Guide
Your duty of care for business waste
What every business must do by law with its waste: registered carriers, transfer notes and separating recycling.
Every business is responsible for its waste until it's properly handed over, and remains responsible if it's later dumped illegally by someone it shouldn't have used. This is your duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
1. Use a registered waste carrier
Only give your waste to a carrier registered with the Environment Agency. You can check any registration number on the Environment Agency's public register. Ours is CBDU94161, and you can download our certificate and permits.
2. Describe your waste properly
Every transfer of waste needs a waste transfer note describing it, including its European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code, how it's contained, and your business's SIC code. For regular collections, one note can cover a whole year of the same waste.
3. Keep your records
Keep waste transfer notes for at least two years (three years for hazardous waste consignment notes). They're the evidence that you've done things properly if you're ever asked.
4. Separate your recycling
Under the workplace recycling rules in England (often called "Simpler Recycling"), businesses with 10 or more employees must keep dry recycling, food waste and general waste separate. Smaller businesses must do the same from 31 March 2027.
5. Follow the waste hierarchy
Businesses should reduce, reuse and recycle before sending waste for disposal. Using a recycler like us helps: we keep over 95% of the waste we receive out of landfill.
Questions about your waste paperwork? Email trade@taurus-waste.com or call 01252 342365.