Commercial businesses have a duty of care to ensure that their waste is minimised and disposed of correctly and that they contract with businesses that are registered to handle the type of waste they are taking.
There are a variety of waste collection and disposal services which includes general waste, recycling, glass, food waste, clinical waste, hazardous waste, secure document shredding and washroom waste. Below we have explored what the leading waste management, collection and disposal providers can offer.
The table below gives a quick price comparison of the top UK providers for commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
| Commercial Waste Management, Collection & Disposal | Commercial Recycling | Hazardous Waste Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Biffa | Yes | Yes |
| Veolia | Yes | Yes |
| Business Waste Management | Yes | Yes |
| SUEZ | Yes | Yes |
| Viridor | Yes | Yes |
| FCC Environment | Yes | Yes |
| Wayst | Yes | Yes |
| AMA Waste Management | Yes | No |
| Simply Waste Solutions | Yes | Yes |
| CheaperWaste | Yes | Yes |
| Local Councils* | Yes | Check with your local council |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another.
Topics
1. Biffa
Some of the features and benefits of Biffa’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers a variety of waste management services
- General waste management
- Dry mixed recycling
- Commercial food waste collection
- Hazardous waste treatment
- Skip hire
- 24/7 emergency waste clearances
- Fully Licensed waste carrier
- Has dedicated waste transfer stations nationwide
- Offers an online CustomerZone to manage your services
Biffa is a commercial waste management company that operates across 95% of the UK serving sectors including construction, manufacturing, hospitality, retail and public sector. They offer a variety of collection and disposal services which include general waste, dry mixed recycling, food waste, hazardous waste treatment and skip hire.
Biffa is a fully licensed waste carrier who operates its own dedicated waste transfer stations across the nation. They provide a variety of bin collections as well as operating a 24/7 emergency waste clearance service. They provide an online CustomerZone to allow you to manage your account and services including scheduling collections, select additional services and pay bills.
2. Veolia
Some of the features and benefits of Veolia’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers business recycling and waste management
- Covers the whole of the UK
- Provides waste removal and disposal
- Commercial waste collection
- Offers a variety of recycling options
- Food waste collection
- Hazardous waste management
- Secure destruction of sensitive waste
- Aims to reduce waste going to landfill
- Can help businesses to meet their Packaging Waste Regulations
Veolia is a utility support service across waste, water and energy which includes business recycling and waste management services. They operate throughout the UK providing waste removal and disposal and they can help support those businesses that need to meet the Packaging Waste Regulations.
Veolia offers a wide range of commercial waste management services which include recycling, food waste collection, hazardous waste management and the destruction of sensitive waste such as confidential waste, product recalls and drugs. Their recycling services include dry mixed, glass, paper/card, plastics, coffee cups and food waste. Their hazardous waste management includes collection, on-site testing, classification and treatment.
3. Business Waste Management
Some of the features and benefits of Business Waste Management’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Provides sustainable business waste management services
- Collection and disposal services
- UK coverage
- Recycling
- Waste disposal teams
- Clinical and sanitary waste
- Food waste
- Confidential waste
- Offers a variety of bins to suit your volumes of waste
- Provides full site audits
Business Waste Management offers sustainable business waste management services including collection and disposal across the UK. Their waste management services include full site audits undertaken by a qualified consultant, support in monitoring and implementing waste management policies, guidance on legislation. They endeavour to ease your waste management pressures and provide a seamless service.
Business Waste Management offers a professional and tailored service for all types of waste including specialist waste services. They provide a variety of bins that are designed to cater for your needs based on storage and volumes. Their collections include recycling, food waste, sanitary waste, clinical waste, confidential waste and hazardous waste.
Business Waste Management website
4. SUEZ
Some of the features and benefits of SUEZ’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Provides recovery and waste management services
- Waste recycling
- Waste treatment
- Hazardous waste management
- Biowaste
- Clinical waste
- Operates sorting centres and waste recovery platforms
- Assists clients in meeting their regulatory obligations
- Produces energy from waste
- International provider
SUEZ is an international water and waste management provider that offers a variety of recovery and waste management services including recycling, waste treatment and disposal, hazardous waste management, site deconstruction and soil decontamination, industrial cleaning and maintenance.
SUEZ operates a variety of sorting centres and waste recovery platforms that can produce energy from waste. Their waste collection service includes biowaste, plastic, paper/card, wood, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, waste electronic equipment, oil, solvents and infectious clinical waste. Their hazardous waste collection and handling services include solid, liquid, packaged and bulk waste that helps businesses to meet their regulatory obligations.
5. Viridor
Some of the features and benefits of Viridor’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers waste collection and recovery services
- Covers the whole of the UK
- Works with local authorities and businesses
- Offers complete compliance and traceability
- Flexible and tailored solutions
- General waste collections
- Recycling collections
- Construction waste
- Confidential waste
- Hazardous waste
Viridor is one of the largest providers of recycling, energy recovery and landfill diversion facilities in the UK. They work with local authorities and businesses with their large fleet of collection vehicles, a network of collection depots and advanced facility sites.
Viridor offers a flexible approach to waste management and they will tailor their solution to meet your needs ensuring that you have complete compliance and traceability of your waste. Their waste management services include general waste collections, recycling, confidential waste, construction waste, hazardous waste and liquid waste. They also offer a free waste audit to ensure that you minimise waste and have the right solution put in place.
6. FCC Environment
Some of the features and benefits of FCC Environment’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers tailored waste solutions to businesses
- UK coverage
- National network of specialist facilities
- General waste
- Recycling
- Hazardous waste
- Confidential waste
- Clinical waste
- Washroom waste
- Provides a dedicated support team
FCC Environment is a leading waste and resource management provider in the UK that aims to minimise the amount of waste that goes to landfill and to streamline the amount of time clients spend on managing waste. They offer a broad range of services and have a national network of specialist facilities.
FCC Environment offers collections for general waste, recycling, hazardous waste, confidential waste, clinical waste, washroom waste, bulky waste and WEEE. They also offer integrated waste management solutions and waste and recycling equipment. They provide a variety of waste receptacles including various sizes of wheelie bins, skips, RORO and front end loaders.
7. Wayst
Some of the features and benefits of Wayst’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers waste disposal services in London
- Aim to be an environmentally friendly provider
- Confidential document destruction
- Data destruction
- Hazardous waste disposal
- White goods recycling
- WEEE recycling and IT disposal
- Tyre recycling
- A variety of clearance services
- Next day guarantee
Wayst is a waste management provider that offers services to commercial, construction and domestic sectors as well as skip hire. They were formed in 2020 when Enviro Waste and DBV merged, but Enviro Waste has been operating since 2012. They operate in London and offer a service that aims to be one of the most environmentally friendly waste disposal businesses.
Wayst offers a variety of waste management solutions which includes confidential document destruction, data destruction, hazardous waste disposal, electronic recycling including WEEE recycling and IT disposal, white goods recycling and tyre recycling. They also offer clearance services which include offices, hotels, warehouses and shop clearance.
8. AMA Waste Management
Some of the features and benefits of AMA Waste Management’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Provides a range of waste management services
- Operates across the UK with a network of local depots
- Tailored solutions
- Provides reliable and efficient service
- Recycling
- Confidential waste
- IT equipment
- Hazardous waste
- Muckaway services and site clearance
- Major construction
AMA Waste Management is a waste management provider that specialises in providing on-site services across the UK. Their waste services include construction, commercial and hazardous waste removal as well as skip hire. They have a network of over 1,000 depots across the UK that provide local services and aim to operate in an environmentally friendly way.
AMA Waste Management offers major construction, site clearance and muckaway services as well as commercial waste and hazardous waste services. Their commercial waste services include recycling of cardboard, paper and plastics, confidential waste shredding, IT equipment collections and recycling. Hazardous waste disposal includes asbestos, paint, tyres, oil, pesticides, and fridges.
9. Simply Waste Solutions
Some of the features and benefits of Simply Waste Solutions’ commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers business waste solutions
- National coverage
- Offers a variety of waste receptacles
- Dry mixed recyclables, separate glass and coffee cup recycling
- Food waste
- Residual waste
- Confidential waste
- WEEE waste
- Hazardous waste
- Site audits to assess needs and minimise waste to landfill
Simply Waste Solutions is a business waste solution provider that offers national coverage through a network of trusted partners. They offer site audits to assess your needs and will help you to reduce your waste streams and increase the amount of goods recycled.
Simply Waste Solutions offers a broad range of waste container types which includes bags, wheelie bins, rear end loaders, roll on roll off, waste compactors, waste balers and event bin hire. They collect separated waste and mixed collections and will also undertake rubbish clearance. They collect dry mixed recycling, glass, food waste, residual waste, confidential waste, WEEE waste, coffee up recycling and hazardous waste.
Simply Waste Solutions website
10. CheaperWaste
Some of the features and benefits of CheaperWaste’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Provides cost-effective waste management services
- Comprehensive and tailored service
- General waste
- Dry mixed recycling and glass recycling
- Food waste
- Clinical waste
- Hazardous waste
- Secure document shredding
- Washroom services
- Skip hire
CheaperWaste is a waste management services provider that offers a cost-effective range of waste collection and disposal services that are comprehensive and tailored to meet the needs of their customers. Through providing a comprehensive range of services they can combine your waste collection services to a single provider to reduce costs and administration. They operate across the UK.
CheaperWaste offers a broad range of waste management solutions including general waste, dry mixed recycling, glass recycling, food waste, clinical waste, hazardous waste, secure document shredding, washroom services and skip hire. Where possibly they will assist you in minimising the amount of waste that goes to landfill through separating recyclables wherever possible.
11. Local Authorities
In many areas of the country, local authorities operate commercial waste collection and disposal services. You should explore which local authority services operate in your area as some offer services that cross boundaries or provide countywide services covering several council areas. Below are a few examples of some of the local authority offerings. What each council offers can vary but they tend to offer general waste and recycling services, and some run their own waste recovery services.
Yorwaste
Some of the features and benefits of Yorwaste’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers integrated commercial waste management solutions across North Yorkshire
- Owned by North Yorkshire and York councils
- Aims to offer sustainable, innovative and economical waste solutions
- Comprehensive collection services
- In-house waste processing solutions including recycling, production of aggregates and compost products
- General waste
- Dry mixed recycling
- Separated glass and cardboard recycling
- Food waste
- Confidential waste
Birmingham City Council
Some of the features and benefits of Birmingham City Council’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers commercial waste collection services
- Cost-effective and reliable service
- Fixed annual cost
- Environmentally responsible waste management
- Wheelie bin containers from 240 to 1,280 litres
- Pre-paid sacks designed for smaller businesses
- Skips, large containers and roll on and roll off containers
- General waste
- Dry mixed recycling
- Paper and cardboard recycling
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20020/commercial_waste
Stevenage Borough Council
Some of the features and benefits of Stevenage Borough Council’s commercial waste management, collection and disposal.
- Offers commercial waste collection services
- Assessed collection service
- Offers a variety refuse containers
- Provides sack collection where bin storage is an issue
- General waste collection
- Recycling
- Clinical waste
- Can provide compactors
- Offers one off loads or item collection services
- Will collect most items except building rubble and hazardous waste
http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/commercial-waste/94006/
FAQ
What is classed as commercial waste?
Commercial waste, unlike domestic waste, is the waste produced by premises used for the purpose of business, trade, education, entertainment, sport, and recreation.
Commercial waste is also referred to as business waste and includes paper, plastic, brick, concrete, tile, timber, garden waste, metal, rubble, and cardboard.
Hazardous waste is not considered to be commercial waste and has to be disposed of in a safe way.
It is the responsibility of the business to dispose of waste correctly. Failure to dispose of waste illegally can result in a fine under the Environment Protection Act of 1999.
Businesses also have a duty of care that includes storing industrial waste in suitable containers. Local councils and the Environment Agency can issue fines to companies that fail to adhere to the regulations in place.
Where do I take business waste?
Commercial waste must be disposed of at dedicated commercial waste disposal sites, and you should separate the rubbish for recycling. Anyone disposing of commercial waste must fill out a waste transfer note and be fully registered to transport waste and dispose of it.
You will be able to check with your local council for commercial waste disposal sites in your area or those operating a waste carrier service.
How do waste removal companies make money?
Waste removal companies make it easier for businesses to dispose of commercial waste properly.
If your business produces waste, you must dispose of this in the correct manner. Your waste carrier will be able to arrange collections and dispose of this for you.
Waste transfer companies make money by renting out bins to businesses and arranging collection services. Only non-hazardous waste will be collected, and it is advised that companies keep rubbish to a minimum for a more cost-effective service.
You can rent different bins to make it easier to store and recycle waste on the business premises safely, and you will then be able to arrange for your collections that suit your business needs.
What are the examples of business waste?
There are many different kinds of commercial or business waste, including:
General waste – General waste is the most common kind of waste in companies as it is the everyday rubbish generated in offices or companies that can’t be recycled. This can include food wrappers, napkins and tissues, packaging, polystyrene, and other non-recyclable waste in rubbish bins.
Food waste – If you work in an office or shop, food waste will be minimal, and any produced will likely be disposed of in a bin. Restaurants and other businesses that deal with food will have a far more significant amount that will need to be disposed of correctly.
Glass waste – Glass waste in some businesses won’t amount to much, but a glass recycling bin can be useful and won’t need to be collected very often. Other industries, such as those in hospitality services, will have a considerable amount of glass waste. Regular collection of glass recycling bins from these businesses will be required.
Dry mixed recycling – Dry mixed recycling includes paper, cans, cardboard, plastic bottles, and other day-to-day recyclable items. Separating and sorting this into separate bins can significantly reduce how often you will need to arrange someone to collect waste.
Secure document shredding – If a business works with confidential information, waste can’t be disposed of where anyone can get access to it, even if it has been shredded. Law firms, banks, accountancy firms, and other businesses dealing with confidential information may require a service to dispose of this waste material.
Hazardous waste – This can be corrosive, ignitable, poisonous, or toxic and needs to be disposed of correctly using a specialist service. Materials considered hazardous include kerosene, oil, paint stripper, latex, swimming pool chemicals, pesticides, chemical fertilisers, antifreeze, diesel, and many more.
Clinical waste – Waste produced in hospitals, dental practices, doctors’ offices, and even tattoo shops can be infectious and will need to be disposed of correctly.
Sanitary waste – Businesses can also use services to come in to dispose of sanitary products in toilets.
How is commercial waste handled?
There are different ways that commercial waste will be handled depending on the type of waste it is.
Lots of waste can be separated and recycled, with some being reused, such as bottles.
Some waste that can’t be recycled can be incinerated to create energy, with the remaining waste being buried in a landfill site.
How much does it cost to dispose of hazardous waste in the UK?
Businesses must dispose of hazardous waste correctly, and specialist waste disposal services are available to remove and dispose of it safely.
The cost of hazardous waste collection and disposal will differ depending on the materials, quantity, and service provider.
On average, you could expect to pay anywhere from £40 to £150 per ton to dispose of hazardous materials in the UK.