Business and commercial waste disposal

Any waste that a business produces is classed as commercial waste.

This includes:

• waste from premises that are used either wholly or predominantly for trade, business, sport, recreation or entertainment
• waste produced by a business in the home

Examples of waste produced by a business in the home:

• waste produced at households by builders and contractors
• waste from rented properties collected by the landlord or property management agents
• waste from home-based business activities such us childminding, accountancy, hair and beauty services

Your duty of care

Businesses have legal obligations about storing and disposing of waste from premises, called ‘commercial waste duty of care’.

Failure to follow this can result in prosecutions. Read the waste duty of care code of practice on GOV.UK.

How to dispose of commercial waste

Take it to a transfer station

You can take commercial waste to a transfer station which are located next to the recycling centres at:

• Yate, Collett Way, Great Western Business Park, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5NL
  01454 315508
• Mangotsfield, Carsons Road, Mangotsfield, Bristol, BS16 9LL
  01179 562086

Contact the site prior to your visit for details of the type of waste that is accepted and any charges that apply.

On arrival you will have to provide either a waste carrier licence or a duty of care waste transfer note, before unloading any waste. GOV.UK has information about how to register for or renew a licence.

Neither transfer station will accept any hazardous waste for disposal.

Get it collected

We offer a cost-effective and reliable collection service to help you manage your commercial waste better.

Our waste management team will talk through your requirements and give help and advice.

Collection services include:

• weekly collections of non-recyclable waste
• a separate recycling collection service for paper, card, cartons, plastics, cans and food waste.

Contact us at waste.management@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 863480.

You can also arrange for a waste collection from a commercial contractor. It is your legal duty to ensure that the waste is collected by a licensed waste carrier and that it is disposed of correctly.

Providers of licensed commercial waste collections can be found through an online search or local phone directory.

We can arrange for a commercial waste collection by a registered waste carrier for you, but will make a 20% administration charge. Use the ‘contact’ box on this page to get in touch with us.