindeers, and dirty Santa jokes (thanks Uncle John), whether they’re from clients, friends, or family. But don’t just chuck them in your general waste bin!

Instead, recycling old Christmas cards should be your first action. The good news is that almost all Christmas cards are recyclable. When it comes to disposing of Christmas cards it’s easy to ensure your home or business is as green as the Christmas tree was when you first put it up (the less said about its browning leaves now, the better).

Discover everything you need to know about recycling Christmas cards and do your bit for the planet in this guide.

For all things relating to Christmas waste including statistics visit our Christmas waste hub.

You can recycle paper-based Christmas and envelopes. Therefore, most traditional Christmas cards are recyclable, and you can put them in your household recycling bin or take them to local recycling points (such as a nearby household waste recycling centre or some supermarkets). However, you must remove any non-paper or card-based additions, such as glitter and foil, to recycle Christmas cards.

You cannot recycle Christmas cards that contain:

• Plastic
• Glitter
• Batteries
• Electronics
• Ribbons

I’ve already got general waste bins, can’t I just chuck them in there? No – Christmas cards are one of the easiest types of waste to recycle, so you should always put them in your domestic recycling bin or a cardboard or dry mixed recycling bin at work.

It’s the sustainable and responsible option, as the cards can be turned into new paper and card products. This saves on the materials and energy required to create new Christmas cards for next year, reducing carbon emissions that affect global warming.

Plus, for businesses, recycling old Christmas cards saves you money on landfill tax. Throw them away with general waste and they’ll be sent to landfill or for incineration, increasing how much landfill tax you pay. Recycle them with cardboard and dry mixed recycling and you avoid these costs.

The Christmas tree’s up in the office, the party playlist’s finalised, and the winter wind down at work has well and truly begun. But what’s happening with your business waste collections in December and early January? It might not be at the forefront of your mind, but most companies produce lots more rubbish heading into the year end.

It’s easy to forget about the increases and changes to your waste production and collection needs over the festive period when you get into the seasonal spirit (quite literally at the work Christmas party). Reducing how much commercial waste you create in the run-up to the winter holidays makes managing it much easier – which you can learn about in our guides to Christmas waste.

However, we realise you’ll still produce some amount of rubbish, so it’s important you put in place a plan to deal with it effectively. Use the following tips to tackle your business waste at Christmas with ease.

Will your business be closed for a few days over the Christmas holidays? Then consider moving your waste collection dates earlier to account for this. It’s especially important when you produce more rubbish during this period to avoid it all piling up and sitting there rotting away on the cold dark days and nights.

Dry waste such as cardboard, paper, and metal is fine to leave in secure bins. Other rubbish like food and general waste is best removed and disposed of before your business shuts. If left in your bins for just a few days they’ll start to smell, creating an unpleasant environment for your staff and customers.

More merriment makes more waste! It might just be extra wrappers in the office bin from all the festive food being indulged or additional cardboard from Santa (well, Amazon) gift deliveries at work. The amount of waste you produce increases due to greater demand, especially for restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, and shops.

Good planning is vital to deal with any waste increases in an efficient and cost-effective way. This avoids being hit with overweight charges for putting too much rubbish in your commercial bins or facing expensive last-minute removal costs to clear the extra waste created.

Check any data you have about your bin collections from the festive period last year for an accurate estimate of how much extra waste you’ll likely produce. Then use this and any other relevant information to order more bins, bigger bins, or increase your collection frequencies for a few weeks.

Many businesses go fully festive and decorate offices, restaurants, and shops with a Christmas tree or three. It creates a wonderful wintery atmosphere but come early January, what do you do with them?

The best thing to do if you’ve put up an artificial Christmas tree is keep it for next year, providing you’ve got enough storage space. Otherwise, donate it to a charity shop and they should sell it in time for next Christmas. For any broken trees, you might be able to get rid of it sustainably with your commercial plastic recycling – just check the type of plastic.

Replanting or recycling is advised when you’ve had real trees decorating your business. You can find out what to do with an old Christmas tree that’s real in our detailed guide. Just remember to remove all baubles, tinsel, and decorations before you recycle any Christmas tree!

Santa may be generous and deliver plenty of presents over Christmas, but he won’t clear up the waste from your work party, decorations, or festive food. That’s where we come in. At Business Waste, we’re experts at arranging waste collections suited to your specific needs, whatever industry you work in and rubbish type you need disposing.

We provide free bins to businesses anywhere in the country – you just pay for collection. Plus, we work on a zero landfill policy, so aim to recycle as much waste as possible to save you money and help you operate in a way that’s as green as the holly wreath on your door.

Sustainable Christmas gifts are a present to the environment and your loved ones. Every year we buy each other millions of presents that end up in landfill, whether it’s a forgotten plastic toy, unwanted set of teacups, or a jumper that doesn’t fit. There are better ways to recycle and reuse unwanted gifts, but buying environmentally friendly Christmas presents in the first place can help.

But what makes a Christmas gift sustainable? It needs to be something you can reuse, which creates little or zero waste, and that’s biodegradable or compostable. Eco-friendly Christmas gifts are simply those that have barely any environmental impact during their life – from production to their use and disposal.

Protect the planet when planning presents this year with these zero waste Christmas gift ideas.

Food is a big part of Christmas and makes a great gift. Aside from the packaging, it shouldn’t create much (if any) waste if your recipient enjoys the tasty treats. However, every year we create mountains of food waste over the festive period, so picking out some environmentally friendly Christmas gifts based around food can help. Consider these choices:

• Chocolate – there are many brands producing sustainable chocolate these days from organic and natural ingredients, such as Beyond Good, Motif, and Tony’s. Most also come in recyclable packaging.
• Citizens of Soil olive oil – all the Citizens of Soil olive oil bottles look classy and come in sizes up to 1.5 litres with refill pouches so you can reuse the bottle. The olive oil they contain is sourced from female-led regenerative olive groves and they donate 1% of profits to regeneration projects.
• Seeds gift pack – grow-you-own seeds kits are ideal for that foodie friend with green fingers. You can find kits to use on balconies, in gardens, and even inside to suit all homes.
• Zero waste cookbooks – help your friends and family make their food go further while reducing food waste with one of the various zero waste cookbooks out there. Everything from zero waste meaty meals to vegan dishes, baking, and more are available.
• Beeswax food wraps – cling film is commonly used in the kitchen but problematic as a single-use plastic. These beeswax wraps are a great alternative for that eco-conscious friend who loves to get creative in the kitchen – ideal for wrapping up leftover turkey sandwiches too!