On Global Recycling Day, the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) celebrates the industry's progress toward greater recyclability across the supply chain but stresses the importance of a well-managed implementation of the Simpler Recycling scheme.
The Simpler Recycling legislation will be enacted on March 31, 2025, for non-household premises, offering a positive opportunity to address current recycling issues for businesses. Simpler Recycling requires companies to have separate bins for food, dry mixed recycling, glass, and general waste for collection.
The scheme aims to increase the quantity of materials collected for recycling and improve the quality of the recycled items produced by enhancing how recyclables are separated.
The HTA has worked hard to gain clarity from Defra, allowing recyclable plant pots to be collected from businesses and households. This announcement was made in August 2024 following a successful campaign. However, the HTA continues to push to ensure the correct procedures and communications are delivered for households before March 2026.
Liz Williams, Sustainability Executive, HTA said: "The move to recyclable non-black pots was the first step, and a lot of work has been done with other take-back schemes. However, the change to Simpler Recycling legislation provides the biggest opportunity to solve the issue of wider collection. The HTA's next steps are to liaise with recycling charities, such as Recoup, waste management companies, and local authorities to provide an understanding of the value of the materials used in the horticulture sector. This would hopefully bring an end to fully recyclable pots slowly degrading in landfills."
For more information:
Horticultural Trades Association
policy@hta.org.uk
www.hta.org.uk