How to arrange a new recycling service

• What is the amount or type of waste you regularly produce?  Does this change during the year?  For example, increases over Christmas or school holidays. Your recycling collection service, including the number of bins and how often they need emptying, may need to be flexible. Is it better to pay by bin size, frequency of collection and/or by the actual weight of waste you produce? Shop around to get the best legally compliant service;  

• Whether having recycling collections on certain days of the week e.g., after busy weekends, will help prevent waste and recyclables from building up; 

• Maybe little and often works better for you. Most waste collectors offer different container sizes, including sacks for some waste. Once you start recycling you might be able to reduce the size of your general waste bin; 

• If you don’t have much space for external containers, could you share bins with other businesses to help reduce costs and space? Just bear in mind that waste containers can’t be stored on the public highway in between collections;  

• Speak to your existing waste collector about your new recycling needs. They will need to be aware of the new law and ensure the services they offer will be compliant and 

• You could also get quotes from a range of collectors to get the best price and the most suitable service for you.  

If requested, councils must arrange waste and recycling collection services for you. There is a charge for these services. In rural areas you may find that options for waste and recycling are more limited, and that only councils will provide a collection service to you, especially if you do not produce a lot of waste.  

If you are in one of Wales’ 14 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), you may find that they already have waste and recycling services which you can access.