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Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, all companies, organisations and individuals are
subject to a duty of care to ensure that waste does not escape their control and that it is dealt
with properly.
Companies/organisations must only allow an authorised person to collect and dispose of their waste
(mainly a local authority or registered waste carrier), and must provide a full description of the
waste.
It is very important also that the waste carrier is authorised to receive the type of waste being
disposed of. Many businesses have their waste collected by the local authority and checks are not
needed. Waste disposal companies are, however, only licensed to carry certain types of waste, for
example a company that is licensed to take only oils, is not permitted to collect general factory
wastes such as packaging and metals.
Coupled with this, companies must then complete waste transfer notes when any waste is collected.
This is to ensure that all people receiving the waste are fully aware of its properties and know the
correct disposal route.
The transfer note must include:
- A full description of the waste and the amount
- The container types that it is stored in
- The date and time of the transfer
Each waste consignment should be accompanied with a transfer note. A transfer note covering
regular transfers of the same waste for up to a year can be issued. These are known as "season
tickets". Companies are obliged by law to retain copies of these notes for up to two years.
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