RECYCLING & WASTE MANAGEMENT
A WIN-WIN FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMICS
Zero waste to landfill offers businesses the chance to reduce costs, meet targets and show that they are serious about sustainability. Emily Hare, Waste and Resource Traceability Manager at Valpak by Reconomy, explains the process.
Every business generates waste. For some – such as a standard office – recycling or reuse are straightforward options; others produce more complicated waste streams that require more strategic thinking. Whatever the material, reducing the 40m tonnes of waste produced by UK industry every year is good news, both for the environment and for finances. And the arrival of new legislation governing the disposal of business waste makes zero waste to landfill (ZWTL) an even more attractive prospect.
Is zero waste to landfill a legal requirement? Currently, there are no specific legislative drivers in place for ZWTL, but one of the new government’s pre-election policy commitments was to create a roadmap to a zero-waste economy, so we can expect to hear more in the coming months.
Even before we see any policy initiatives around zero waste, recent Simpler Recycling legislation will provide both businesses and households with more opportunities for recycling. The changes aim to standardise waste collections across England from 1st April 2025 for businesses. As a minimum, business will need to have collections for mixed dry recyclables and food waste. Flexible plastics will follow in 2027.
As well as reducing costs and helping to meet UK regulations, eliminating the need for landfill can contribute to wider targets such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reducing waste to landfill can directly promote work towards goals such as: Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action, and Life Below Water.
What’s in it for me? Sending zero waste to landfill is guaranteed to reduce your bills, and it may even earn you money. The benefit of reducing waste is simple – the less you produce, the fewer collections are needed.
“Customers are
increasingly asking for evidence of environmental
stewardship and an independent
audit shows that companies are
serious about their environmental commitments.”
The waste hierarchy Most of us are familiar with the upside-down triangle that makes up the waste hierarchy – it outlines the most environmentally-friendly strategies for dealing with waste. Reduction sits at the top, followed by reuse, recycling and, when other options have been exhausted, energy recovery and landfill. The Waste Regulations across the UK include a commitment to adhere to the waste hierarchy so, at the least, responsible businesses should have a strategy in place to consider waste in line with the hierarchy.
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In some cases, diverting valuable resources to recycling can generate an income. But whatever the material, any waste sent to landfill will be liable for Landfill Tax. On top of any handling and disposal charges, landfilled waste incurs an added tax of £103.70 per tonne. By 2025/26, Landfill Tax will increase to £126.15.
Aside from the cost benefit, many of the businesses that come to Valpak are concerned about reputation or internal targets. Customers are increasingly asking for evidence of environmental stewardship and an independent audit shows that companies are serious about their environmental commitments.
So how do I achieve zero waste to landfill?
The first step for most businesses is to sign up for an independent audit. Some certifiers award levels such as gold and silver but, in Valpak’s view, these graded systems do not reflect the true spirit of ZWTL.
We understand that some businesses – those based in remote locations with limited waste management options, for example – are unable to access the services required for full zero waste to landfill. In these cases, we offer a second tier of Zero Waste Avoidance to Landfill, but the only genuine zero waste to landfill results in the diversion of all waste.
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