Every business produces waste, whether it is paper from an office, food from a café or packaging from a warehouse.
Businesses are responsible for making sure their waste is stored, handled and disposed of properly. However, good waste management is not only about following the rules. Reducing waste can also cut costs and make better use of the things your business buys.
What Is Business Waste?
Business waste is waste produced through commercial activity. It can include paper, cardboard, packaging, food, glass, metal, plastic, old furniture, electrical equipment and materials left over from work.
Even a very small business can produce commercial waste. If you work from home, waste produced by the business can also count as business waste rather than normal household waste.
Your Duty of Care
Businesses have a legal duty of care for their waste.
This means you need to take reasonable steps to reduce waste, store it safely and make sure it is dealt with properly. When waste leaves your premises, it should only be given to someone authorised to take it.
So, before using a waste company, check that it is allowed to handle your waste. The regulators and registration systems differ across the UK, so use the service for the country where your business operates.
Store Waste Properly
Waste should be kept safely while it is at your premises. Use suitable containers and make sure waste cannot easily escape, leak or cause harm.
Some types of waste also need to be kept separate. This helps with recycling and is particularly important where hazardous materials are involved.
Keep Waste Records
When business waste is passed to someone else, you will normally need a record of the transfer.
For non-hazardous waste, this is commonly a waste transfer note or another document containing the required information. It records what the waste is and who is involved in the transfer.
Regular collections of the same type of waste may be covered by one document for a set period. Keep these records organised in case you need them later.
Hazardous Waste
Some waste needs extra care because it can harm people or the environment.
This can include certain chemicals, oils, solvents, batteries, paints, lamps and electrical equipment. However, whether waste is classed as hazardous depends on the material itself.
Hazardous waste has extra rules covering storage, collection and records. So, if your business produces it, check the requirements before arranging disposal.
Separate Waste for Recycling
Recycling rules depend on where your business is based.
In England, most workplaces now need to separate food waste, dry recyclable materials and non-recyclable waste. Dry recycling includes common materials such as paper, card, plastic, metal and glass.
Micro-firms with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027 to meet the workplace recycling rules.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, so businesses outside England should check the rules that apply to them.
Reduce Waste First
Recycling matters, but it is often better to avoid creating waste in the first place.
Look at what your business regularly buys and throws away. Then ask whether you could buy less, choose products with less packaging, reuse items, repair equipment or return materials to suppliers.
This can save money twice: first when buying goods and then when paying to have the waste collected.
Food and Packaging Waste
Food businesses can often reduce waste through better ordering, storage and portion control. If less food is thrown away, the business saves on both food and disposal costs.
Packaging can also add up quickly, particularly for shops and warehouses. So, look at what arrives as well as what leaves. You may be able to reduce packaging, reuse it or return some containers to suppliers.
Larger businesses handling significant amounts of packaging may have additional legal duties.
Electrical Waste
Old computers, screens, printers and other electrical equipment should not simply be put into general waste.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment is often called WEEE, and specific rules apply to how it is handled.
When replacing equipment, check whether the supplier offers a take-back service or whether you need a specialist collection. Also remove business data securely from computers, phones and storage devices before they leave your control.
Check What You Throw Away
A simple waste check can help you find savings.
For a short period, look at the main types of waste your business produces and how much you throw away. You do not need a complicated system to begin with.
Instead, ask three simple questions:
What are we throwing away?
Why are we throwing it away?
Could we avoid, reuse or recycle it?
This quickly shifts the focus from paying to remove waste to preventing it in the first place.
Review Your Collections
Check how often your bins are collected and whether they are normally full.
If you regularly pay to empty half-full bins, you may be able to reduce the number of collections. However, bins that regularly overflow could mean you need a different service.
Also check the full cost. Container rental, extra collections and other fees can make a seemingly cheap waste contract more expensive.
If you compare waste companies, make sure they can legally handle the waste you produce.
Shared and Rented Premises
If you rent your premises, your landlord or managing agent may arrange some waste services.
Find out what is included, where waste should go and how recycling works. However, do not assume the landlord deals with every type of waste your business produces.
This is especially important if you produce hazardous or specialist waste.
Make It Easy for Staff
A waste system only works if people use it properly.
Keep instructions simple and put clearly marked bins close to where the waste is produced. For example, a cardboard recycling point is more likely to be used if it is near the area where deliveries are unpacked.
If the system changes, explain the new arrangements to staff.
Review Waste Regularly
The waste a business produces can change as products, suppliers and working methods change.
So, review it from time to time and check whether your collection service still suits the business.
A simple approach is:
Prevent → Reuse → Recycle → Dispose
First, avoid creating unnecessary waste. Next, reuse what you can. Then recycle suitable materials and make sure anything left is disposed of properly.
Key Points
- Businesses have a duty of care for the waste they produce.
- Use authorised businesses to collect and handle your waste.
- Store waste safely and keep the required records.
- Hazardous waste needs extra care.
- Follow the recycling rules where your business operates.
- Reduce waste before paying to dispose of it.
- Review your bins, collections and costs regularly.
Important Information
Energility provides general information to help you understand energy, household and business costs, services and ways to save money. It is not financial, legal, tax, technical or professional advice.
Prices, tariffs, grants, government schemes, regulations and other information can change. Costs, savings and calculator results are estimates and your actual results may be different.
Before making an important financial decision, signing a contract or carrying out significant work, check the latest information and consider getting advice from a suitably qualified professional where needed.
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