From 6 April 2024, a new legislation comes into play. A Welsh Government initiative that is set to roll out across the country is about to bring transformational change to the way businesses dispose of waste.
No matter the nature of your organisation or enterprise, this will impact you*.
We’re here to tell you more about what’s changing, and more importantly – what it means for you.
What is the new waste recycling legislation?
The new mandate will see businesses having to follow a stricter protocol for waste disposal. Similar to how householders in Wales currently dispose of waste, businesses, public sector and third-party organisations will need to separate almost all disposed waste into different categories.
The idea behind the initiative is to improve the quality and quantity of waste collected and separated. In effect, with all businesses being compliant, the new bill should encourage a reduction in carbon emissions and help Welsh Government achieve its zero-waste target by 2050.
Business in Wales is getting greener, and this is a good opportunity for your business to consider your corporate responsibility to the environment.
Who does the new waste recycling legislation apply to?
In short, all of us.
Businesses across all sectors in Wales will be required to follow the new regulations. This means everyone operating within a business capacity must only dispose of waste through the correct channels, ensuring all waste materials are separated in time for collection. It also means that once waste is collected, it is kept in separate streams as outlined by the government.
Here is a list of those this new mandate applies to:
the occupiers of businesses, the public sector and third sector organisations (called non-domestic premises) who will need to separate their waste ready for collection
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
What materials do I need to separate in line with the new waste recycling legislation?
Contrary to popular belief (and how many businesses have been disposing of waste), it’s no longer a one bin for all! Here are the materials you need to separate to be compliant with the new waste recycling reforms:
food – for premises that produce more than 5kg of food waste a week
paper and card
glass
metal, plastic, and cartons and other fibre-plastic composite packaging
unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE)
unsold textiles
What do I need to do?
Although there’s still some time before the new rules come into effect, you may want to start preparing for the change now. Here are a few things you can do to get your business and your workforce ready for the new legislation:
Audit your current waste arrangement Understand who is responsible for your waste disposal, read through any contracts and identify where you will need to apply the changes to your current waste disposal model.
Engage with your workforce One of the best ways to be compliant is to make sure all staff are on-board with the new recycling reforms. Have the conversations that matter at work. Issue training if needed.
Read the legislation outline It’s important to become familiar with the new rules and regulations. Read what has been set out in the legislation outline to ensure you feel confident in time for next year.
Speak with your service provider Accredited waste management providers will be able to tell you exactly how this affects you, what you need to do and how they can help you too – so you can get the service you want and need.
Recruit a service provider If you don’t already have a legitimate company managing your waste collections and disposals – recruit one. Knowing your waste removals are compliant is an essential asset to your business.
How can Gavin Griffiths Group help?
We understand that big changes prompt big questions, but with the right preparation in place, there’s no need for big panic. At Gavin Griffiths Group, we are an accredited and regulated waste management service, and we are able to help you get things in place ready for the new legislation, even before it impacts your business.
Here’s how we can help:
We can offer advice With more than 17 years of service and experience behind us, we are at the forefront of our industry. We can offer advice and answer any questions you might have about how the new bill might affect you. Just call us to speak to the team and we’ll be more than happy to assist!
We can work with you From ensuring you have the right bins and waste containment on site and the collection processes you need in place; we can work with you to ensure your waste is managed and disposed of correctly. We work with all kinds of businesses, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
We can offer peace of mind Because we are governed by regulating bodies, you just know everything we do is 100% compliant. That’s our promise to you. Once you’ve done your part on site, separating waste as promoted by the new legislation, we can collect and store your waste through the recommended streams outlined by government.
We can keep you up to date By following us on social media and through our website, you’ll have access to any planned changes and news updates in relation to the new waste recycling reforms. We’ll also keep you up to date on any other industry news that might be relevant.
The new Welsh Government legislation is almost here, and it promises big change. The good news is, it’s set to make a big impact too. Let’s do waste the right way – that’s good for us, and the planet too.
*Regulations were laid on 7th November by Welsh Government and debates are scheduled in the Senedd on 28th November, if approved, the new regulations will come into force as planned on 6th April 2024.