BCP Council is reminding businesses and workplaces about new recycling rules which come into force from March.
Anyone employing more than ten full-time staff – including schools and hospitals – must separate recyclable materials and food waste from their refuse.
Food waste collected by BCP Council will be processed at an anaerobic digestion facility in Dorset, generating electricity that goes back into the national grid as well as producing liquid fertiliser for local farmers.
Smaller business with less than ten full time employees have until March 31 2027 to implement the changes.
The new rules are part of a national policy to provide consistency to waste services to help meet government targets to recycle 65 per cent of waste by 2035.
Cllr Andy Hadley, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: “It’s really important that businesses, schools, and workplaces start to plan for this national change and know how it will affect them.
“We want to make it easier for people to recycle and these changes not only help with this aim, but also with our ambition to become carbon net zero ahead of the national 2050 target.
“Simpler Recycling further outlines our commitment to making the region sustainable for future generations and we are looking forward to working with our internal partners to make the scheme a success.
“Changes to household waste collections will be introduced in 2026, including food waste in Poole and for flats across the three towns.”
- For more information about the Simpler Recycling scheme visit: bcpcouncil.gov.uk/campaigns-and-programmes/simpler-recycling.