Legislation

Your responsibilities as a business

Your 'Duty of Care'

You must ensure that:

  • you store and dispose of all your waste responsibly
  • your waste is only handled or dealt with by people or businesses that are authorised to do so
  • you keep records of all waste that you transfer or receive for at least two years

You have a responsibility to:

  • Stop anyone storing, disposing of or recovering your waste unless they have an environmental permit (England and Wales), a waste management licence (Northern Ireland and Scotland), or an exemption. Check their permit, licence or exemption to make sure that they are within its conditions
  • Package all waste materials appropriately and robustly to stop them escaping from your, or anyone else's, control
  • Ensure that your waste is only transferred to a person or business authorised to deal with your particular type of waste
  • Ensure that the waste being transferred is accompanied by a written description that will enable anyone receiving it to dispose of it or handle it safely and appropriately

Material-Specific Regulations

There are further material-specific regulations that businesses must also comply with. These regulations exist because some materials are more harmful to humans and the environment. Regulations exist for the following:

  • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
  • Packaging Waste
  • End-of-life Vehicles
  • Hazardous waste
  • Ozone depleting substances
  • Pre treatment of waste
  • Battery

Visit NetRegs - Waste and Recycling for helpful guidance on material-specific regulations and all your business waste responsibilities.

Recent laws affecting businesses sending waste to landfill

From 30th October 2007 landfills no longer accept untreated waste.

This new legislation is intended to encourage us to recycle more and reduce the impact of the waste that continues to be landfilled.

See the following guidance Your Waste Your Responsibility outlining your responsibilities as a business.