Commercial Waste Collection in Wales

Welsh Government Introducing New Rules On Business Waste

New regulations that will mandate workplaces to separate recyclable materials similar to households are being pushed through by the Welsh government which believes the move is necessary to improve the way we deal with waste produced by businesses.

The new rules will come into force on 6th April 2024 and any businesses found to be noncompliant will face a fine.

Who’s Affected?

When the new legislation is pushed through, the legal requirements will affect the following:

• All workplaces  (businesses, the public and third sector)
• Those who collect the waste, or arrange for waste to be collected
• Those who collect, receive, keep, treat, or transport waste who will need to keep the waste separate from other types of waste or substances

Types Of Waste That Need To Be Separated

To help anyone affected by the change of rules prepare for their introduction, here are the items that will need to be separated:

• Food – Only applies to any premises that produce more than 5 kg of food waste a week
• Paper and card
• Glass
• Metal, plastic, cartons and other fibre-plastic composite packaging
• Any unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE)
• Any unsold textiles

In addition to the items that must be separated, there are also some rules being put in place that ban the following:

• Separately collected waste going to incineration plants and landfills
• All wood waste going to landfill
• Sending food waste to sewers

How To Prepare For The New Rules

Here’s how you can prepare for the new rules that are being introduced, depending on the nature of your organisation:

If you are a workplace:

• Look at the waste you’re producing and be sure to get the right service from your waste contractor
• Do you need to buy new, or more, bins? If so then arrange this as soon as possible
• Think about how to train your staff to adopt the new rules in your workplace 
• Explain the changes to any visitors or users of your premises. 

If you’re a waste collector:

• Start communicating with your customers on the upcoming changes to ensure everyone is aware of the new rules
• Assess your bins as you may need to buy more or get some new ones to comply.
• You’ll need to train your staff up to ensure your organisation complies with the changes, so think about the best way to do this and implement the training.

Who Will Regulate And Enforce Rules?

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will regulate the separation requirements. They’ll also oversee the bans on waste going to incineration and landfill.

Local Authorities (LAs) will regulate the ban on food waste disposal to sewers from business premises.

These are the organisations that will oversee the rules, ensuring businesses comply and manage their waste correctly.

Switching Business Waste Provider in Wales

Hopefully you’re now fully familiar with the new rules and what that means for your business. Now you’ve got to grips with the new changes and how to prepare for them, perhaps it’s now time to think about your waste disposal provider and whether you’re getting the best deal available.

With new rules coming into place, you’ll want to know the company you’re hiring to dispose of your waste is reliable and fully prepared for the rollout. If not, you may find that your waste is not being disposed of responsibly, which would potentially be bad for you and the environment!

Switching suppliers can also help you save money, which is crucial for any business’ bottom line.

Here at SwiftSwitch, we can help you switch waste provider and find the best deal for you. As a broker, we listen to our customers and discuss precisely what they’re looking for in their waste disposal supplier, before finding a range of options that match what you’re looking for.

So to save time, money and ensure your waste disposal complies with the new rules coming into force, speak to us today and we’ll help you find the ideal provider.