What First Mile does

First Mile is a UK-based commercial waste management and recycling company founded in 2004 and headquartered in London, with additional operations hubs in Birmingham, Park Royal (Materials Recovery Facility), and Dublin. The company provides businesses with a unified platform of waste collection, recycling, and compliance services spanning 50+ waste streams, including general waste, recycling, food waste, glass, cardboard, confidential shredding, and IT data disposal. First Mile serves over 30,000 business customers across the UK and Ireland, with named enterprise clients including Caffè Nero, ATG Entertainment, Inditex, and Grosvenor, and adds approximately 200 new customers per week.

The underlying technology stack consists of a proprietary logistics platform featuring a Driver App for collection crews, a Customer Portal for account management and real-time reporting, the RecycleID waste identification and chain-of-custody tracking system, and a Recycling Data Studio for sustainability analytics. The company operates a predominantly electric vehicle fleet of 70+ vehicles and maintains a zero-waste-to-landfill policy, with non-recyclables routed to Energy from Waste facilities. First Mile holds B Corp certification and ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 27001 certifications, and was awarded Independent Operator of the Year at the 2024 MRW Recycling Awards.

First Mile's business model combines recurring waste collection subscriptions (weekly or periodic contracts) with usage-based and one-time collections, supported by a price-match promise and no long-term contract requirement. Pricing is published and tiered (e.g., wheelie bin weekly general waste from £10.45, recycling from £8.13; sack-based pay-as-you-go from £1.41). Distribution combines a sales-led motion with field sales for enterprise accounts, inside sales for mid-market, and a self-serve website storefront for SMBs. The company was acquired by US private equity firm Warren Equity Partners in December 2024 and appointed Susan Davy as CEO in April 2026 to lead its next phase of expansion.

Name

First Mile

Legal name

First Mile Limited

Website

https://thefirstmile.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

First Mile is a UK and Ireland commercial waste management and recycling provider serving 30,000+ businesses with collection, recycling, and compliance services. It operates a proprietary tracking platform (RecycleID), a predominantly electric fleet, and a zero-landfill policy under Warren Equity Partners ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Waste Management

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (56211), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Eco-Friendly Disposal, Recycling & Donation Hauling (HSAIAOAJ), Hazardous Waste Collection & Transportation (Manifested, DOT/ADR, Packaging) (EUAIAFAA)

Keywords

• Commercial waste management
• Recycling services
• Waste collection
• Confidential waste disposal
• Sustainability reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Recurring Waste Collection Subscriptions: First Mile generates the majority of its revenue through recurring waste collection subscription contracts, billed on a weekly or periodic schedule. Customers pay fixed or volume-based fees for the collection and responsible disposal or recycling of their waste streams. The model includes upsell opportunities for additional waste streams or increased collection frequency.
2. Per-Collection / One-Time Collections: First Mile also charges on a per-collection basis for ad-hoc or one-time waste collection services, providing flexibility for customers who do not require recurring scheduled collections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

First Mile provides commercial waste collection, recycling, and disposal services to over 30,000 businesses across the UK and Ireland. Its core offering covers 50+ waste streams delivered via sack and wheelie bin collections on ultra-low or zero-emission vehicles, supplemented by confidential waste disposal, junk removal, product and packaging recycling, and recycling supplies. A proprietary technology platform (RecycleID, Customer Portal, Driver App) provides waste tracking, scheduling, and sustainability reporting.

Product overview

First Mile is a UK-based commercial waste management and recycling company offering a unified platform of waste and recycling services. The core offering includes flexible sack and wheelie bin collections for business waste, confidential disposal, junk removal, and specialized recycling across 50+ waste streams. The platform includes technology modules: RecycleID (waste tracking), Recycling Data Studio (reporting), Customer Portal (account management), and Closed Loop Recycling (circular economy products). Additional services encompass the RecycleBox mail-back recycling service, Deposit Return Scheme, and mobile application access. The company operates a zero-to-landfill policy with all non-recyclables sent to Energy from Waste facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Waste and Recycling Flexible, reliable commercial waste and recycling collections available as sack or wheelie bin services on ultra-low or zero-emission vehicles, covering the whole of the UK with a 99.96% collection success rate. Designed for businesses of all sizes and sectors.
• Confidential Waste Disposal Secure paper shredding and IT data disposal services ensuring compliant destruction of confidential business materials. Backed by BS15713 certification covering head office and Park Royal locations.
• Junk Removal Sustainable, zero-to-landfill rubbish removal and office clearances for businesses.
• Product and Packaging Recycling National recycling solutions for brand products or packaging materials.
• Recycling Supplies and Products Recycling bins, resources and supplies for workplaces, including the First Mile Cardboard Bin Range and Method Bin Range.
• RecycleBox Post-back box service enabling businesses and individuals to recycle items not covered by standard curbside collections, including lightbulbs, batteries, coffee pods, and coat hangers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 103,000 tonnes of CO2e avoided in 2024 through responsible recycling and waste management
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Octopus EnergycoreOthersOctopus Energy serves as First Mile's green energy partner, supplying renewable electricity to power the company's operations and electric vehicle fleet, supporting First Mile's commitment to carbon-neutral and sustainable waste collection services.
• VegwareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVegware, a manufacturer of compostable food packaging, partners with First Mile to ensure that packaging waste from Vegware customers is correctly collected and composted rather than sent to landfill, forming a closed-loop sustainable packaging solution.
• The Felix ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Felix Project is a food redistribution charity. First Mile supports the charity's mission by facilitating food waste collection and redistribution logistics, helping ensure surplus food reaches those in need rather than being wasted.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc. North America's largest waste management company offering commercial and residential waste collection, recycling, and disposal. While primarily North American-focused, sets global benchmarks for technology-enabled commercial waste services comparable to First Mile's platform.
• Remondis UK: UK operations of German-headquartered Remondis, a global waste management company offering commercial waste, recycling, and disposal services. Larger incumbent with broader service portfolio than First Mile.

Direct peers

• Veolia UK: UK arm of global environmental services giant Veolia, offering commercial waste collection, recycling, and resource management. Competes directly with First Mile in commercial waste and recycling, with broader service portfolio and greater scale.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery UK: UK operations of Suez Group providing waste collection, recycling, and circular economy solutions to commercial and municipal customers. Overlaps with First Mile in commercial recycling and zero-waste-to-landfill positioning.
• Biffa plc: UK-listed waste management company providing commercial waste collection, recycling, and disposal services across the UK. Directly competes with First Mile in commercial waste collection and recycling for businesses, with similar B2B customer segments and overlapping geographic coverage.
• Grundon Waste Management: UK family-owned waste management company providing commercial waste collection, recycling, and environmental services. Competes with First Mile in commercial waste and recycling for businesses, particularly in southern England.
• Renewi plc: UK and European waste-to-product company offering commercial waste collection, recycling, and resource recovery services. Directly comparable to First Mile in commercial recycling and circular economy positioning.
• FCC Environment: UK waste management company providing commercial waste collection, recycling, and treatment services. Competes with First Mile in the commercial waste collection segment, with comparable UK geographic focus.

Regional players

• Cleanaway Waste Management: Australia's largest waste management company providing commercial waste collection, recycling, and resource recovery. Comparable business model and service portfolio to First Mile, but operates in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Simply Waste Solutions: UK commercial waste collection and recycling company focused on the SME market. Comparable to First Mile in B2B commercial waste collection and recycling, though smaller scale and more regionally focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Mile