In a city as busy as London, managing waste can quickly become a challenge without the right support. Having a commercial waste collection that London businesses can rely on not only keeps them compliant with regulations but also demonstrates to customers a strong commitment to sustainability. From confidential shredding to dry mixed recycling, the right service ensures your waste is handled safely and transparently. 

In this guide, we break down the types of commercial waste, why specific commercial waste collections matter, and how Recorra helps London businesses manage their waste safely, sustainably, and efficiently. 

Why Commercial Waste Collections Matter

Businesses that neglect proper waste management face a variety of risks: 

• Fines and regulatory penalties – failure to comply with UK waste regulations, such as the 2025 Simpler Recycling legislation, can result in fines.  

• Environmental harm – Poor waste practices contribute to pollution, resource loss, and carbon emissions, as well as breaching legal requirements. 

• Data breaches – confidential documents or IT equipment not handled securely can cause serious reputational damage. 

• Customer and public opinion – Over 70% of consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by concerns over environmental impact.  

Choosing a trusted partner for commercial waste collection in London ensures your business stays compliant, sustainable, and attractive to customers. 

What is Considered Commercial Waste?

Commercial waste is more than just office rubbish. For London commercial waste in particular, this can range from every day food waste and compostable packaging to confidential documents and textiles. Whatever your business requires, Recorra provides tailored solutions across more than 38 waste streams.

Key Waste Streams for London Businesses

London businesses produce a wide variety of commercial waste streams. Here’s how Recorra handles each:

Commercial Dry Mixed Recycling

Recorra’s commercial Dry Mixed Recycling service is designed for the collection of clean, dry, and recyclable materials commonly produced by businesses. This stream typically includes items such as plastic milk bottles, drinks cans, cardboard, paper, and food containers. All of these materials can be placed together in your workplace’s mixed recycling bin, making it simple to recycle without having to separate each item. 

Food Waste

Commercial Food waste recycling is an essential waste stream under Simpler Recycling for all businesses with 10 or more employees. Organic waste is sent to anaerobic digestion facilities, where it is broken down into bio-fertiliser and biogas. The biogas generates electricity and heat, while the fertiliser supports sustainable agriculture, cutting reliance on fossil fuel-based fertilisers.  

Fibre: Paper, Newspaper, Paper Towels and Cardboard

Recorra collect all kinds of paper, from white office papers to newspapers and even paper towels for recycling in their own bins. For the best environmental outcomes and maximised recycling rates, these should be recycled in their own streams, as this protects them from contamination and damage, allowing them to be recycled over and over again. 

• Your office paper and any secure shredding will be recycled back into office paper, available to purchase at our office supplies website. 

• Cardboard is a common and high-volume commercial waste type. That’s why at Recorra we can provide onsite baling equipment to save you space and reduce total collection, or we will collect and bale it ourselves to be recycled up to seven times.  

• Paper towels can be collected through Recorra, recycled, and transformed back into paper towels. 

These fibre materials can be recycled multiple times through our closed-loop recycling processes. With Recorra, your business can manage commercial waste in London sustainably, securely, and with full transparency, while reducing environmental impact and promoting ethical recycling practices. 

Plastics

Recorra’s Dry Mixed Recycling stream makes it easy for businesses to recycle plastics such as PET, HDPE, and PP. These materials are sorted, cleaned, and processed into new bottles, packaging, and other products. With advanced sorting technology and trusted partners in the UK and Northern Europe, contamination is minimised, and every step is fully transparent. 

For flexible plastics like LDPE and PS 6 – including carrier bags, snack wrappers, and disposable cutlery – our Circular Box service offers a game-changing solution. These often “unrecyclable” plastics are transformed into Storm Board cladding, plant pots, and benches, helping your business close the loop and boost its sustainability impact. 

Coffee Cups

Coffee cups are difficult to recycle because they are fused with a plastic liner. But, with an estimated 7 million disposable coffee cups used and discarded each day, recycling these items is an essential step for any business looking to reduce their waste.  

At our processing partner facility, the paper and plastic are separated. The paper is recycled into new products, including high-quality office paper, while the plastic is recovered and reused.  

Batteries and Vapes

Batteries and vapes must be collected separately due to fire risks and chemical hazards. We safely dismantle these items, recycle components where possible, and dispose of any non-recyclable parts responsibly. 

Confidential Papers

Financial records, client files, patents, and other sensitive documents fall under confidential waste. These cannot go into mixed recycling as they may be accessed by malicious actors, and businesses will be required by law to protect and dispose of these documents safely.  

Secure shredding is essential. Recorra provides: 

• Secure, lockable collection bins  

• Certified drivers and tracked vehicles 

• Off-site shredding in our Secure Shredding Facility 

• Certificates of destruction for audits and compliance 

Digital and IT Equipment

IT equipment, including laptops, mobile devices, and hard drives, can contain sensitive company and personal data. Under UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), businesses must ensure this data is “handled in a way that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unlawful or unauthorised processing, access, loss, destruction or damage”. 

At Recorra, we take our London business secure waste destruction seriously. We have our own dedicated IT Asset Destruction (ITAD) department, created specifically for the responsible and secure destruction of our customers IT and e-waste.  

Our ITAD services include: 

• Certified data erasure using government-approved Blancco software 

• Physical shredding of data-bearing items for complete destruction 

• Comprehensive audit reports covering all processed equipment 

This service not only protects your business reputation but also supports circular recycling practices by recovering valuable materials. 

Find out more here. 

Uniforms and Branded Workwear

One of our newest streams, Recorra’s Secure Workwear Recycling service is designed for uniforms and branded textiles require secure handling. Any items with more than 40% natural fibres are then able to be reused, turned into insulations.  

Recorra’s Secure Workwear recycling service ensures: 

• Collection by BS7858 vetted staff 

• Sorting by natural fibre content 

• Shredding in compliance with BS EN 15713 

• Certificates of destruction 

• Repurposing of materials over 40 % natural fibre as insulation 

How Recorra Supports Commercial Waste Collection in London

Recorra provides a comprehensive waste management service designed specifically for London businesses: 

• All-in-one collections – reduce carbon emissions with fewer deliveries. 

• Full traceability – ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified for quality and transparency. 

• Government-compliant collections and disposal – ensuring all waste is handled according to UK regulations. 

• Reporting and auditing – certificates for every collection, supporting regulatory compliance and ESG reporting. 

By consolidating services into one reliable provider, Recorra helps businesses lower their environmental impact, improve operational efficiency, and achieve their ESG targets while keeping compliance and security front of mind.

Take Action Today

Choosing the right commercial waste collection service in London is more than a compliance decision, it’s an investment in your business and the planet. By partnering with Recorra, you can turn waste into opportunity, protect your brand, and support a circular economy. 

Contact Recorra today to discuss your commercial waste needs, set up secure collections, and see how we can help your business recycle responsibly.