Waste
The UK produces around 330 million tonnes of waste annually - a quarter of which is from households and business. The rest comes from construction and demolition, sewage sludge, farm waste and spoils from mines and dredging of rivers.
What help can you get here?
If you are a business producing or disposing of waste, there are various regulations that you need to comply with to ensure that you don’t get prosecuted. If you produce hazardous waste, you need to register with us and follow the correct process. You can only take certain items to landfill and many waste activities need a permit. To find out about permitted and exempt waste activities click on Environmental Permitting below.
If you manage waste within a local authority, read our Local authorities section, and if you’re a landfill operator or work in the waste management industry, see the Waste management industry pages. You can find data on waste in the Waste overview section and if you want to find out what rules apply to household waste, check the Household section.
- Recent changes in waste legislation
The Landfill Directive is improving the way we manage waste by diverting it away from landfill. Recent changes in legislation mean it's illegal for a landfill operator to accept untreated or liquid waste and waste with a total organic carbon (TOC) content of more than 6% waste. This is an opportunity for businesses to get better at reducing, sorting and recycling their waste. - Environmental Permitting
Information on the new Environmental Permitting Regulations introduced from 6 April 2008. The regulations will streamline the waste management licensing and pollution control regimes. - Dealing with hazardous waste
Find out how to register as a hazardous waste producer, what paperwork you need to complete and how you should deal with your hazardous waste under the Hazardous Waste Regulations. - WEEE Regulations
Read our advice, guidance and factsheets on what you need to do comply with the regulations - Low risk waste regulation
Use this link to find out more about low risk waste activities.
