Workplace Recycling heaps more costs on businesses

ON SATURDAY, April 6, it became law for all businesses, charities, and public sector organisations in Wales to sort their waste for recycling.

The Welsh Government, which has provided no extra funding or relief to those affected, claims the changes will increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent for incineration and to landfill.

The Workplace Recycling Regulations will require all business, public and third-sector workplaces to separate key recyclable materials like householders already do across most of Wales.

The following materials will need to be separated for collection and collected separately: Food

Paper and card Glass

Metal, plastic and cartons

Unsold textiles Unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment

The Welsh Government says that putting the recycling in different bins will improve its quality, making it more likely that Welsh businesses will use the materials instead of exporting them.

It will not, however, end the practice of shipping waste to overseas landfills. There will also be a ban on:

• Sending food waste to sewer (any amount) Separately co l lected waste going to incineration and landfill

All wood waste going to landfill

Cabinet

Secretary for Climate Change, Huw IrrancaDavies, said: “Wales is already the best in the UK for domestic recycling and third best in the world.”

Mr Irranca-Davies continued: “We want to improve the quality and quantity of workplace recycling. This is an important step towards reaching zero waste, reducing carbon emissions and tackling the climate emergency.

“We want to keep materials in use for as long as possible. With materials’ costs rising, keeping highquality materials in use will help our economy and support our supply chains.

“It will also improve the quality and quantity of recyclable materials collected from workplaces, which will in turn capture important materials to be fed back into the Welsh economy.”

The Welsh Government has provided neither details of the extra costs to businesses or other affected organisations nor an estimate of the scheme’s purported economic benefits.