Waste Disposal Guide
Understanding what waste disposal is and how it works can help your business get rid of all your rubbish responsibly. This is important to separate and store waste properly within your organisation before it’s disposed of at the end of its life. Different materials can require different methods of disposal.
Safe, legal, and responsible disposal of commercial waste protects the environment and your business. Instances of illegal and improper disposal of any type or volume of waste in the UK could lead to fines and prosecution. It’s therefore vital your business waste is managed and disposed of correctly.
Discover everything you need to know about waste disposal with these expert answers to common questions.
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Contents
What is waste disposal?
Waste disposal is simply what happens to any unwanted materials, items, or rubbish. It’s the final step in the waste management process and covers what happens at the end of an item or product’s life. There are various methods of waste disposal with common processes including recycling, recovery, composting, incineration, and landfill.
Commercial waste disposal refers to the methods to get rid of waste materials from a business. Company owners have a duty of care to ensure commercial waste is disposed of safely, securely, and legally. Therefore, every business needs to have an appropriate plan in place – whatever type and amount you generate.
Why is waste disposal important?
Effective waste disposal is important to protect the environment. It ensures waste materials are reused and recycled where possible, preserves resources and saves energy. Appropriate methods of waste disposal minimise landfill use and incineration, which can have a harmful effect on the environment and human health.
There are also legal implications for commercial waste disposal. These include the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Simpler Recycling regulations. Legislation around business waste disposal mean you must:
- Minimise the amount of waste your organisation produces.
- Sort your waste into separate categories – including recyclables, general waste, and specialist waste (such as clinical waste).
- Consider the environmental impact of your commercial waste.
- Prevent unauthorised disposal of business waste (fly-tipping).
- Store your waste correctly and securely.
- Provide a waste transfer note when you hand over waste to another person or company for removal.
What is a waste disposal licence?
Also known as a waste carrier licence, you need a waste disposal licence if you:
- Transport waste (a carrier)
- Buy, sell, or dispose of business waste (a dealer)
- Arrange for someone else to buy, sell, or dispose of business waste (a broker)
Waste disposal licences were introduced in 2014 in the UK and are issued by the Environment Agency. Licences help reduce fly-tipping, and ensure companies make smarter, more sustainable decisions when it comes to business waste disposal.
How much is a waste disposal licence?
Registering as a waste carrier is often free if you only transport and dispose of waste you produce yourself. You may have to pay any gate fees or commercial waste disposal costs at the site where you dispose of any waste. If you transport and dispose of waste produced by anyone else then it’s £154 to register as a waste carrier.
You may also need to pay every year to renew your licence. If you’re an upper tier registration then this costs £105 each year. For lower tier registration there’s no need to renew it. Visit the UK government website to apply for a waste disposal licence.
How should you store
commercial waste before disposal?
When your business produces any type of waste, you need to store it safely and in line with any regulations for its type before collection. This helps prevent contamination and ensure all waste is disposed of as sustainably as possible. There are a wide range of bins, bags, and containers available to store waste safely before disposal.
Whatever type of business waste you produce, to store it securely you should:
- Ensure your waste is kept in a secure place with no access to unauthorised personnel – especially when storing hazardous waste or controlled substances, such as medications.
- Use suitable bins and containers that stop waste spilling or leaking.
- Clearly label your containers or bins with their contents to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and storing waste in the wrong container.
- Ensure your waste is covered to prevent the entry of rainwater or other contaminants.
Where can I dump
commercial waste?
You cannot dump commercial waste anywhere! Dumping commercial waste is illegal in the UK and will result in your organisation facing large fines and damage to your reputation. It’s also terrible for the environment and adds to pollution.
As a business it’s your legal and moral responsibility to dispose of any waste you produce properly. This means unless you are a licensed waste carrier, you need to arrange collection by licensed waste carriers. They will collect it and transport it to a nearby commercial waste disposal site for proper disposal.
Where can I take
commercial waste?
If you are a licensed waste carrier, then you can take any rubbish your business produces to commercial waste disposal sites. Here it will be assessed, sorted, treated (if necessary) and disposed of in an appropriate manner. Costs to dispose of commercial waste can depend on the facility, waste type, and volume.
However, if you don’t have a licence then you should use the services of a commercial waste disposal company such as Business Waste. We can collect and take your commercial rubbish to a nearby site for disposal, operating safely and legally.
Who is responsible for
waste disposal?
If your business produces, imports, keeps, stores, transports, treats, or disposes of waste, it’s your responsibility to ensure it’s disposed of correctly. Therefore, this applies to practically every business. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you have a duty of care to ensure your business waste is disposed of properly.
This doesn’t mean you have to physically dispose of it yourself. Instead, you must ensure it’s removed by licensed waste carriers and taken to a facility for proper disposal – whether by recycling, reuse, incineration, or any other appropriate method.
How often do I need
commercial waste disposal?
Suitable frequencies of commercial waste disposal depend on the amount and type of waste your business produces, and the size of the bins or containers you use. You can arrange collection and disposal of commercial waste on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly basis with Business Waste anywhere in the UK.
For rubbish such as food waste and clinical waste, you’ll likely want it removing from your premises quickly, while cardboard, plastics, and some other types you can store more easily for longer. Speak to one of our expert team and they can advise on the best disposal schedule for you.
Who can I speak to about
business waste disposal?
There are a few different numbers and email addresses you can use depending on the nature of your enquiry about commercial waste disposal:
- New customers, a free quote, and any initial questions – call 0800 211 8390 or email [email protected]
- Existing customers with any questions, contract or disposal changes and queries – call 01904 207 120 or email [email protected]
- Questions about payments, charges, and invoices for disposal – call 01904 207 121 or email [email protected]
Get a fast and free quote
Get a fast FREE quote for commercial waste disposal
- Free quote within 1 hr
- Any type of commercial waste
- FREE bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
Published 17th April 2025 by Graham Matthews.