Consultation outcome

Exemptions and statutory guidance for simpler recycling in England

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Detail of outcome

We received 202 responses to this targeted consultation.

Defra consulted all English waste collection and disposal authorities and the Environment Agency. We also engaged with key membership organisations across the waste sector during the consultation period. We also received feedback from a range of stakeholders, including packaging producers, material producers, reprocessors and environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs).

In response to the feedback received, we are making the following changes to the simpler recycling policy.

We intend to introduce the relevant regulations in 2024, subject to the parliamentary process.

We will proceed with the proposed exemptions:  

  • to allow for co-collection of the dry recyclable waste streams together in one bin or container 
  • to allow for co-collection of food and garden waste together in one bin or container

We will publish the final statutory guidance after the regulations have been made.


Original consultation

Summary

Seeking views on proposed exemptions relating to the collection of recyclable waste in England and statutory guidance for the simpler recycling policy.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

The purpose of this targeted consultation was to seek views on our proposals to include new exemptions from the requirement to separately collect the recyclable waste streams.

We also asked for views on proposed statutory guidance on the:

  • materials that are not in scope of the recyclable waste streams
  • duties of waste collection authorities, regarding the collection of waste from households
  • duties of waste collectors, regarding the collection of waste from non-household municipal premises

Updates to this page

Published 9 May 2024

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