Dry Mixed Recycling: 7 Ways Businesses Can Get More Value From Every Collection

For many businesses, recycling is simply another task to manage: fill the bins, arrange a collection and move on. But your recycling system can do much more than keep waste out of general waste bins. When it is properly planned and managed, dry mixed recycling can help businesses improve recycling performance, reduce contamination, control waste costs and make better use of the materials they throw away.

With Simpler Recycling now requiring businesses with 10 or more employees in England to recycle materials including paper, cardboard, cans, plastics and cartons, getting your recycling system right is more important than ever. These materials can be collected together as dry mixed recycling, making it easier for businesses to meet their obligations while recovering more valuable resources.

But simply having a mixed recycling collection isn’t enough. From making it easier for employees to recycle correctly to using waste data to identify opportunities for improvement, there are several ways businesses can get more value from every collection.

Here are seven practical ways to make your dry mixed recycling work harder for your business and the environment.

1.  Get the right materials into the recycling stream

Getting more from your dry mixed recycling starts with putting the right materials in the right bin. Paper, cardboard, cans, plastics and cartons can all be recycled, helping businesses reduce the amount of waste sent to general waste.

The key is making recycling easy to get right. Clear signage, well-placed bins and simple guidance can help employees understand what can and can’t go into the recycling stream.

It’s also worth looking at the waste your business produces most often. Understanding your waste helps you provide the right facilities in the right places, making it easier to capture more recyclable materials and reduce contamination.

The result? More recyclable materials recovered, less waste sent to disposal, and greater value from every collection.

2.  Reduce contamination before collection day

Contamination can quickly reduce the value of your recycling. When the wrong items end up in a recycling bin, they can affect the quality of the whole collection and make it harder to recover recyclable materials.

The good news is that most contamination can be prevented with a few simple steps:

• Use clearer signage: Make it obvious what can and can’t go in each bin.
• Keep bins accessible: Place recycling bins where waste is actually generated.
• Educate staff: Give employees simple guidance and reminders on correct recycling.
• Monitor your bins: Regular checks can help identify common contamination issues and address them early.

A cleaner recycling stream means more materials can be recovered and less waste is sent for disposal. By tackling contamination at source, businesses can get more value from every collection.

3.  Make recycling easy for employees

Even the best recycling system won’t work if it’s difficult to use. Employees need to be able to quickly understand what goes where, without having to think twice.

Make recycling the easiest option by placing clearly labelled bins in convenient locations, particularly where waste is generated. Simple, consistent signage can also help people make the right choice at a glance.

It’s worth keeping employees informed too. A short introduction for new starters, occasional reminders and clear guidance can go a long way towards building good recycling habits.

The easier you make recycling, the more likely people are to do it correctly and the more value you can get from every collection.

4.  Match your collection frequency to your actual waste volumes

More collections don’t necessarily mean a better waste service. If your bins are only half full when they’re collected, you could be paying for capacity you don’t need.

Review your collection schedule regularly and consider:

• How quickly your bins fill up: Are you consistently using the available capacity?
• Seasonal changes: Do waste volumes increase at certain times of the year?
• Your available storage space: Can you safely store recycling between collections?
• Changes to your business: New staff, premises or operations can all affect waste volumes.

Getting the frequency right can help reduce unnecessary collections, keep costs under control and make better use of your recycling capacity.

The goal is simple: collect the right amount of waste, at the right frequency.

5.  Use waste data to find opportunities

Your waste collections can tell you more about your business than you might think. By tracking what you’re throwing away and how much you’re recycling, you can spot opportunities to reduce waste, improve recycling and control costs.

Regular waste data can help you understand where your biggest waste volumes are coming from, identify patterns and see whether changes to your recycling system are making a difference.

It also gives you a clearer way to measure progress. Instead of simply collecting your dry mixed recycling and moving on, you can use the data to set targets, track improvements and make more informed decisions about your waste management.

The better you understand your waste, the more opportunities you have to improve it.

6.  Reduce what goes to general waste

One of the easiest ways to get more value from dry mixed recycling is to make sure recyclable materials don’t end up in general waste.

Take a look at where recyclable materials are being missed. You might find opportunities to:

• Add recycling bins: Place them in areas where recyclable waste is commonly produced.
• Check bin sizes: Make sure your recycling bins can handle the volume your business generates.
• Review waste patterns: Regularly assess what’s ending up in general waste and why.
• Improve visibility: Make recycling bins easy to spot and clearly labelled.

Capturing more recyclable materials through your DMR collection can reduce the amount of general waste your business produces and help you make better use of every collection.

The more you recycle, the less you send to general waste.

7.  Choose a recycling partner that helps you improve

The right recycling partner can make a big difference to how well your dry mixed recycling performs. It’s not just about reliable collections. It’s about having the support and insight to continually improve your waste management.

That’s where Recorra can help. As a specialist recycling and waste management provider, Recorra works with businesses to create practical recycling solutions that suit their needs.

From choosing the right collection service to improving recycling habits and understanding your waste data, the right support can help you:

• Improve recycling rates by capturing more recyclable materials.
• Reduce contamination with practical advice and support.
• Optimise collections to suit your business and waste volumes.
• Track your progress with clear waste and recycling data.

With the right partner, your recycling collection becomes more than a routine service. It becomes an opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce waste and make a measurable difference.

Make every collection count

Dry mixed recycling can be a simple and effective way for businesses to manage everyday recyclable waste. But getting the most from it requires more than simply putting out a recycling bin.

By choosing the right materials, reducing contamination, making recycling easy for employees, reviewing collection frequency and using waste data, businesses can improve their recycling performance and reduce the amount sent to general waste.

The right recycling partner can make this even easier. Recorra provides tailored commercial recycling solutions designed to help businesses manage their waste more effectively, improve recycling and make every collection count.

Ready to get more from your business recycling? Get in touch with Recorra today to find a recycling solution that works for your business.