Workplace Recycling Regulations

From April 2024, the Welsh Government’s new Workplace Recycling Regulations will come into force. All non-domestic premises will need to separate recyclable materials from other waste.

This is to improve the quality and quantity of commercial recyclable waste that is collected and separated across Wales. A summary of the regulations is provided below. Further information can be found on the Welsh Government website.

These new rules apply to all businesses and both the public and charitable sectors. You need to make sure each type of specified recyclable waste (see below) is separated into different types for collection by the Council. 

There are several recyclable waste materials that you need to separate for collection. The Council will collect them separately and keep them separate after collection. These are:

• food waste produced by premises producing more than 5kg of food waste a week
• paper and card
• glass
• metals cans
• plastic bottles
• cartons and other similar packaging
• unsold small electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
• unsold textiles

Should you have any unsold WEEE or textiles, you must contact the Council to make further arrangements:

You are responsible for all the waste on the premises you are occupying. These include waste produced by:

• staff
• visitors
• contractors
• vendors working on the premises

Non-domestic premises covers any premises except a domestic property or a caravan that someone lives in as a home.

Non-domestic premises under the Regulations include, but are not limited to:

• agricultural premises - including for horticulture, fruit and seed growing, dairy farming, livestock breeding and keeping, grazing and meadow land, market gardens and nursery grounds
• bars and public houses
• bed and breakfasts, hotels
• bus stations, railway stations, seaports, airports, heliports
• campsites and caravan parks; caravans: used for the provision of self-catering accommodation, or which hold a licence or planning permission preventing the caravan being used for human habitation throughout the year
• care and nursing homes
• construction sites (excluding repair or extension work on existing domestic properties)
• educational establishments like universities, colleges and schools
• entertainment and sports venues, including leisure centres
• factories
• garages for vehicle servicing and repair
• garden centres
• heritage buildings
• holiday accommodation, e.g. self-catering holiday lets, holiday parks/resorts
• hospitals
• libraries and museums
• licensed premises within the meaning of the Licensing Act 2003
• offices
• pharmacies, GP surgeries, dental surgeries and other primary care facilities
• places of worship
• prisons
• residential homes
• restaurants and cafes
• service stations and petrol stations
• shops and shopping centres
• show grounds
• venues for outdoor markets
• venues for temporary events like festivals
• warehouses

The new legislation is being enforced by Natural Resources Wales. 

Occupiers could face a £300 fine for every offence committed.

The Council will have the right to refuse to collect the waste should it contain any of the items listed above. We could receive a £500 fine if we are caught collecting waste which includes banned recyclable materials.

The separation requirements complement the waste duty of care requirements. The duty of care legislation makes provision for the safe management of waste to protect human health and the environment.

The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) creates a duty of care for anyone producing or dealing with controlled waste. These includes:

• to keep it safe
• make sure it is dealt with responsibly
• only given to businesses authorised to take it

The duty of care code of practice applies to anyone who produces, carries, keeps, disposes of, treats, imports or has control of certain waste in England or Wales. The duty of care code of practice is issued under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990.