Since January 2014, any person or company that transports waste of any kind is legally required to register as a waste carrier. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £5,000.
This applies to the transportation, disposal, buying and/or selling of waste, whether it is for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
Once you have registered for your licence, your application and information will be made publicly available so that your customers can check your credentials before contacting you for waste removal services.
Here at RecycleZone, we are full waste carrier licence certified, offering a high-quality rubbish removal service across the UK. Our dedicated team of professionals are on hand to collect your rubbish, whether it is domestic, office clearance or garden waste.
What is a waste carrier licence?
Over recent years, there has been an increase in tradespeople being fined for not having the appropriate licences when carrying and discarding rubbish.
A waste carrier licence is a legal document required by the Environment Agency as an effort to reduce the environmental impact of waste, by ensuring that all businesses are authorised to transport and dispose of waste appropriately.
If not appropriately disposed of, rubbish can harm the surrounding environment and human health. In order to discourage fly-tipping and poor waste management, people and companies who deal in waste are required to obtain a waste carrier licence.
This applies to companies and to all commercial vehicles that transport, collect and dispose of rubbish of any kind, regardless of the amount or type.
A waste carrier licence will contain the following information:
- Your name/the name of your company
- What type of company you are registered as (carrier, dealer, broker) and whether you have an upper or lower tier licence
- Your registration number
- Your registered address
- Your contact telephone number
- The date you registered for the licence
- The expiry date of your registration
What are the different types of waste carrier licences?
There are two tiers under the waste carrier licence (upper or lower tier), depending on the type of waste you are handling and dealing with. This can also impact the cost of obtaining a waste carrier licence.
Your application will be considered upper tier if you:
- Transport waste for other people
- Deal with demolition or construction waste
- Are a broker and arrange waste collection on behalf of a third party
- Buy and sell waste as a dealer
Your application to be considered lower tier if you:
- Transport your own waste (providing it is not demolition or construction waste)
- Deal in animal by-products, mining waste or agricultural waste
- Are a registered charity or voluntary organisation
This may also apply if you are a waste collection, disposal or regulation authority.
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, your application will likely be considered “upper tier”.
If you have rubbish that needs collecting, and you do not want to go through the hassle of obtaining your own licence, why not use a professional waste collection company like RecycleZone.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote; no job is too big or too small. We offer a range of services, including commercial waste clearance, WEEE disposal and private bin collections, to name a few.
We are one of the largest rubbish removal companies in the UK. Our fully vetted and trusted team of professionals are on hand to help you in whatever way they can.
Feature image photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash.