Workplace recycling in Wales still has "lots of room for improvement" despite the introduction of the Welsh government's Workplace Recycling Law in 2024. Figures indicate that 61% of people in Wales frequently recycle at their workplace, a notable contrast to the 94% who recycle at home.
One in five individuals reported not seeing appropriate recycling facilities at work. Waste reduction charity Wrap suggests that providing more bins or clearer labelling could help businesses improve their recycling rates.
Recruitment firm Acorn by Synergie, based near Newport, saw a "significant improvement" in its offices after removing staff's personal bins. This change, initially met with resistance, has led to a reduction in weekly rubbish collections from six large wheelie bins to just one, partly due to increased food waste recycling.
Natural Resources Wales, which monitors compliance, stated that 56% of businesses were compliant in the first two years of the new regulations. No workplaces have been prosecuted for failing to follow the rules, with advice and support provided to non-compliant companies.