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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Recycling Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} operates an effective and environmentally responsible recycling system, contributing to sustainable waste management while complying with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) regulations and Welsh Government environmental policies. This policy outlines how we reduce waste, recycle materials efficiently, and educate staff and residents on the importance of recycling in a care home setting.

This policy aims to:

• Promote environmentally sustainable practices in line with Welsh Government’s Zero Waste Strategy.
• Reduce waste production and landfill use by increasing recycling rates.
• Ensure compliance with waste disposal regulations and environmental legislation.
• Encourage residents, staff, and visitors to participate in recycling initiatives.
• Maintain hygiene and safety while handling recyclable materials.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All staff members, including care, catering, housekeeping, and administrative teams.
• All residents, encouraging their participation in appropriate recycling practices.
• Visitors and external contractors, ensuring compliance with our recycling procedures.
• Waste collection providers, ensuring materials are disposed of responsibly.

3. Related Policies

This policy aligns with:

• Health and Safety at Work Policy (CHW16)​.
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy (CHW17)​.
• Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures (CHW20)​.
• Handling and Disposal of Hazardous Substances Policy (CHW22)​.
• Emergency and Business Continuity Plan (CHW19)​.

4. Recycling Management at {{org_field_name}}

4.1. Waste Reduction and Segregation

{{org_field_name}} will manage waste in accordance with its statutory duty of care and the waste separation requirements applying to non-domestic premises in Wales.

Waste will be prevented or reduced wherever reasonably practicable and, where waste is produced, staff will apply the waste hierarchy by prioritising reuse, recycling and other recovery ahead of disposal.

Specified recyclable materials will be segregated at the point of disposal and presented separately for collection in accordance with the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023, as amended.

The following waste streams will be kept separate from residual waste and from each other as required by law:

• paper and card;
• glass;
• metal, plastic, cartons and other fibre-plastic composite packaging of a similar composition, which may be collected together;
• food waste where the premises produces 5 kg or more of food waste in any period of seven consecutive days;
• small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE); and
• unsold textiles, where applicable to the service.

Glass will not be mixed with the other recyclable waste streams.

From 6 April 2026, all unwanted small waste electrical and electronic equipment within the scope of the Welsh workplace recycling requirements will be separately presented for collection and onward recycling and will not be placed in residual waste.

Hazardous waste, clinical waste, infectious waste, sharps, medicines waste or any material contaminated with hazardous substances will not be placed in the ordinary workplace recycling streams. These wastes will be identified, segregated, stored and disposed of through the appropriate authorised waste route.

Staff will segregate waste at the point where it is produced and will follow the labels, signage and waste-stream arrangements established by {{org_field_name}} and its authorised waste contractor.

Residents will be supported to participate in recycling where this is safe, appropriate to their abilities and consistent with their assessed needs.

4.2. Recycling Bins and Collection Points

Suitable waste and recycling containers will be provided at appropriate locations throughout the care home so that staff, residents and visitors can dispose of waste safely and in accordance with the waste separation requirements applying in Wales.

Containers will:

• be clearly labelled with the waste stream that may be placed in them;
• be of an appropriate type, size and construction for the waste concerned;
• be positioned so far as reasonably practicable at or close to the point where the waste is produced;
• be maintained in a clean and serviceable condition;
• be managed so that waste streams remain separate and are not contaminated by other waste;
• be emptied sufficiently frequently to prevent overfilling, leakage, odour, pest attraction or other hygiene or safety risks; and
• where they contain hazardous or clinical waste, meet the storage, security and container requirements appropriate to that waste stream.

Bin or container colours will not be relied upon as the sole method of identifying a waste stream. Staff must follow the container label, waste description and the waste segregation arrangements agreed with the authorised waste contractor.

Clinical, infectious, medicinal, pharmaceutical, sharps and other hazardous wastes will be kept separate from general waste and recycling and will be placed only in the container specified for that particular waste type.

Waste collected from {{org_field_name}} will only be transferred to persons authorised to transport and receive that waste. Where a waste carrier is used, {{org_field_name}} will confirm that the carrier holds an appropriate and current registration and that the destination is authorised to receive the relevant waste.

Appropriate waste transfer documentation will be completed and retained for transfers of non-hazardous waste. Hazardous waste movements will be accompanied by the appropriate hazardous-waste consignment documentation where legally required.

5. Staff Responsibilities and Training

5.1. Staff Training on Recycling Procedures

• All staff receive mandatory recycling and waste management training during induction.
• Regular refresher courses ensure staff understand new waste regulations.
• Posters and guides are displayed throughout the care home to reinforce correct disposal procedures.

5.2. Care and Kitchen Staff Responsibilities

• Kitchen teams must dispose of food waste separately and ensure packaging is rinsed before recycling.
• Housekeeping staff are responsible for collecting and sorting waste correctly in resident areas.
• Care staff support residents in using the correct bins and educating them on recycling practices.

6. Resident Participation in Recycling

6.1. Encouraging Recycling Awareness Among Residents

• Residents are encouraged to dispose of recyclable waste independently, where possible.
• Staff provide support for residents with disabilities who may need assistance in using recycling facilities.
• Educational activities and workshops on recycling are offered to residents who are interested in environmental issues.
• Residents’ families are encouraged to follow the recycling guidelines when visiting.

6.2. Recycling in Private Resident Rooms

Waste produced in residents’ rooms will be managed in a manner that supports recycling while maintaining residents’ safety, dignity, infection prevention and control and the statutory separation of waste.

Suitable containers will be provided where appropriate to the individual resident and the type and quantity of waste normally produced in the room.

Recyclable materials collected from residents’ rooms will be transferred into the appropriate separated waste streams for:

• paper and card;
• glass;
• metal, plastic and cartons;
• food waste, where applicable; and
• small waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Different statutory waste streams will not be mixed together unless the legislation expressly permits the materials to be collected together.

Clinical, infectious, offensive or hygiene waste, sharps, medicines waste and other hazardous waste arising in a resident’s room will not be placed in general recycling containers. It will be segregated at the point of production and handled through the appropriate waste stream in accordance with the home’s infection prevention and control, medicines, sharps and hazardous-waste arrangements.

Housekeeping and care staff will remove waste at a frequency sufficient to prevent overfilling, contamination, odour, pest attraction and other health, safety or infection risks.

7. Food Waste Management

Food waste will be managed separately from other waste in accordance with the workplace recycling requirements applying in Wales.

Where {{org_field_name}} produces 5 kg or more of food waste in any period of seven consecutive days, the food waste will be presented separately for collection and onward recycling and will not be mixed with residual waste or other recyclable materials.

Where food-waste production is below the statutory threshold, the amount produced will be kept under review so that separate collection arrangements are introduced if the threshold is subsequently reached.

No food waste, regardless of quantity, will be intentionally disposed of into a sink, drain or sewer.

Food-waste disposal equipment, including macerators or similar equipment, will not be used to discharge food waste into the sewer.

Food waste will be:

• placed in designated, clearly identified containers;
• stored in suitable, sound and leak-resistant containers capable of being cleaned where appropriate;
• removed from food preparation and service areas without unnecessary delay;
• stored so as to minimise odour, leakage and access by pests; and
• collected through an appropriate authorised food-waste collection or recycling arrangement.

Kitchen staff will follow the home’s food-safety management arrangements when handling food waste and will ensure that any changes to food-waste storage or collection arrangements are reflected in relevant food-safety procedures.

8. Handling Hazardous and Clinical Waste

8.1. Clinical, Healthcare and Hazardous Waste Disposal

Clinical, healthcare and hazardous waste will be segregated from general waste and recyclable materials at the point where the waste is produced.

Staff must not assume that all clinical waste is disposed of through the same waste stream or container. The appropriate container, packaging, labelling, storage and disposal route will be determined by the classification and nature of the waste and the arrangements agreed with the authorised waste contractor.

Waste will be assessed and segregated as applicable into the appropriate categories, which may include:

• infectious clinical waste;
• offensive or hygiene waste;
• sharps waste;
• medicinal or pharmaceutical waste;
• cytotoxic or cytostatic waste, where produced;
• waste containing hazardous chemicals or substances; and
• non-hazardous general waste.

Sharps will be disposed of immediately after use into an appropriate sharps container intended for the particular type of sharps waste. Sharps containers will be assembled, labelled, stored, closed and collected in accordance with the applicable instructions and waste-disposal arrangements and will not be filled beyond the manufacturer’s fill line.

Medicines and pharmaceutical waste will not be placed in general recycling or residual waste. They will be managed through the disposal route specified within the service’s medicines procedures and applicable waste requirements.

Clinical and hazardous waste containers will be securely stored to prevent unauthorised access, spillage, accidental exposure or inappropriate removal.

Staff handling clinical or hazardous waste will:

• follow the home’s infection prevention and control and health and safety procedures;
• use appropriate personal protective equipment according to the assessed risk;
• perform hand hygiene following waste handling;
• report spillages, exposure incidents and sharps injuries in accordance with the relevant procedures; and
• only undertake waste-handling activities for which they have received appropriate information, instruction and training.

Clinical waste will be collected by an appropriately authorised contractor and the required waste documentation will be completed and retained.

8.2. Electrical Equipment and Battery Waste

Small waste electrical and electronic equipment will be segregated from residual waste and other recycling streams and presented separately for collection and onward recycling in accordance with the workplace recycling requirements applying in Wales.

From 6 April 2026, this requirement applies to all qualifying unwanted small waste electrical and electronic equipment produced by the workplace, not only unsold electrical equipment.

For the purposes of the Welsh workplace recycling requirements, small electrical items include qualifying electrical or electronic items with a plug, battery or cable which measure 50 cm or less on every side.

Small electrical equipment must not be placed in general or residual waste.

Examples may include small information-technology equipment, small appliances and other qualifying electrical or electronic devices used within the care home.

Waste batteries will be collected and stored separately using an appropriate disposal or recycling route. Damaged, leaking or otherwise hazardous batteries will be managed according to their risk and will not be placed in ordinary mixed recycling.

Electrical equipment containing confidential or personal information will have data handled securely in accordance with the home’s information-governance requirements before the equipment leaves the service.

Larger waste electrical and electronic equipment will be disposed of through an appropriate authorised WEEE collection or treatment route.

9. Fire Safety Considerations for Waste Storage

Waste and recycling will be stored and managed so that it does not create an avoidable fire risk or obstruct the safe use or evacuation of the premises.

Waste-storage arrangements will:

• take account of the home’s current fire risk assessment;
• keep combustible waste away from ignition sources and other identified fire hazards;
• prevent excessive accumulation of waste;
• ensure waste containers and storage areas do not obstruct escape routes, fire exits, fire doors or access required by the emergency services;
• ensure external waste storage is positioned and managed having regard to the risk of fire spread to the building;
• provide appropriate arrangements for the storage and disposal of flammable or otherwise hazardous materials; and
• ensure waste is removed at a frequency sufficient to prevent unsafe accumulation.

Any fire-safety risks associated with waste storage will be identified through the home’s risk-assessment arrangements and reduced so far as reasonably practicable in accordance with applicable fire-safety and health and safety legislation.

10. Monitoring and Compliance with Waste Legislation

10.1. Compliance with Welsh Waste Requirements

{{org_field_name}} will manage waste in accordance with the legislation applicable to the service, including, where relevant:

• the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including the statutory waste duty of care;
• the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, including application of the waste hierarchy;
• the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023, as amended;
• the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026;
• the Prohibition on the Incineration, or the Deposit in Landfill, of Specified Waste (Wales) Regulations 2023;
• the Prohibition on Disposal of Food Waste to Sewer (Civil Sanctions) (Wales) Order 2023;
• the Hazardous Waste (Wales) Regulations 2005, where applicable;
• the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013, where applicable; and
• applicable environmental permitting and waste-carrier requirements.

{{org_field_name}} will comply with the Welsh workplace recycling requirements by ensuring that specified recyclable waste produced at the premises is correctly segregated, presented separately for collection and transferred through appropriate collection arrangements.

Waste will be managed in accordance with the statutory duty of care. This includes ensuring that waste is stored securely, accurately described, transferred only to appropriately authorised persons and accompanied by the required waste documentation.

For CIW regulatory purposes, {{org_field_name}} will ensure that arrangements for general, clinical and hazardous waste support satisfactory standards of hygiene, infection prevention and control and health and safety in accordance with the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

Natural Resources Wales is the principal environmental regulator responsible for relevant waste-law compliance in Wales. CIW may consider waste arrangements where they affect compliance with regulated-service requirements, including hygiene, infection prevention and control, the safe disposal of clinical waste and the health and safety of individuals receiving the service.

10.2. Waste Records and Compliance Monitoring

{{org_field_name}} will maintain sufficient records to demonstrate that waste has been lawfully classified, segregated, transferred and disposed of.

For non-hazardous business waste, an appropriate waste transfer note or other legally valid transfer documentation will be completed for each transfer, or an appropriate season ticket will be used where the legal conditions for doing so are met.

Waste transfer documentation will contain an accurate description of the waste and the appropriate waste classification information and will identify the organisations involved in the transfer.

Copies of non-hazardous waste transfer notes will be retained for at least two years and will be made available to Natural Resources Wales or another competent authority when lawfully requested.

Where hazardous waste is produced or moved, the appropriate hazardous-waste classification and consignment procedures will be followed and the required consignment documentation and records will be retained for the applicable statutory period.

The service will verify, as applicable, that contractors collecting waste are appropriately registered or otherwise authorised and that the facilities receiving the waste are authorised to receive the relevant waste type.

The Registered Manager, or a person delegated by the Registered Manager, will ensure that:

• waste-segregation arrangements remain compliant with current Welsh requirements;
• changes in the types or quantities of waste produced are identified;
• food-waste production is monitored where necessary to determine whether the statutory separate-collection threshold applies;
• staff follow the required waste-segregation and storage arrangements;
• waste-storage areas remain secure and hygienic;
• required waste documentation is available and complete; and
• identified failures or risks are corrected without unnecessary delay.

11. Continuous Improvement and Sustainability Goals

• {{org_field_name}} is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by increasing recycling rates and reducing overall waste.
• Sustainable procurement policies ensure eco-friendly products are used where possible.
• Regular staff meetings review recycling performance and introduce new sustainability initiatives.

12. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if:

• CIW regulations change.
• New environmental policies are introduced in Wales.
• Staff or resident feedback suggests improvements.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.