Commercial Waste Collection Costs
The costs of commercial waste collection depend on many factors. If you’re an established business, start-up, or new to looking after your company’s waste, chances are it’s causing you some confusion. Not only does commercial waste go by various names (including waste management, trade waste, waste disposal and business waste), but there are also different waste types to consider.
Paper waste, general waste, dry mixed recycling, clinical waste, plastic waste, and cardboard are all processed differently. As such, there can be different disposal costs for each waste type. In certain circumstances, you may need more than one commercial waste solution, depending on the waste streams your organisation generates.
This guide explains everything you need to know about commercial waste collection costs in the UK. And if you need any more help you can always call the Business Waste team for any advice – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online.
How much commercial waste is there in the UK?
It’s estimated that businesses in the UK generate 27.5 million tonnes of commercial waste and 13.6 million tonnes of industrial waste every year – a whopping total of 41.1 million tonnes.
Commercial organisations create almost twice as much waste as households, which means there’s much greater demand for commercial waste disposal. If you run a business then you must arrange commercial waste collections and should research the costs. Managing commercial waste can be a significant cost for businesses of all sizes.
Such administrative tasks can feel like a bit of a distraction, particularly when there’s a company to run and money to be made. Nevertheless, correct disposal of your commercial waste is incredibly important. Whether you’re getting rid of rubble from a construction site, food waste from a restaurant, or documents from an office, it all needs to go somewhere.
Before signing a contract with a commercial waste disposal company, you and the other decision-makers in your organisation should familiarise yourselves with:
- What you can expect your waste disposal solution to cover
- What the must-haves from a disposal company are
- If there are any hidden costs you should be wary of
When choosing a waste collection company you must ensure they have a waste carrier licence.
What is a waste carriers licence?
A waste carriers licence (WCL) is a legal document that allows a business to buy, sell, dispose of, and/or transport waste, or arrange for others to do so on their behalf. It essentially covers the carrying of waste in a commercial vehicle. If you legally require a WCL and do not have one, you could face a fine of up to £5,000. Business Waste has a higher tier waste carriers licence.
What are the different types of waste carriers licences?
There are two tiers of waste carrier licence. The type of waste carried will determine which licence is required. Vehicles that carry construction waste (everything from rubble to empty silicone tubes) require an upper tier licence. Other forms of waste (such as office documentation) are covered under a lower tier licence.
How much does a waste carriers licence cost?
Lower tier waste producers can usually apply for a free licence. Upper tier licences cost £154 in England and Wales. Costs may vary in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Who issues the waste carriers licence?
The UK government is responsible for the issuing of all waste carrier licences.
What happens if my waste management company doesn’t have a waste carrier licence?
If your waste management partner processes waste without the required legal documentation, and you are aware of this, your company could fall foul of the law and face a fine of up to £5,000. Before agreeing to a contract with a waste disposal company, you should always request to see their WCL.
Here is a copy of the Business Waste LTD higher tier waste carriers licence – registration number CBDU49243
What are my legal obligations regarding waste disposal?
All businesses have a duty of care to keep waste to a minimum by doing everything to prevent the creation of waste. Businesses must also make a reasonable effort to reuse, recycle, and recover waste.
How can I tell if a waste disposal company is legitimate?
When searching for a waste disposal solution, chances are you’ll come across many lead generation websites. These websites will simply sell your data – usually to unscrupulous businesses who are unable to generate their own custom, due to poor reviews.
Lead generation sites often masquerade as genuine businesses or price comparison companies. Be wary though – these firms only want your data so they can sell it to the highest bidder with no regard to the quality of service you receive. Such companies certainly do not compare thousands of prices on your behalf.
There are only a handful of local waste companies in each area and a small number of national waste disposal operators – don’t get tricked into giving your data away.
Should I check online reviews for a waste company?
Taking the time to read online reviews of the services provided by prospective waste management companies will save you lots of wasted time, energy, stress, and money. Each company will give you the “sell” and make the same promises. Search the internet for reviews of a waste company before going ahead with them and ask for references or testimonials from their existing customers if you can.
Read Business Waste reviews on Trustpilot
Beware of hidden costs
In all industries, there are those who look to exploit customers. The waste management trade is no exception. Here are some of the tricks you should be aware of that unscrupulous companies will try to pull. Although these practices are not strictly illegal, they are unethical.
Bin weight limits
Weight limits are in place to encourage companies to develop more pragmatic approaches to how they deal with waste. By placing limits on the amount of waste a company can send to landfill, it encourages recycling, reusing of materials, and the prevention of excess waste generation.
What are the weight limits for each wheelie bin size?
Waste limits for each wheelie bin size for general waste are currently as follows:
- 240 litres of general waste – 10kg
- 360 litres of general waste – 15kg
- 660 litres of general waste – 35kg
- 1100 litres of general waste – 65kg
Waste limits for each wheelie bin size for dry mixed recycling are currently as follows:
- 240 litres of dry mixed recycling – 10kg
- 360 litres of dry mixed recycling – 15kg
- 660 litres of dry mixed recycling – 20kg
- 1100 litres of dry mixed recycling – 35kg
You will be charged up to 18p per additional kg over this allowance. If you are being charged more than this, you are paying too much.
How much does a wheelie bin cost?
Some bad companies will charge ongoing fees for renting out wheelie bins to your company. Business Waste provides customers with FREE bins, so a wheelie bin for your business should cost you £0. There are no delivery fees or bin hire charges – you only pay for collection.
Duty of care certificate – why do you need it?
Under UK law, your organisation has a legal obligation and duty of care to get and keep a waste transfer note that documents every load of waste that leaves your business premises. Your waste management company should provide this free of charge. Be very wary of any company that wants to charge you for the provision of a waste transfer note. These must be provided by law.
Read more on waste transfer notes and see an example.
Bin Insurance – is it really insurance?
Some companies include a statutory fee for bin insurance. This is rarely an actual insurance policy and is simply a means to increase your overall fees. If your waste management company includes bin insurance on your invoice, don’t be afraid to query them over it.
Ask for the actual insurance policy documents, as odds are it’s a completely made up and fake charge. Better still, switch to a company like Business Waste who have no hidden charges, fees, or extras.
Does the waste company offer a price match promise?
Any reputable company will have a price guarantee in place. When searching for quotes, it’s often the case that some companies take more time than others to respond. A situation may arise where you’ve agreed on a price with one waste management contractor, only to be offered a better deal by another a day later.
Your commercial waste disposal company should be willing to foster a good working relationship with your organisation. This means price-matching their competitors. Business Waste has a 14 day written price match guarantee.
What are the different types of waste collection?
There are two common types of commercial waste collection:
- One-off collections– such as the removal of waste after moving offices or renovating a building.
- Contractual ongoing collections– regular removals of commercial waste generated by your business. Collections can take place on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly basis.
How much does commercial waste collection cost?
There are no set-in-stone prices for the cost of commercial waste collection, as there are so many factors to consider. The type and volume of waste, how often you want it collected, and where your business is located all affect commercial waste collection costs. Other factors that impact the price include the following:
- Landfill tax– to encourage recycling, the government imposes a tax on all waste disposed of at a landfill site.
- Gate fees– waste processing facilities, such as recycling plants and landfill sites, charge a gate fee. The average UK gate fee weighs in at approximately £6 per tonne.
- Recycling rebates – certain types of waste like glass, cardboard, metal and alloy have scrap value and can potentially be sold for a small profit. For this you need very large volumes measured in multiple tonnes to get a rebate.
What are the different type of waste that can be collected?
The main waste types are:
- Food waste
- Pharmaceutical waste
- Clinical waste management
- Confidential waste disposal
- Hazardous waste disposal
- Paper recycling
- Glass recycling
- Plastic recycling
- Cardboard recycling
- Sanitary waste
- Liquid waste
- Packaging waste recycling
- WEE recycling
- Hospital waste management
- Shredding
- Waste oil collection
TOP TIP – look for a supplier who can look after all your waste, such as Business Waste. This way you don’t have to deal with endless invoices, collection schedules, and contracts.
Commercial bin collection prices
There are different types of bin sizes. The size of the bin collected, along with the waste inside, affects the collection price. The most popular commercial bin sizes (in litres) are:
Visit our bins page to view al available bins, bags, and containers. Business Waste provides free wheelie bins for all commercial customers. You can also learn more about balers and compactors.
Can I get a rebate on my recycling?
Certain waste types have scrap and recycling value, which can sometimes generate a small profit. Glass, cardboard, metals, alloys, and recyclable computer components are the most common form of rebate-generating waste. Your waste volumes must be significant (have multiple tonnes) for a rebate.
How much are landfill charges?
The standard landfill tax rate is £103.70 per tonne for 2024-25. The government may increase the price for each coming year at the start of April.
Tips to save money on your waste collections
These are a few tips to save money on your commercial waste collections:
- Waste audit– by determining the amount and types of waste your organisation generates, you can understand how to reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill. A waste audit is a process of figuring out ways you can reduce, re-use, and recycle.
- Recycle– as part of its commitment to the environment, the government is encouraging businesses to recycle as many materials as they can. Recycling costs less than sending waste to landfill and is not subject to the landfill tax, which could help save your business some serious money.
- Improve your buying practices – get in the habit of only buying items you need, and only buying items that can be recycled.
- Reuse – do you need to recycle the bottled water from the staff room when you could replace it with tap water from a filtered container? Try to foster a culture of sustainability within your organisation – think no more plastic bottles, ditching disposable coffee cups ,and reusing items where possible.
How do I arrange commercial waste collections?
Call Business Waste on 0800 211 8390 for a free no-obligation quote to arrange commercial waste collections anywhere in the UK. You can also contact us online or simply fill out a form and our experts will take care of everything for you.
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