The dos and don’ts of plastic waste recycling for businesses

For UK businesses, effective waste management, particularly plastic recycling, plays a crucial role in achieving environmental goals, ensuring legal compliance and bolstering a positive brand image. Yet, plastic recycling can often feel like a maze of regulations and best practices.

The UK generates more than two million metric tons of plastic waste annually, and a substantial portion originates from businesses. While many plastics are recyclable, improper disposal leads to valuable resources ending up in landfill, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.

There are compelling reasons why your business should prioritise proper plastic recycling, including:

• Non-compliance can result in hefty fines. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 dictates how waste must be handled, stored and disposed of.
• 78% of UK consumers favour businesses that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability.
• Recycling plastics reduces the need for virgin material production, conserving natural resources and energy.

The dos of effective plastic waste recycling

Implementing a successful plastic waste recycling programme requires a systematic approach. Here’s what your business should be doing:

1. Separate plastics by type where possible

While our sites separate and sort mixed plastics, it is useful to know what type of plastics can be recycled by your provider, and whether they need to be sorted prior to collection. At Riverdale Recycling, we meticulously sort and process a wide array of plastic waste at our modern facilities, including single-source polymer plastics, rigid HDPE, poly film (98/02 and 90/10), rigid PET and compressed polystyrene/EPS.

2. Rinse out plastic containers

Food and liquid residues are major contaminants. A quick rinse of plastic bottles, tubs, and trays ensures they are clean enough for recycling. This prevents odours, pest attraction and contamination of other materials in the recycling stream.

3. Use clearly labelled bins

Invest in bins that are clearly labelled with both text and images indicating what plastics can and cannot be placed inside. Consider colour-coding for consistency across your premises. Place these bins in easily accessible, high-traffic areas where plastic waste is generated.

4. Educate your staff regularly

Conduct regular training sessions for all employees on your recycling policies and procedures. Explain why proper recycling matters and how to do it correctly. Provide visual aids and reminders near recycling bins. Employee engagement is vital for maximising recycling initiatives within your business.

5. Work with a licenced recycling provider

Ensure your waste management partner holds all the necessary licences, such as waste carrier licences issued by the Environment Agency (EA). This guarantees your waste is handled legally and responsibly. At Riverdale, we are proud to be registered as an upper tier waste carrier, broker and dealer under regulation 28 of The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.

6. Consider a waste audit

Periodically review your waste streams to identify which types of plastic waste your business generates most, where it’s coming from and where improvements can be made in segregation. We offer a thorough site audit to assess your business’s waste. Our team will visit your premises to identify and categorise all waste types, evaluate current handling procedures and pinpoint recycling and resource recovery opportunities. We’ll then provide recommendations including container selection and collection schedules, all aimed at maximising recycling and minimising landfill waste.