Taking commercial waste to the tip (any rubbish your business produces) might seem like a cheap and easy thing to do. Why pay a third party to do it when you could have a go yourself? The strict responsibilities, regulations, and potential penalties are there for a reason.
You might consider taking waste from your business to the local tip to save money, especially if you only create a small amount every day or week. However, it’s not as simple, cost-effective, or as safe as taking domestic rubbish like garden waste to your nearest household waste recycling centre (HWRC).
Discover when and how you can take your commercial waste to the tip, important considerations and limitations, and everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
Can you take business waste
to the tip?
Technically, you can take business waste to the tip. However, to transport commercial waste you must be a licensed waste carrier. You may also need to apply for a waste permit and check the tip accepts the type and amount of commercial waste you have for disposal.
Most HWRCs are for the disposal of rubbish from homes, as the name suggests, which can’t go in domestic bins. Many don’t accept business or trade waste and could refuse entry even if you’re a licensed waste carrier with a permit. If you’re not a registered waste carrier and take commercial waste to a HWRC, you could face prosecution and a fine.
Should you want to dispose of your own commercial waste regularly and your local tip accepts business waste then you must register as a waste carrier in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Costs to register as a waste carrier vary between countries and whether you need upper or lower tier registration.
You’ll also need to complete a waste transfer note for every load of waste that leaves your business.
The UK government website has more information about disposing of commercial waste yourself.
Where can I take
commercial waste?
If you are a licensed waste carrier you might be able to take commercial waste to a HWRC if it accepts business waste. Check whether trade waste is accepted at your local tip and if you need any other permits or licences. Also, check the waste types accepted and the charges that apply.
Many HWRCs don’t accept commercial waste or place limitations on the materials, volumes, or frequencies of visits. If this is the case then you may be able to take it to a registered recycling centre or licensed waste management facility. Again, you must be a licensed waste carrier and check any requirements to take commercial waste to the facility.
Fines and penalties for
tipping waste
Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 sets out the duty of care businesses have for disposing of commercial waste. This includes ensuring your waste is properly contained, transported by licensed waste carriers, transferred to someone legally allowed to accept it, and accompanied by the proper descriptions in the waste transfer note.
Duty of care breaches and failure to comply is an offence and may lead to a penalty. The size of the potential fine depends on the nature of the offence and where it’s dealt with. For example, failure to produce a waste carrier’s licence when moving your commercial waste can lead to a fixed penalty notice of £300 and a fine of up to £5,000 if you’re not registered.
Any offences due to unauthorised or harmful deposit, treatment, or disposal of waste – and other waste offences that end up in the Crown Court – could result in an unlimited fine and jail time. Potential fines for transporting and tipping commercial waste illegally include:
- Fixed penalty notice – £300
- Penalty in the Magistrates Court – up to £5,000
- Fine in the Crown Court – unlimited fine
Alternatives to tipping commercial waste yourself
Disposing of commercial waste from your business yourself can be complicated, expensive, and time-consuming. And if you make a mistake you could face prosecution leading to a large fine, criminal record, and potential jail sentence. There are a few safer, easier, and more cost-effective options:
- Commercial waste collection – the most common choice is to use a third-party professional commercial waste collection company, such as Divert. Licensed waste carriers will remove your business waste and transport it safely and legally to a recycling centre or waste management facility and provide a waste transfer note. Prices are tailored to your needs for cost-effective options.
- Council collections – some local councils offer commercial waste collections, but quite a few are cutting back on these services to save money. They can often be limited and more expensive than using waste companies too.
- Skip hire – for a one-off clearance or removal of bulky waste you might consider skip hire. The skip is delivered, you fill it, and then it’s removed by licensed waste carriers. You need space to store the skip and may require a permit if it’s not on private land.
Arrange commercial waste collection with Divert
Save money, time, and effort by using Divert for your commercial waste collection. We provide free bins for your waste with no delivery or hire charges – you only cover the collection costs. This includes bins to separate food waste, general waste, glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, garden waste, and dry mixed recycling.
A wide range of bins, bags, and containers in various sizes are available to suit your needs. Schedule daily, weekly, or fortnightly collections to arrange cost-effective commercial waste collection. Licensed waste carriers will remove your bins and divert all your business waste away from landfill, as our name suggests!
You receive a free duty of care certificate and peace of mind that your company’s waste is managed safely, legally, and responsibly. Get a free no-obligation quote for commercial waste collection today – call 0333 444 0118 or contact us online.
