It is the law in Wales for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations to separate certain materials for recycling, and from 6 April 2026 workplaces must also separate unwanted small waste electrical items.

Who the law covers and from when

GOV.WALES says the Welsh workplace recycling law came into force on 6 April 2024 and applies to all businesses, charities and public sector organisations in Wales, as well as to waste and recycling collectors and processors who manage household-like waste from workplaces. It applies whether you own, lease or rent the premises, and to online-only businesses on any premises they use. NHS and private hospitals must comply from 6 April 2026. This article covers Wales only.

GOV.WALES lists example sectors including agriculture, hospitality and tourism, care and nursing homes, healthcare settings, construction sites, factories and warehouses, garages, garden centres, education, heritage buildings, places of worship, outdoor markets and retail.

What must be separated

The GOV.WALES list is: paper and card; glass; metals, plastic and cartons; food, for premises producing more than 5kg of food waste a week; unsold textiles; and unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment. GOV.WALES’s guide for small and medium-sized enterprises describes the food threshold as 5kg or more in any seven consecutive days, so check the current code of practice. Paper and card can be mixed together, and metals, plastic and cartons can be mixed together, but glass must be collected on its own. Putting everything into a single bin is not allowed if any of the listed materials are in it.

The April 2026 change for small electricals

From 6 April 2026, GOV.WALES says workplaces must separate any unwanted small waste electrical items, not just unsold ones. It defines them as any item with a plug, battery or cable measuring 50cm or less on every side, such as laptops, phones, kettles, hairdryers, toasters, medical devices, lighting and power tools. Repair or reuse should come first; otherwise, separate them for recycling and check whether the manufacturer or an in-store take-back scheme will accept them. If items are hazardous, they must be managed under the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, and GOV.WALES says to assume hazardous if unsure and speak to your collector.

Bans on food, wood and recycling to disposal

The law also bans sending any food waste to sewers, in any amount, so macerators and similar technologies cannot be used to wash food waste down the drain, although GOV.WALES says macerators do not have to be removed. It bans separately collected waste going to landfill or incineration and all wood waste going to landfill; the changes guide notes an exception for most textiles, which may go to incineration, but not unsold textiles.

Enforcement and responsibility

Natural Resources Wales is responsible for checking that materials are being separated and collected correctly and that the ban on recycling going to incineration or landfill is followed, and local authorities enforce the ban on food waste going to sewer. GOV.WALES says non-compliance could mean a fine for the workplace. Occupiers are responsible, and in a shared location each organisation is responsible but may need to agree with the landlord or facilities manager if there is a central recycling system. As a waste producer you must have a waste transfer note, which your collector usually produces, so check the description of your waste is accurate.

Setting up a compliant service

GOV.WALES suggests thinking about how much and what kind of waste you produce across the year, container sizes and collection frequency, and whether to pay by bin size, frequency or weight. Councils must arrange waste and recycling collection if asked, for a charge, and waste containers cannot be stored on the public highway between collections. Bins should be labelled to avoid contamination and storage areas should be safe, accessible and away from food preparation areas. If you use a baler, you may need to register a waste exemption with Natural Resources Wales.

GOV.WALES also notes that workplaces in one of Wales’s 14 Business Improvement Districts may find those districts already run waste and recycling services they can join.

FAQs

Does the Welsh law apply to an online-only business?

GOV.WALES says online-only businesses must still comply on any premises they use, and that the law applies to household-like waste produced by workplaces.

Can I mix glass with other recycling?

No. GOV.WALES says glass must be collected on its own, while paper and card can be mixed together and metals, plastic and cartons can be mixed together.

Where can I get sector-specific help?

GOV.WALES points to WRAP’s Business of Recycling Wales website for sector guides, posters and templates, and to the Code of Practice for detailed rules.

Bottom line

If you run a workplace in Wales, arrange separate collections for paper and card, glass, metals, plastic and cartons, food (above the weekly threshold), unsold textiles and, since April 2026, all unwanted small electricals, and never send separated recyclables or wood to landfill or food down the drain. Check with your collector and the Code of Practice for detail. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 20 September 2026:

• GOV.WALES, “Workplace recycling”
• GOV.WALES, “Changes to workplace recycling: guidance for workplaces”
• GOV.WALES, “Workplace recycling regulations: a guide for small and medium sized businesses and enterprises (SMEs)”

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