Business waste and Duty of Care
Running a business means you must take responsibility for safely containing and disposing of your waste according to the law.
What counts as business or commercial waste?
Business waste comes from any commercial activity. Think about a construction company tearing down old buildings and putting up new ones – all of that debris needs proper handling. Industries create their own specific types of waste, while restaurants deal with food scraps, packaging, and cooking oils. Farmers generate agricultural waste that needs special attention too. Even if you’re running a business from your spare room at home, anything you throw out as part of that work counts as business waste and you’ll need to handle it properly. The law doesn’t make exceptions just because you’re operating from your house – if it’s from your business activities, you need to dispose of it correctly.
Your responsibilities with commercial waste under the Duty of Care
The Duty of Care comes from the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
As a business owner, you need to take several steps to handle your waste properly. Start by cutting down waste wherever you can – prevent waste first, then try to reuse materials, then look at recycling, and finally see what you can recover. You can get expert help with all of this.
Make sure you store your waste safely where it won’t cause problems. Don’t just chuck it anywhere – keep it secure and organised. Every time a waste carrier takes waste from your site, you’ll need to fill out a waste transfer note. Check that your carrier has proper registration before letting them take anything away. And if you spot them dumping your waste illegally? Report them to Crimestoppers right away – you could be held responsible for their actions.
Just a heads up – if you’re dealing with hazardous waste, there’s more you’ll need to do. The rules get stricter when dangerous materials are involved.
Illegally disposing of commercial waste
Break the law with your business waste and you’ll face serious consequences. Courts can prosecute you under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and other laws if you don’t dispose of your waste properly. Penalties extend to a £50,000 fine or up to 12 months behind bars at Magistrates level. At Crown Court level, they can hand down unlimited fines and imprison for up to 5 years.
The Gov.uk website has detailed information on you how to manage your business waste legally.