How do I vet a waste company?
Checks should be made with the Environment Agency (England and Wales) or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to ensure that any waste company used is a registered waste carrier, holds a waste management licence or is exempted from such requirements. This can be done by calling the Environment Agency's enquiry line on 08708 506 506. You should ask for a waste carriers check to be undertaken and give the operator the company's full name and postal address. The check will take a few hours to be completed. Ensure that a documented record of the check is made and that this is stored on file as appropriate.

 

Why should I use a registered waste carrier?
There are many unauthorised waste carriers in the UK who are not registered with the Environment Agencies. As a result of not using a registered waste carrier your waste could be fly tipped. Fly tipping is a criminal activity with heavy penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine, when convicted of the offence in the Crown Court. Under the Duty of Care for waste the producer as well as the waste carrier retains legal responsibility.

 

Under what circumstances would the BBC require a Waste Management Licence?
Generally, under exemptions to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations, a waste producer can store wastes at the site where they were produced for limited periods pending their collection. Where wastes are hazardous, there are limits as to how much can be stored and storage must be for less than 12 months.

 

There are also exemptions allowing certain forms of waste treatment such as composting at the place where the waste was produced or to facilitate recycling (such as compacting, baling, shredding etc).

Permanent deposit or disposal of waste (such as incineration or burying), transfer of waste produced elsewhere or treating waste at a BBC premises will require a License as there are only limited circumstances where exemptions apply.

 

The list of activities that are exempt from requiring a licence can be found in Schedule 3 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994.