Home / Environment / England Recycling Rules Change: What You Must Know
England Recycling Rules Change: What You Must Know
13 May
Summary
- Common food waste items like pet food pouches no longer need recycling.
- New rules mandate separate collections for food, glass, metal, and paper.
- Failure to follow new guidelines may result in bins not being collected.
Major reforms to recycling practices are now in effect across England, impacting households and businesses. The Simpler Recycling reforms, introduced under the Environment Act 2021, establish mandatory and consistent recycling streams. These include separate collections for food waste, paper and card, glass, metal, and plastic. Local authorities are responsible for providing clear guidance on what is acceptable for recycling.
Under the updated guidelines, certain common food waste items are no longer required to be collected for recycling. These include pet food pouches, coffee pouches, and items like compostable or biodegradable food packaging such as coffee pods. These items can now be placed in general household waste bins. For specific items like coffee pods, recycling services such as Podback offer drop-off points at various locations.
Additionally, food and drink cartons containing more than 5% plastic must now be recycled with plastic waste, not with paper and cardboard due to their plastic content. Tea bags and ground coffee also do not need to be collected for recycling and can be disposed of in food waste bins or home compost. Residents are advised to check local council information as some authorities have exemptions until 2040.
