The following information is offered
as guidance to the most commonly asked questions relating to
our Commercial and Trade Waste collection service.
Further information regarding our Commercial and Trade
Waste services can be obtained by using the contact details at
the bottom of this page.
What is Duty of Care?
The Duty of Care is a law which says that businesses must take
all reasonable steps to keep waste safe. Waste must be stored
safely and securely and must not cause pollution to people or the
environment. The waste must be packaged in suitable
containers so that it cannot fall out, blow away or escape from the
receptacle. It must be secured against unauthorised removal
as far as is reasonably practical. Security should be
sufficient to prevent the breaking open of containers and removal
of waste by vandals, thieves, animals, accident or weather.
Businesses must ensure that the person removing the waste is
either from a local authority or a licensed waste collection
company. If you give waste to someone else, you must be
sure they are authorised to take it and can transport, recycle or
dispose of it safely. If you break this law, you can be fined
an unlimited amount.
The Duty of Care applies to anyone who produces or imports,
keeps or stores, transports, treats or disposes of waste. It
also applies if you act as a broker and arrange these things.
To find out more about waste Duty of Care legislation and what
you need to do, visit
the DEFRA
website.
Does Barrow Borough Council provide a Commercial and Trade
Waste Collection Service?
Barrow Borough Council does not provide this service but there
are companies in yellow pages that can provide a range of services,
including:
- Refuse collection using a range of containers to suit every
business need.
- they can issue sacks where bin storage may be a problem.
- removal of one-off loads and items.
Why can't I take my business waste to the Council's tips?
The household waste recycling
sites are provided for residents to dispose of waste generated from
their own homes. The sites are not licensed for business
waste or for household waste delivered by people running waste
carrying or gardening businesses.
What happens if I don't have a
Commercial and Trade Waste Collection?
If you are unable to demonstrate
that you have given your waste to a registered waste carrier or
taken it to a licensed waste site you could be fined an
unlimited amount. If you give your waste to an unregistered
waste carrier, they may be illegally fly-tipping the waste and
you could be fined.
The council's waste enforcement officers are authorised to
inspect Waste Transfer Documentation. Failure to produce
these documents when asked to do so could result in prosecution and
a fine of up to £5000. All such Documentation must be kept
for at least 2 years.
I have a business. Can I be part of the recycling
scheme?
By law, we have to make a charge for the removal of rubbish
and waste from business properties so it is not possible for
businesses to have recycled items collected from their
premises.
We are making recycling services for householders a priority at
the moment but we can identify waste management companies who
can help reduce the amount of waste produced by your business.