Nearly half of SMEs unaware of how Simpler Recycling legislation will impact business

A recent survey reveals that nearly half of SMEs in England are unaware that the Simpler Recycling legislation, set to be implemented in March 2025, will impact their businesses. 

This legislation will pose additional challenges for SMEs, such as the need to allocate space for new bins, separate recyclables by material type, and train staff, with non-compliance potentially resulting in fines. Despite a growing emphasis on sustainability, with many SMEs implementing formal strategies and recognising the importance of waste management, there remains a significant need for support, particularly in financial incentives and guidance on sustainable practices. 

SMEs will face challenges such as finding space for bins, sorting recyclables by material, training staff, and the risk of fines for non-compliance. Meanwhile, 58% of SMEs recognise the potential impact of Simpler Recycling, and many expect other policies, like Extended Producer Responsibility (53%), Digital Waste Tracking (52%), and the Plastic Packaging Tax (51%), to affect them as well. 

Sustainability has become a higher priority for SMEs in 2024, following cost efficiency and revenue growth. Waste management and recycling are seen as important sustainability measures, with 80% of businesses acknowledging their significance. Most SMEs are actively reducing general waste (67%) and focusing on the recyclability of their products (60%). Customer and employee perceptions of sustainability have also gained importance, with over half of SMEs tracking these metrics, up from just 22% in 2023. 

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