Mia Fisher, marketing communications executive at commercial waste management broker Waste Managed, explains what care homes need to do in order to comply with new recycling legislation, and how smart waste systems can save time, money, and stress
In April 2025, the Simpler Recycling legislation came into force across England, starting a new era of waste separation requirements for businesses, which includes care homes. This legislation has been designed to support the UK's long-term environmental goals, particularly the elimination of avoidable waste and increasing the ability to reuse materials by 2050, as outlined in the government's Resources and Waste Strategy.
For the care sector, where daily operations generate a diverse mix of waste streams, from food scraps and packaging to paper documents and general waste, the introduction of these changes has had a large impact. While care homes have long been expected to follow waste regulations, this change is more demanding, and for many operators, this means taking on additional short-term costs, from investing in more bins and segregating waste more carefully to adjusting supplier contracts.
However, these changes also push the sector toward a cleaner, more compliant future. Care homes with 10 or more full-time employees are required to segregate specific recyclable materials: dry mixed recycling, glass, and food waste. Additionally, from March 2027, businesses with under 10 employees, including care homes, will also be required to follow the regulations.
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