Waste and recycling for businesses

Reasons to use our service

Our commercial waste team can design a service to suit your needs. Our competitive fees and charges start at just £1.25.

Our commercial waste and recycling services are:

• local – we understand the needs of Hackney’s businesses
• affordable – we work with you to find the best value solution, with collections from just £1.25
• transparent – there are no hidden costs, unlike many commercial operators
• reliable – collections are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 364 days a year
• flexible – you can change the number of collections you have at busier and quieter times of year
• green – we can help you meet your recycling targets and save money

Recycle more and save money

Recycling collections start at just £1.25 which is less than half the price of refuse collections.

Our commercial waste team can also give you tips on how to reduce the amount of waste you produce, so you save even more money.

Events

We offer comprehensive waste services for all types of events, from community events to street parties and music festivals. We can:

• create a tailored waste management plan for your event
• provide bins, skips and sacks for recycling and refuse
• pick litter and clean sites before, during and after your event

Charity, hospital and school discount

Charities, hospitals, schools and nurseries are eligible for discounted collections. We also offer support and education packages to help increase recycling in schools.

Collection times

On busy high streets we operate time banded collections twice a day. See our high street collection times.

Your responsibilities

Businesses need to make arrangements for the disposal of their waste and recycling. The council only offers free collections to residents. 

You must store, transport and dispose of your waste safely by a licensed waste carrier.

Businesses must have a trade waste agreement and be able to show it on request. Business rates do not cover this service.

If you do not dispose of your waste correctly

If you do not dispose of your commercial waste correctly, you could be prosecuted for fly-tipping. This can result in a fine of up to £50,000 and a prison sentence. This includes if you:

• put commercial waste on the street in unidentifiable containers like black sacks
• leave out more waste than you pay to have collected you

The new commercial waste law

A new commercial waste law will come into effect this year. Businesses and non-domestic properties will need to separate dry recyclable waste, food waste, and black bin waste for collection.

The government is introducing these changes as part of its Simpler Recycling plans. They aim to improve the quality and quantity of recycling across England.

This new government legislation will apply to all non-domestic properties in England, such as businesses, public sector organisations, and third-sector organisations. This includes prisons, hospitals, care homes, offices, schools, colleges and garages.

When you need to make these changes by depends on the size of your business:

• businesses with 10 or more employees: 31 March 2025
• businesses with less than 10 full-time employees (micro-businesses): 31 March 2027

These changes are also part of our commitment to create a cleaner, greener borough by reducing waste and increasing reuse and recycling.

How to separate your waste under the new rules

Once the new commercial waste law has come into effect, you will need to separate your waste into dry recyclable waste, food waste and black bin waste.

Dry recyclable waste

• glass such as drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars 
• plastic bottles, pots and trays
• paper and card, including newspapers and delivery boxes
• metal such as drinks cans and empty food tins 

Food waste

• food leftovers, including tea bags, coffee grinds and waste from food preparation 

Black bin waste (residual waste)

• disposable items such as single-use masks, gloves and sanitary products and highly contaminated materials like food packaging that cannot be cleaned

You must put all waste out for collection in the correct sacks or bins provided by Hackney Council or another licensed waste carrier.

Get a waste management quote for your business

We are here to help make sure your business meets the new requirements. Get in touch for a free, tailored waste management quote specific to your business needs.  

For more information or to update your waste arrangements, call 020 8356 6683.