What is a Waste Carrier Licence and Why Do You Need One?

As many of you may know, fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence for which you could be prosecuted. In 2016/17, fly-tipping cost local councils over £58m in clean-up costs. It’s more important now than ever before that we do our bit to protect the environment. In 2014, the government changed the laws around carrying and disposal of waste. If you transport waste of any kind, you are required to carry a Waste Carrier Licence. At Mr Central Heating, we understand how stressful and time consuming these things can be so, we have written all about it here to help you.

What is a Waste Carrier Licence, and do I need one if I am a plumber or heating engineer? 

Well, the simple answer is yes. If you are removing any waste from a customer’s house and it is related to the job that you have undertaken then you will need a Waste Carrier licence. You will need to register for a Waste Carrier Licence if your business transports waste, buys, sells or disposes of waste. This includes arrangments for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of the waste. It doesn't matter if you're a sole trader or a limited company, you will still need a licence for carrying waste. Once registered, your details appear in the public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers. It is also your responsibility to maintain and keep records of all the waste that you take to a waste transfer station. It should be noted that there are different processes for tier registration in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If you have any problems or questions about the process or require help filling in the application forms, then Gov.uk recommends contacting the Environment Agency. There are two types of Waste Carrier Licences; Upper and Lower Tiers. Let's break it down a bit.  

What's the difference between upper and lower tiers?

A person or organisation will be lower tier waste carrier if they:

• only carry their own waste they produced while carrying out their business, unless it is construction or demolition waste

  Only carry (carrier), arrange (broker) or deal (dealer) in:

• animal by-products

• waste from mines and quarries

• waste from agricultural premises

• are a charity or voluntary organisation

  A lower tier carrier may also include a waste collection, disposal or regulation authority. If none of the lower tier criteria apply, a person or organisation will be an upper tier waste carrier. Key examples are if a business:

• transports other people's waste, like a skip company

• carries construction and demolition waste

• arranges for waste from other businesses’ to be transported, recovered or disposed of (waste broker)

• buys or sells waste or uses an agent to do so (dealer) such as a scrap metal dealer.

How much does registration cost?

If you are transporting your own waste produced by yourself, registration is usually free when completed online. Otherwise, the registration fee is £154.  

What is the fine if I do not register for a Waste Carrier Licence?

The environmental offences fines are up to £5000. There have been some very unusual cases where prosecution has come into force for even the smallest amount of undeclared waste.   So, don't get caught out, make sure you are a registered waste carrier today. Find out more information, register or renew your Waste Carrier Licence on the offical government website.  

Did you know that we recycle boilers now?

At Mr Central Heating, we can further reduce the stress of dealing with your waste by recycling your old boiler waste for you with the BoilerBox. Simply place old boilers and related waste inside the BoilerBox and we will collect and recycle the boiler for you. The Boiler Box is collapsable which makes it easy to store in the van until it's needed. It is extremely robust and has handles and a security seal for the lid. This allows for save removal without any mess or risk to the engineers. Once we have received the old boiler, it will be broken down and recycled responsibly.  

Recycle your boiler with BoilerBox; the simple, hassle free and environmentally responsible way.