Small businesses across Dorset are being urged to prepare early for new recycling rules.
The government’s Simpler Recycling in England reforms will apply to businesses with 10 employees or fewer from 31 March 2027, changing how business waste and recycling must be collected.
The rules are intended to make recycling more consistent across the country by standardising what can and cannot go in each bin.
Larger businesses already have to follow the requirements, and Dorset Council is now encouraging smaller firms to look ahead so they can avoid pressure closer to the legal deadline.
Under the legislation, businesses will need separate collections for dry recycling, including paper, card, plastics, metal tins and cans, as well as food waste and general waste.
Glass bottles and jars may also need to be kept apart, depending on the collection service being used.
Businesses are being advised to check what their current waste provider already has in place, and what arrangements may need to change before March 2027.
Dorset Council says its business waste and recycling service can offer advice online, alongside the option to get an instant, free, no-obligation quote.
Services can also be ordered in advance, with new bins delivered closer to the date the law changes. Businesses will only be charged from when their service begins.
Councillor Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Place Services, said the reforms will affect “every business in the country”, including Dorset’s smallest shops, cafés, offices and workshops.
He said putting plans in place early would make the change “far easier”, adding that the council is offering “clear advice and practical support”.
