Introduction
Information and guidance to help businesses recycle, reduce waste and keep up to date on regulatory requirements can be found on the Business of Recycling website. Developed by WRAP, contents includes advice on waste audits, Duty of Care, procurement, communicating with staff, managing and storing waste.
- A waste calculator tool to see how much waste a business generates and how recycling can help save money.
- Guidance on the importance of recycling, waste audits, Duty of Care, procurement, communicating in the workplace, managing and storing waste
- Free downloadable communications resources to help businesses engage with staff and encourage recycling in the workplace.
Your duty of care
All businesses producing any waste should have a trade waste agreement with a registered waste carrier or take their refuse to a site licensed to accept trade waste. They have a duty to ensure that any waste produced is handled safely and legally. ‘Duty of Care’ applies to anyone who produces, imports, transports, stores, treats or disposes of waste from business or industry.
Businesses must ensure that:
- All waste is stored and disposed of responsibly
- Waste is only handled or dealt with by people or businesses authorised to do so, or delivered to a site licensed to take it
- Records are kept for at least two years of all waste transferred or received
For more information on Duty of Care and your responsibilities see the Right Waste, Right Place website.
Business waste collections
Unlike household waste, which is paid for through Council Tax, waste collections for businesses are not included in business rates. All businesses must arrange and pay for waste services as part of their Duty of Care.
This includes business run from home, such as B&Bs/holiday lets, childminding, hairdressing, car parts etc.
Your business must pay to recycle or dispose of business waste whether or not it is registered, a company or pays business rates.
For more information: gov.uk/managing-your-waste-an-overview
Costs of collections depend on the waste type, containers used and collection frequency.
Reducing, reusing and recycling waste are better for the environment and may save you money.
We recommend you compare prices and services from the range of providers to get the best deal. For business waste facilities provided by Somerset Council, see our business waste services
We can provide charged-for collections for businesses if requested, through our collection contractor.
| Contractor | Materials accepted | |
|---|---|---|
| General recycling and waste contractors | ||
| Biffa 0800 307307 | Paper, confidential waste, cardboard, container glass, food and drinks cans, plastic bottles, metals, hazardous waste, WEEE. Refuse. Cans in dry mixed recycling service. Mixed metals – skip service only. | |
| Binit 01392 247035 | General, dry mixed, glass, food, card, clinical, hygiene, confidential, textiles, wood, metals, hazardous waste, WEEE, skip hire, fluorescent tubes, batteries, vending cups, beverage cartons, glass bottles, printer cartridges. Provision of storage containers, balers and compactors available. | |
| Bottleman 01297 21719 | Paper, cardboard, container glass, food and drinks cans, plastic bottles, food waste. Mixed plastics, plate glass. Please note: food waste service only has limited coverage. | |
| Commercial Recycling 01749 830889 | Builders waste, commercial waste, farm plastic, glass, paper, cardboard, metal, green waste, mixed plastics, wood waste, WEEE. Contact direct for full details. | |
| Devon Contract Waste 01392 361300 | Clinical, sanitary, medical, sharps, confidential waste, food waste, glass bottle, green waste, hazardous waste, mixed commercial, Paper and cardboard, plastic recycling, WEEE. | |
| DS Smith – Recycling Division 0800 7831831 | Paper, confidential waste, cardboard, container glass, food and drinks cans, plastic bottles, textiles, wood, metals, hazardous waste, WEEE. Refuse. Dry mixed recycling collection now available. | |
| Great Western Recycling 03003034856 | General waste, dry mixed recycling, glass, cardboard, food waste, sanitary, clinical waste, confidential waste. | |
| J W Waste Recycling Ltd 01761 479444 | Paper, cardboard, container glass, food and drinks cans, plastic bottles. Refuse. Polythene acceptable either as a separate stream or in mixed recycling collections. | |
| M&J Bowers 0800 0276255 | Paper, confidential waste, cardboard, textiles. Office clearance, secure document destruction on and off site. Please note: cardboard is only taken if a paper contract is in place. | |
| M.J. Church 01225 891591 | General waste, mixed recycling, food and glass. | |
| Perry’s Recycling 01935 850111 | Paper, confidential waste, cardboard, polythene film, rigid plastics, cans, plastic bottles, metals, wood, WEEE items, fluorescent tubes, batteries, vending cups, beverage cartons, glass bottles, printer cartridges. Provision of storage containers, balers and compactors available. | |
| SUEZ recycling and recovery UK 0800 0830504 | General waste, mixed recycling, glass and food waste collections. SUEZ also offer secure shredding and hazardous waste services. | |
| Veolia Environmental Services 0845 6060460 | Paper, confidential waste, cardboard, container glass, food and drinks cans, food waste, plastic bottles, wood, metals, hazardous waste, WEEE. Refuse. Dry mixed recycling collection now available – paper/card/plastic/cans. | |
| ICT and electrical waste specialist contractors | ||
| Byteback IT Solutions Ltd 0117 3706456 | IT equipment recycling and data destruction. | |
| Pure Planet Recycling 01234 315496 | Secure recycling of all types of electrical waste including computers, IT equipment and fridge/freezers. | |
| Stone – IT Asset Disposal 08448 22 11 22 | IT equipment recycling and data destruction. | |
| Skip hire companies | ||
| Wellington Waste Management 01823 664628 | Skip hire. | |
| Compare Skip Hire | Skip hire comparison website. | |
| Ohire.co.uk | Skip hire (and other equipment) comparison website. | |
| Skip Hire Services 0203 7013804 | Skip hire. | |
| The Skip Company 03000 309978 | Skip hire. |