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Registered waste carriers

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Check your tradesperson has a Waste Carrier Licence

The Environment Agency issues licences to companies and tradespeople who buy, sell, transport or dispose of waste.

If you hire a company or tradesperson to remove and dispose of your waste, you must make sure they are operating legally. Examples include:

  • A company that provides you with a skip
  • A company that collects waste from your property
  • A tradesperson such as a builder, plumber, gardener etc doing work at your property

You must always check a company or a tradesperson is a registered waste carrier.

Visit the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers.

Your waste is your responsibility

  • Your waste is legally your responsibility until it is disposed of correctly
  • If your waste is found fly-tipped, you could be fined or prosecuted
  • Rogue traders may charge you to take away your waste and then fly-tip it - leaving you at risk of a fine or prosecution
  • Always ask to see a Waste Carrier Licence and / or check the Environment Agency's public register
  • Get paperwork - invoice, waste transfer note, receipt - so you have a paper trail if things go wrong

It is your responsibility to check that any tradesperson you hire arranges for a registered waste carrier to deal with any waste at the end of a project. For example, they could hire a skip or, if they intend to dispose of the waste themselves, they must have a Waste Carrier Licence.

Checklist for hiring a waste carrier

You must think carefully about who you choose to remove and dispose of your waste. The waste remains your legal responsibility until it has been disposed of correctly.

A quick, handy acronym to remember = SCRAP.

Do not let anyone take your waste until they provide proof of registration with the Environment Agency. Be suspicious of anyone who:

  • Doesn't have a Waste Carrier Licence
  • Offers waste disposal services door-to-door (cold-calling) or via social media
  • Fails to provide name and address of business
  • Quotes very cheap prices
  • Will only accept cash
  • Won't provide an invoice, receipt or waste transfer note
  • Collects waste outside of normal business hours
  • Collects waste in a private vehicle

Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency website.

Beware of rogue waste carriers. Reputable companies and tradespeople don't usually make direct approaches.

Rogue waste carriers are more likely to offer their services door-to-door (cold-calling) or on social media.

Always carry out your own research and choose who you wish to approach.

Ask how your waste will be disposed of and seek evidence of this.

  • Record the vehicle registration numbers of any vehicle used to transport your waste
  • Ask the waste carrier what exactly is going to happen to your waste and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately
  • Ask for the Waste Carrier Licence number – many responsible tradespeople will provide their licence number on advertisement or should provide it upon request – you can use this to search the Environment Agency public register – if a person refuses to share their licence number, do not hire them, this is public information ADD LINK
  • Ask to see an original copy of the Waste Carrier’s Licence

Registered waste carriers need to provide you with official paperwork:

  • A proper invoice
  • A waste transfer note (a document confirming the carrier has your waste and where they are taking it to)
  • A receipt

The paperwork should include details of:

  • Details of tradesperson or company
  • Contact details of waste carrier
  • Description of the waste being removed
  • Where the waste is being taken to

Remember - it's okay to ask questions. A legitimate, professional waste carrier who wants your business should not object to you asking reasonable questions.

You have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent someone else dumping your waste unlawfully.

If in any doubt, do not allow anyone to take your waste.

Report a suspicious waste carrier

If you have suspicions about a waste carrier, please contact us so we can investigate:

Email: environmentalenforcementteam@peterborough.gov.uk

Phone: Customer Services Team on 01733 747 474 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

Please provide the following information when you contact us:

  • Name of the company or sole trader who is collecting waste
  • Any of their contact details that you know - e.g. address, phone number etc
  • Description of their waste collection activities
  • Description of vehicle(s) used to collect waste, including vehicle registration number, make and model (if possible)

If you've hired a company or tradesperson without a licence

If you find out that a company or tradesperson you've hired doesn't have a Waste Carrier Licence, do not let them remove or dispose of your waste.

We suggest that you:

If the tradesperson / company refuses to comply, do not hire them or allow them to remove your waste.

Get consumer advice

You can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service about any issue you are having with a business or trader, or with the products or services they have provided to you.

Specialist advisers will provide you with free, confidential and independent advice on your rights and how to resolve the matter.

Visit the Citizens Advice Consumer Service website for contact methods, including telephone, webform and online chat.

Fly-tipping

Visit our fly-tipping page to find out how to report and prevent it.

Apply to become a registered waste carrier, dealer or broker

You must register with the Environment Agency if your business does any of the following:

  • Transports waste (a carrier)
  • Buys, sells or disposes of waste (a dealer)
  • Arranges for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste (a broker)

You can register or renew as a waste carrier, broker or dealer on the GOV.UK website.

You can get an unlimited fine if you do not register.

Published: 05 November 2024