We all know that waste is a big issue – whether we are talking food waste or surplus food, plastics or microplastics, the environmental impact or the social impact – we know we all need to do better. And we are. The problem is being tackled from a multitude of angles and whilst evolving for decades, the current level of activity, particularly in the EU and UK, is quite possibly one of the most aggressive pushes towards waste reduction and sustainability yet.
Let’s look back:
- The 70’s & 80’s set the foundation of modern waste laws, establishing guidelines and creating a framework for both hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
- By the 90’s and 00’s recycling was on the rise, and we see the first major economic incentive to reduce landfill come into force via the Landfill Tax (1996, UK).
- The 10’s saw a crackdown on plastic (remember pre 2015 when carrier bags were free?) and ‘circular economy’ became a household phrase.
But the 2020’s are perhaps the most intense period yet, fuelled by increasing climate change concerns, plastic pollution and the continued push for that circular economy we mentioned.
The most recent UK legislative changes include:
Simpler Recycling Legislation.
Effective from the 31 March 2025, this law mandates that all workplaces with 10+ full-time employees in England separate their recyclables and food waste.
(Further) increases to Landfill Tax.
Effective 1 April 2025, the standard rate of landfill tax will rise to £126.15 per tonne, up from £103.70 in 2024. It’s unlikely to stop there, with increases typical over time, and is in addition to the gate fees charged by landfill operators.
Planned incineration charges to influence away from this approach.
It is good to see so many avenues to enhance our recycling rates being explored and adopted, however what challenges does this present? And how do we overcome them?
For waste management sites, operational adjustments will need to be made if they want to ensure their provision to customers enables them to fully comply with tighter regulation.
Existing waste processing sites will need to upgrade their set ups in order to increase their capacity and adapt to meet the challenge of both greater demand, as well as more sophisticated requirements.
Yet in our experience, sites are already tight for room and running at full capacity. There is little room for additional operating lines to be added and therefore waste site managers must start to consider how they will adapt both operationally and with the use of technology.
How can we help?
We understand the challenge. That’s why we’ve focussed on developing the compact version of our Dominator Depackaging machine, the LRv2. Already part of our product line, the LR model is an all-in-one solution, designed to fit in a standard size shipping container and requiring a minimal footprint.
Still with all the power of our standard models (and available across all options), it avoids the need for a separate depackager, hopper, feed conveyor, platform and outfeeds – helping you do more with less space and enabling the legislative changes to make an impact quicker.
To find out more, please contact us.