Find out how and when to send in a consignee return form.
Do I need to send in a consignee return?
You must send us a consignee return if you:
- have received any hazardous waste onto your site
- have received hazardous waste from someone else, but rejected it for whatever reason
- produce hazardous waste and dispose of it on the site where you produced it.
What is a consignee return?
When a waste is collected from a producer or holder and transferred to a person for them to do something with, that person is a consignee.
The Hazardous Waste Regulations state that a consignee must send a consignee return to us on a quarterly basis.
The return must provide a detailed summary of all the hazardous waste that the consignee has received or deposited, as well as the consignments the consignee has rejected.
If you don't provide a consignee return where you are required to, or the return is inaccurate, legal action could be taken against you.
When do I need to send the return?
If you are a consignee, you must provide a return every three months by the dates shown below:
- Quarter 1 - 1 January to 31 March - must be provided by 30 April in the same year as the quarter falls
- Quarter 2 - 1 April to 30 June - must be provided by 31 July in the same year as the quarter falls
- Quarter 3 - 1 July to 30 September - must be provided by 31 October in the same year as the quarter falls
- Quarter 4 - 1 October to 31 December - must be provided by 31 January in the year after the one in which the quarter falls
The Regulations do not specify how long quarterly returns should be retained. We will keep the records for 6 years and recommend that you do the same.
How do I send the return?
You can send the return electronically (email or upload to sharefile) or post us a paper form, but you must use the format we set. If you send a return through the post it will cost you more than sending it electronically.
Electronic returns
You must submit the electronic return in a specific format called XML. There are two ways to do this:
1. We have provided a simple tool so you don't have to create the XML yourself. You will need to use Microsoft Excel. You can download the tool and the instructions on how to use it below:
How to use the spreadsheet tool to create a valid electronic consignee return:
2. Prepare the returns data yourself, using our XML schema. You should only do this if you have knowledge of compiling XML.
Read the guide to the XML schema below:
For those who are familiar with compiling data in XML, this document tells you how to use the XML schema we provide to submit consignee returns.
If you require a copy of the XML Schema, please contact the Hazardous Waste Returns team on 03708 506 506.
Once you have prepared an XML version of your return you can either email it or upload it to sharefile. Sharefile is a program that allows users to upload files, which may be useful to those that have large or numerous files to submit. If you would like further information regarding sharefile please see contact details below for our Hazardous Waste Consignee Returns team.
Cost: £10 per single consignment and £5 per individual consignment that was part of a multiple collection round.
Paper forms
Download the form below. We have also provided guidance on how to complete it:
Advice on how to prepare a consignee return on a paper form:
Cost: £19 per single consignment and £10 per individual consignment (if it was part of a multiple collection round).
Post your completed paper form to:
National Operator Returns
Environment Agency
Quadrant 2
99 Parkway Avenue
Parkway Business Park
Sheffield
S9 4WF
Contact us
Get in touch with the the Hazardous waste consignee returns team by writing to the address above or telephone 03708 506 506 or:
Derogations for specific waste streams
We have agreed a regulatory position called a 'derogation' for certain waste streams. There are slightly different rules on how the consignee return is completed for these wastes.
To find out what waste streams have a derogation and what the rules are for these wastes, please see the link below:
