Business and commercial waste

Permits for small business owners

re3 is inviting small local businesses to take part in a trade waste disposal and recycling trial at the re3 Recycling Centres. The new trade waste service is available to micro-sized businesses operating in the re3 area of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils who produce small amounts of waste of a similar nature to householders. Find out more by visiting the re3 website.

Your responsibility as a business

All businesses have a legal 'duty of care' to dispose of any waste safely and within law. Failure to do so can result in big fines or prosecution. Visit the UK Government website for advice about disposing of business or commercial waste.

You can be fined £300 for failure of duty or prosecuted if your waste is found fly-tipped and traced back to you.

If you don't comply, you could be fined £5,000 on conviction in a magistrate’s court, or face an unlimited fine if convicted in a crown court.

• Legal 'duty of care' that any waste produce is handled safely and within law
• Applies to businesses who produce, import, transport, store, treat or dispose of controlled waste 
• Commercial and industrial wastes, including hazardous/special wastes, are classified as ‘controlled waste’
• For information on asbestos removal visit the Contractors Association website

Home-based businesses

• Waste you produce is classed as business waste
• Must be kept and disposed of separately from household waste
• Visit business waste disposal information on the Gov.uk website for more information

Waste disposal and collection

Waste collection and disposal is not included in Business Rates.

Waste should only be transferred to someone authorised to receive it, e.g. a licensed / permitted waste contractor or waste management site.

• Arrange for business waste collection / disposal with our waste partner Veolia - phone Veolia on 01256 473 671 
• Arrange for business waste collection / disposal on the Any Junk website
• Other local licensed waste management companies can be found in telephone and online directories
• Use the waste carrier quick check facility on the Environment Agency website to check that your contractor is authorised
• For information on asbestos removal visit the Contractors Association website

Make sure your waste removal contractor is registered

You must make sure that anyone you use to remove waste from your property is authorised to do so.

• Use the waste carrier quick check facility on the Environment Agency website

Ask any waste carrier to:

• Provide you with their full address and telephone number
• Show you their waste carrier licence - if they don't have one, don't use them
• Tell you where your waste will be taken to - it must be a licensed waste disposal site

Keep a record of you waste collections

You must keep documentary evidence of your waste management (and possibly environmental permits, depending on quantities and types of waste.)

Make sure that you have your copy of the Commercial Waste Contract and Duty of Care Agreement on your premises. Tell your employees where it can be found, in your absence. The fixed penalty for not having valid documentation for your commercial waste is £300.