From 31 March 2026, the next phase of the Government’s Simpler Recycling reforms comes into effect for household waste services in England. By this date, local authorities must have arrangements in place to collect the core recyclable waste streams from households, alongside a weekly food waste collection as standard. In many cases, councils may choose to collect food waste alongside organic garden waste, depending on local service design and infrastructure.

These reforms are intended to bring greater consistency to what can be recycled across the country, reduce confusion for residents, and improve the quality of recycling collected.

Alongside these service changes, the Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed a new regulatory charging scheme for Simpler Recycling in England, effective from 3 February 2026. The EA will apply a charge of £118 per hour where it undertakes regulatory work relating to non-compliance with Simpler Recycling requirements. This reflects the cost of identifying, investigating and assessing non-compliance, and applies only where a business (or occupier of relevant non-domestic premises) is found not to be complying.

What this means for customers

• If you’re already meeting your recycling obligations, no action is required and no charges will apply.
• If you’re still preparing for the new duties, we recommend:
• Providing accurate information when obtaining quotes to ensure all waste streams are included.
• Reviewing your waste segregation arrangements.
• Contacting your account manager if you need guidance.

Commenting on the changes, Go Green’s Compliance Director, Sophie Scott, said:

“While these changes are focused on household collections, they’re a significant step for the wider resources and waste sector. As the Simpler Recycling reforms progress, it’s important that organisations across the supply chain stay informed and ready to adapt to evolving collection and treatment requirements.”

Looking ahead, Simpler Recycling is being introduced in stages, and the next major milestone is 31 March 2027, when plastic film and flexible packaging collections are due to be introduced more widely for households in England. As the legislation continues to roll out, the sector’s focus will increasingly shift toward service consistency, material quality and end-destination outcomes, making clear communications and well-designed collection systems more important than ever.

To find out more about Simpler Recycling, read the guidance document:

https://gogreen.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/SIMPLER-RECYCLING-1.pdf

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