Rubbish and recycling

Simpler recycling

New 'Simpler Recycling' legislation comes into effect in England on 31 March 2025. It means most businesses will have to arrange separate collections for different types of waste. The biggest change is that food waste will need to be separated from general waste and other recyclables. So, all our customer service points with waste facilities for boaters will have to provide separate bins for:

• Dry recyclables (paper, card, metal and plastics)
• Glass
• Food waste
• General waste

The bins will have large stickers applied to show what sort of waste should go in each one.

As you know, there are separate recycling facilities at many of our sites, but this legislation will ensure that every site throughout England will offer the same provision.

We are moving towards the new system as quickly as possible and will keep you updated about the rollout of the new bins when we have more details. The aim is that all rubbish points will be compliant by 31 March, but it may take slightly longer as we work through all the necessary changes. Working with our waste collection partners, we’ll make the transition as quickly as we can.

Like all organisations, we'll face financial penalties for waste that is not correctly separated. It's important that as much rubbish as possible goes in the right bin, so we really do need your help. It's vital that we all work together to keep these waste costs as low as possible, to ensure money doesn’t have to be diverted from the work to maintain our canals and rivers.

How to find rubbish bins on our waterways

You can find all our waste facilities by zooming in on your location on the map below.

You can also find your nearest recycling facilities when you're out and about with www.recyclenow.com. Simply put in a postcode and it will tell you all about the facilities in the area.

Disposing of your rubbish

• Store domestic rubbish securely onboard so that it can't be blown or knocked off into the water or onto the towpath. This is particularly true for empty solid fuel bags which frequently foul lock gate paddles and boat propellers.
• Bag all rubbish and ensure the bags are tied securely so that they can't spill open.
• Only dispose of your bagged domestic rubbish inside bins marked 'domestic waste' and don't forget to close the bin lid after use. If bin compounds are accessed using one of our keys, don't forget to lock up when you've finished, as it helps prevent fly-tipping.
• Don't dump it! If the bins are full don't leave your rubbish on the floor. Carry it with you on your journey to the next available waste disposal point.
• Don't leave your bagged rubbish next to a litter bin either, as it's not a collection point for household waste. Leaving bags next to a bin is also an invitation for animals to break into the bags looking for something to eat, spreading litter everywhere.

Choose your fender wisely

While natural rope fenders are available, most boats tend to have fenders made out of plastic, whether it's a balloon, pipe, cylindrical shape, corner, chubby, anchor or buoy. Unfortunately, whenever we drain a lock, we usually find a lot of lost fenders lurking at the bottom where they can block the lock mechanism and the propellers of passing boats.

A simple way to prevent your fenders adding to the plastic in the canal is to make sure you don't have them dangling when cruising, bow and stern fenders excepted. When your fenders are in use, normally only while moored up, ensure they are properly secured. Alternatively, why not consider changing to natural rope fenders?