Waste treated as commercial waste
Commercial waste is waste produced from:
- a commercial organisation
- a business or trade
- a person's employment
- a village hall
- an educational establishment (an exception may be made for recyclable material where no alternative disposal is available)
- non-residential caravans
- a landlord
Commercial waste disposal
We accept certain types of commercial waste at all of our household waste recycling centres (except at the Harrogate Stonefall centre) during standard opening hours, Monday to Saturday (closed Wednesdays and bank holidays).
To encourage reuse and recycling, the following types of commercial waste will be accepted free of charge in any volume:
- scrap metal
- clothing
- mixed cans and plastics
- hard plastics
Read the user guidance for what you need to know when disposing commercial waste at one of our household waste recycling centres, including the types of vehicles we allow on to sites and waste types we do not accept.
You have a legal responsibility to ensure you produce, store, transport and dispose of your commercial waste without harming the environment. Find further information about commercial waste on GOV.UK.
What to do when you arrive on site
When you arrive on site, commercial waste customers must present their waste carrier's licence to site staff before disposing of waste. The Environment Agency requires you to be registered with an upper tier licence if you wish to dispose of any construction or demolition waste. You will also need to speak with a staff member to agree the volume and type of waste you have. This determines how much you have to pay before completing a controlled waste transfer note.
If you empty your vehicle without reporting to site staff, or do not complete a transfer note, it will be assumed your vehicle was full and you will be charged the maximum waste disposal rate for your vehicle.
Why we charge for commercial waste
As household waste recycling centres are primarily for residents to dispose of their household waste, we make a charge for commercial waste to cover the cost of providing this commercial service. If you don't want to pay, you will not be able to deposit your waste at one of our centres and you will have to use another disposal option, such as hiring a skip or taking the waste to a private waste management company.
Payments
We do not apply VAT to non-household and commercial waste disposal charges. All payments must be made via debit or credit card.
If you are a regular user of the household waste recycling centres you can apply for an account. Accounts will be cancelled if they are not used for a period of three months. Invoices must be paid promptly - credit will not be given to customers who are consistently late payers or have not paid at all. Please contact us for more information on how to apply.
Charges
Commercial customers will be charged for hardcore, rubble and plasterboard and tyres as well as the following types of waste: