Single Stream Recycling Services
Single stream recycling is a service intended for businesses that produce high volumes of particular waste streams. Common waste streams in this category include paper, card, glass, plastic and much more. At Cawleys we have the expertise to handle all your collection, disposal and recycling requirements, whatever type, or quantity of waste it may involve.
We’re here to help our customers work towards their environmental goals by fulfilling their single-stream recycling needs. We do this by ensuring our waste collection and recycling services are reliable and cost-effective. We are able to achieve these results by investing in cutting-edge technology and using the latest innovative resource management solutions, such as waste to energy and anaerobic digestion.
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What Is Single Stream Recycling?
Single stream recycling means all common recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, and cans go into one container. There is no on-site sorting and no confusion for your team.
It differs from dual or multi-stream systems, which require separate bins for different materials. By using one stream, you save space and reduce the chance of items ending up in the wrong bin.
When it comes to effective waste management, single stream recycling is perfect for offices, retail stores, hospitality venues, schools, colleges, and light industrial sites that want a simple, reliable setup.
How Our Single Stream Service Works
Our single stream recycling services are designed to take the pressure off your team and make recycling simple from the start. Everything is arranged to keep your site tidy, your staff confident, and your recycling rates strong without adding extra tasks to the working day.
We provide clearly marked recycling bins and containers
We begin by supplying bins that suit your site layout, whether that is an open office, a retail stockroom, a school corridor, or a warehouse floor. Each container is clearly labelled so anyone can understand what goes inside. The aim is to remove confusion and encourage quick, correct disposal.
Your team places all accepted recyclables into one stream
Because everything goes into the same container, staff do not need to stop and think about sorting. It cuts the risk of contamination and speeds up everyday disposal, especially during busy periods.
Cawleys collects on your schedule
As part of our single stream recycling waste management solutions, we tailor collection frequencies to your needs. Whether you need daily pickups or a lighter rota, we work around your operational hours and seasonal changes.
Materials are sorted at our MRF using advance tech
After collection, everything goes to our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Here, automated equipment, including optical sorters, magnets, screens, and air systems, separates materials by type. This creates clean, high-value recyclables ready for reprocessing.
Convenient, compliant, and sustainable
With our tailored single stream recycling services, you can save time and stay compliant with UK regulations. Best of all, you can send more material back into the circular economy.
Benefits of Choosing Cawleys for Single Stream Recycling
Choosing Cawleys for single stream recycling waste management means gaining a service that supports your business on every level. We focus on ease, value, and environmental performance so you can improve sustainability without disrupting your operations.
Convenience: no employee training or sorting needed
One stream means your staff do not need specialist training or detailed sorting rules. This helps everyone participate correctly and keeps the workflow moving, even in fast-paced environments such as hospitality or education.
Cost efficiency: fewer bins, fewer collections = lower costs
When it comes to cost-effective waste management single stream recycling does not require multiple containers for separate materials. This enables you to save space and reduce the number of collections required. With our services, you can keep costs predictable, resulting in direct savings over time.
Sustainability: higher diversion rates from landfill
Single stream recycling waste management keeps more recyclable material in circulation. By capturing a wider range of recyclables, we can help you increase your recycling rate and reduce your carbon footprint.
Compliance: meets UK environmental regulations and EPR requirements
At Cawleys, we stay ahead of regulatory changes so your business stays compliant. Our service helps you meet government recycling rules and prepare for the shift toward Extended Producer Responsibility.
Reporting: waste data and sustainability reports available
You’ll receive clear, accurate data on your recycling performance as part of our single stream recycling services. This supports internal reporting, ESG commitments, stakeholder communication, and sustainability planning.
Accepted Materials
Single stream does not mean anything goes. It simply means all accepted recyclables enter the same container.
At Cawleys, we accept the following materials when delivering single stream recycling services:
Paper and cardboard
Plastic bottles and containers
Aluminium and steel cans
Clean food tins and drink cans
Industries We Serve
Our waste management single stream recycling solutions suit businesses and organisations that want a simple approach without sacrificing environmental performance. We support a wide range of sectors and adapt the service to each site’s layout and activity.
We work with:
Offices and corporate campuses
Retail stores and shopping centres
Schools, colleges and universities
Hospitality, including hotels, restaurants, and pubs
Light industrial and warehouses
Local authorities and public sector sites
Why Choose Cawleys?
Cawleys is a family-owned recycling and resource management company with more than 75 years of experience. With state-of-the-art facilities in Luton, Wellingborough, and Milton Keynes, we take pride in providing personal service, strong environmental expertise, and practical single stream recycling solutions that make daily operations easier for our customers.
Our focus has always been simple. Treat waste as a resource, keep materials in use for as long as possible, and help businesses across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, and beyond cut their environmental impact. We invest heavily in recycling innovation, run our own specialist facilities, and provide advice that helps clients stay ahead of changing legislation.
When you choose Cawleys to provide you with single stream recycling services, you’re choosing a partner that brings reliability, transparency, and genuine care for the planet and the communities we serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A quick rinse helps keep contamination low and improves material quality. Containers do not need to be spotless, just free from heavy food residue.
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Glass usually needs to be separated into its own container. This protects the other materials from breakage and ensures higher quality recycling. We can provide glass bins if required.
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We offer flexible schedules from daily to weekly or custom intervals to match your waste output. When you sign up for our single stream recycling services, your account manager will help you set the best frequency for your site.
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Everything is taken to our MRF, where it is separated into clean material types. These are then sent to trusted reprocessors here in the UK or abroad to be turned into new products.
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Yes. We provide waste data reports that show volumes, recycling rates, and environmental impact. These support ESG reporting and internal sustainability goals.
Get a Quote
Make recycling simple, cost-effective, and reliable! At Cawleys, we provide tailored recycling solutions that fit your site and support your sustainability goals. Get in touch today to request a quote.
