Waste services for industry
Dry Mixed Recycling
Dry mixed recycling can combine several dry recyclable materials for sorting at a materials recovery facility, subject to the collection arrangements and recycling rules that apply to the site. On industrial sites the practical questions are what can be collected together, how much space welfare and office areas need, and how often lifts run.
What dry mixed recycling covers
Dry mixed recycling, often shortened to DMR, is a single collected stream of recyclable materials that a materials recovery facility (MRF) separates afterwards. The typical contents are paper and cardboard, plastic bottles and containers, metal cans and tins, and cartons. Some collections include glass and others require it separately. Whether glass belongs in your container depends on what the receiving facility can process, so it is worth confirming rather than assuming.
This is a commercial and industrial waste stream, not a household one. It suits offices, canteens, packing benches, warehouses and production areas where packaging and paper accumulate in predictable volumes. We can help with dry mixed recycling collections sized around the volumes your site actually produces.
What should stay out of the mix
The value of a DMR load falls quickly when the wrong material enters it. Common problems include:
- Food and liquid residues left in containers, which soak paper and card and lower the quality of the whole load.
- Polystyrene, crisp packets and other soft films that many MRFs cannot separate economically.
- Clinical, sanitary or hazardous items, which need separate handling and must never enter a dry recycling container.
- Wood, rubble, metal offcuts and other construction or production waste, which should be kept out of DMR and managed through a suitable separate stream.
- Batteries and small electrical items, which should be kept out of DMR and handled through appropriate battery or WEEE routes.
Contamination is judged against the receiving facility’s specification, not a single national figure. A load that looks clean to the eye can still be rejected if film, glass or food waste is mixed through it.
How the rules differ across the UK
Recycling requirements for workplaces are not identical in each nation, and the differences matter when you are specifying containers.
England
Workplace recycling rules changed on 31 March 2025. Businesses, charities and public sector organisations must separate dry recyclable materials, food waste and non-recyclable waste before collection. Micro-firms with fewer than ten full-time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027. Paper and card must normally be collected separately from plastic, metal and glass. A waste collector can collect these dry recyclables together where the applicable conditions are met and it has completed the required written co-collection assessment. See the Simpler Recycling guidance for workplaces in England.
Wales
Wales applies stricter separation than England. Workplaces are expected to keep paper and card apart from glass, and apart from metal, plastic and cartons, rather than presenting everything as one mixed stream. A single DMR container that works in England may not meet Welsh expectations, so confirm the position for your site before ordering containers.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Both have their own waste regulations and their own codes of practice under the duty of care. Requirements for workplace recycling and separation are set separately from England and Wales. If you operate across borders, treat each site on its own terms rather than applying one specification everywhere.
Containers and lift frequency on industrial sites
Most industrial DMR volume comes from two places: office and administration areas, and welfare facilities such as canteens and changing rooms. These produce light, bulky material, so containers fill by volume long before they fill by weight.
Useful points when sizing the service:
- Wheeled bins suit office and welfare areas where volumes are modest and access is tight.
- Front-end loader containers or skips suit larger sites where packaging and card build up quickly.
- Cardboard compacts well but springs back, so a baler or dedicated card collection can reduce the number of lifts needed.
- Lift frequency should follow how fast containers fill. An overflowing bin is a contamination and pest problem, while an oversized container that takes weeks to fill ties up space.
We can help with container selection and collection frequency matched to the areas that generate the material, rather than a single site-wide assumption.
Keeping the stream clean
Clear labels and sensible bin placement can reduce contamination. Put recycling bins where the material arises and make the accepted materials clear. Containers should be emptied of food and liquid residues to the standard required by the collection service. Where a site handles both dry recycling and food waste, keep the streams separate at the point of disposal.
If contamination is a recurring issue, a waste audit can identify which areas are producing the wrong material and where the layout is working against separation.
Where dry mixed recycling fits
DMR is one part of a wider waste service. Sites that generate packaging, card, plastic film and general waste usually need several streams running alongside each other. Commercial waste management covers how those streams are arranged together, and industrial recycling looks at recovering material from production and process areas rather than offices and welfare rooms.
Where cardboard volumes are high, a dedicated cardboard waste collection or a cardboard baler can be more practical than adding DMR capacity. Sites working towards higher recovery rates may also want to look at zero waste to landfill.
Documentation and duty of care
Every commercial waste collection needs a waste transfer note or the digital equivalent, describing the waste and confirming it went to an authorised destination. These records support traceability. They do not by themselves prove that a site is compliant, and they do not replace your own duty of care checks. The duty of care code of practice sets out what producers and holders are expected to do in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own codes.
If you are unsure what your DMR container should contain, or how often it needs emptying, we can help with a specification built around your site.
Free online tool
Waste Duty of Care Checker
Review common waste paperwork and collection questions relevant to your site.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can glass go in dry mixed recycling?
It depends on the receiving facility. Some accept glass in the mixed stream and some do not, because broken glass contaminates paper and card and can damage sorting equipment. In Wales, glass is expected to be kept separate from paper and card and from metal, plastic and cartons. Confirm the position with whoever collects your waste before adding glass to a mixed container.
What happens if a dry mixed recycling load is contaminated?
Contamination is assessed against the receiving facility's specification. A load with food residue, film, glass or non-recyclable material mixed through it may be rejected, downgraded or require a different handling route. Keeping bins clearly labelled and placed apart from general waste reduces the risk.
How often should dry mixed recycling be collected from an industrial site?
Frequency should follow how quickly containers fill. Office and welfare areas often produce light, bulky material that fills by volume, while production and packing areas may fill containers faster. Sizing the service around actual fill rates avoids both overflowing bins and unused capacity.
Do the same recycling rules apply across the UK?
No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each set their own requirements. England's workplace recycling rules came into force on 31 March 2025, with micro-firms given until 31 March 2027. Wales requires stricter separation of paper and card, glass, and metal, plastic and cartons. Check the rules for each nation where you operate.
Request a quote
Complete the form and we will get back to you.