Business owners are responsible for dealing with the disposal of their commercial waste, including recycling where possible.
You are responsible for your waste from when you produce it until you have transferred it to an authorised person.
You must:
- keep waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste (in that order)
- sort and store waste safely and securely
- complete a waste transfer note for each load of waste that leaves your premises (records must be kept for at least two years).
- check if your waste carrier is registered to dispose of waste
- not allow the waste carrier to dispose of your waste illegally (and report them if they do)
- You have extra responsibilities if you’re dealing with hazardous waste.
- under no circumstances dispose of your trade waste through your household waste collection.
Find more information on how to get rid of business or commercial waste the GOV.UK website.
Fines
Failure to produce documentation including waste transfer notes on demand can result in a fixed penalty notice of £300 or prosecution where the maximum fine is £5000.
If you place waste out in anything other than the bags/tape or bins provided by your waste collector this will be considered illegal rubbish dumping (flytipping) and you could be liable for a £400 fixed penalty notice or prosecution in the magistrates courts.
We can issue fines known as Fixed Penalty Notices for a range of environmental offences including littering and failure to lawfully get rid of trade waste. Failure to pay Fixed Penalty Fines can result in prosecution.
We will:
- investigate business waste dumped on the public highway
- give advice to traders about their legal responsibilities for the disposal of their waste
- use a clear, reasonable and fair enforcement policy which favours education and working with traders and businesses.
- We are developing a leadership role around educating businesses in respect of their Duty of Care responsibilities, to reduce fly-tipping.
Our work includes:
- explaining to businesses why enforcement action is needed, taking account of the needs of the local community
- enforcing the relevant legislation in respect of trade waste disposal by local businesses, in conformity with the Government Good Enforcement Concordat
- supplying a list of waste disposal firms who operate in the area together with details of civic amenity sites who accept trade waste
- making regular checks on businesses to ensure that they are storing and disposing of their waste regularly and correctly.