Express ProductsThe regulations require all organisations in Scotland to present recyclable materials for collection.
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 were passed by the Scottish Parliament on 9 May 2012, and came into force on 1 January 2014. The provisions aim to make Scotland one of the most resource efficient nations in Europe.
Who Is Affected?
Every organisation that operates in Scotland is affected by the rules, regardless of size or sector. This includes public sector and not-for-profit organisations, and businesses that are not based in Scotland, but operate premises there.
Which Materials Need to be Recycled?
The following materials are now banned from going to landfill or incineration, and organisations must present them for recycling:
- Glass (including glass bottles and food jars)
- Metal (including cans and tins)
- Plastic (including plastic bottles & tubs)
- Paper & Card (including cardboard)
Additionally, most food businesses that produce over 50kg of food waste per week must present their food waste for separate collection. Since 1 January 2016, food businesses that produce over 5kg of food waste per week must also abide by these rules. The only exception are rural food waste businesses – use the government postcode lookup to determine whether your business is rural or non-rural.
Food businesses are defined as organisations that are ‘carrying out any activity related to the processing, distribution, preparation, or sale of food’. While offices and schools are not considered food businesses, the rules do apply to any staff or student canteens/cafeterias located within the premises. Other food businesses affected by the regulations include hotels, restaurants, cafes, food courts, pubs, food shops, supermarkets, prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals.
Businesses that only prepare and sell drinks, such as bars and clubs, are excluded.
How Do I Become Compliant?
All waste producers (excluding households) have a duty of care to ensure their recyclables are segregated, stored safely, and collected by an authorised person. Non-compliance is subject to enforcement procedures and fines up to £10,000 and beyond in serious cases. Therefore, it’s crucial to take the following steps to remain compliant.
Make sure to:
- Store waste securely so it doesn’t spill or attract vermin.
- Ensure waste is transferred to an authorised collector such as a local authority or reputable waste contractor.
- Complete a waste transfer note for any transfer of waste, and retain a copy of this note for two years.
- Register with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) if taking your own waste to recycling facilities.
While most organisations will work alongside a waste collector to achieve compliance, the duty of care is both yours and the waste collector’s to ensure your waste is being handled correctly. We recommend discussing your requirements with your chosen waste collector to ensure compliance is met.
More generally, organisations should look at ways to limit their waste to reduce the amount that needs to be collected. Consider implementing best practices such as Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and if you don’t have one already, develop a recycling scheme to ensure the waste you generate can be segregated at its source.
How Can Glasdon Help?
We offer a wide selection of internal and external recycling bins to help your organisation remain compliant with Waste (Scotland) Regulations. Ranging from small single-stream containers to large multi-stream units with fully customisable elements, our range is certain to provide the right solution for you and your premises.
Glasdon also offers a free waste audit, which you can request here to help you get started on the road to compliance.
