Ahead of the Simpler Recycling rules entering into force for businesses in England from 31st March 2025, this meeting will be a good opportunity for members to hear the latest updates on the new rules, with time afterwards to ask questions and discuss concerns with Defra, the Environment Agency, and other members.

Defra will provide an overview of the new rules with a focus on key areas of concern for retailers, including business requirements for separation of waste from internal and customer-facing bins and food waste collection.

The Environment Agency, the regulator for Simpler Recycling, will present on the enforcement and compliance approach.

Key areas to be covered are:

• Compliance and enforcement concerns, due to the short timeframe for implementing the new rules.

• Challenges around the separation of individual waste streams in internal and customer-facing bins, particularly for stores where small quantities of food (and/or other) waste is produced in customer areas or across the store overall.

• Challenges resulting from the lack of a de minimis threshold for food waste
  collections.

There will also be opportunity for members to raise any additional concerns or questions. If you would like to share these ahead of the meeting, please get in touch.