On 3 July 2026, the waste management company appointed administrators from FTS Recovery, according to records on Companies House.
According to Total Waste Management’s 2025 financial records, it recorded a 32.35% decrease in turnover between the 2024 and 2025 financial years.
The company, which previously traded as G D Metals Limited and Luteyear Limited, specialises in ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycling and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) disposal. It was first incorporated in 1989.
Lewis Payne was terminated as a director of the company on 22 June 2026, before being reappointed on 1 July 2026.
Current CEO Justin Widdowson was appointed in November 2010 and was later also appointed as the Director of Total UK Recycling on 30 May 2022, the same day the latter company was incorporated. Total UK Recycling has been marked as a dormant company on Companies House since 2023.
Why are so many metals recyclers shutting down?
The past year has seen a wave of closures across the UK metals recycling sector, with rising operating costs among the most visible pressures facing recyclers.
Explaining its appointment of administrators in January, metal recycler CF Booth cited “significant trading difficulties” exacerbated by high energy prices and copper price volatility, alongside increases to the National Living Wage, environmental compliance costs, VAT and health and safety penalties.
James Kelly, CEO of the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), explained: “BMRA is saddened by the news of recent closures following a year that has proven to be very challenging for metals recycling businesses.
“Global uncertainty, combined with a lack of scrap and the high cost of running a business in the UK have all contributed to this difficult operating environment – this looks likely to continue well into 2026.”
This has been coupled with a steep drop in domestic demand that has left many metals recyclers reliant on fluctuating exports markets.
Read our full analysis here.
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