Follow the 3 steps below
All waste generated by business activity is legally classed as commercial waste, no matter how small the business or the amount of waste produced.
This includes waste generated by running a business from your home or other domestic property. Examples include:
- Airbnb rental
- dog grooming
- hairdressing
- nail technician
- massage therapy services.
It's illegal for any business to dispose of their commercial waste using the Council’s household waste services.
All businesses must arrange for a licensed waste carrier to collect their commercial waste for recycling and disposal separately from any household waste.
The cost of managing commercial waste isn’t covered by business rates.
The Government doesn’t include it because the types and quantities of commercial waste generated vary so much from business to business. The same average charge made to all businesses wouldn't be fair and those who produce little waste would end up paying for those who produce a lot.
You can find out more about your responsibilities as a business on the Gov.UK website producing commercial waste or follow the 3 steps below.
Step 1: Check to see what type of waste you produce
Check if the waste you generate is legally classed as household, commercial or industrial waste.
Step 2: Arrange for a licensed commercial waste collection
If your waste is classed as commercial, then you need to arrange for a licensed provider to collect and dispose of your waste.
When you arrange your commercial waste service, check that the provider:
- is a licensed waste carrier
- issues waste transfer notes
- offers a service that meets the Government’s new Simpler Recycling for businesses legislation
- is taking the waste to a registered and permitted waste disposal or treatment facility
You’ll be breaking the law and could be fined if you use a provider that doesn’t pass these three checks.
You can find commercial waste collection providers by searching online. Cornwall Council also offers a licensed commercial waste collection service that complies with waste management legislation.
The service is tailored to businesses that produce household-type commercial waste including:
- holiday lets
- home businesses like dog groomers and nail technicians
- shops
- cafés
- offices
- Hairdressers
The service is:
- VAT-free
- discounted for council tax-rated properties
- reliable
- flexible with a choice of container types and sizes
- environmentally-friendly
- licensed
Get a commercial waste collections quote Step 3: Take your commercial waste to a recycling centre if collections won’t work for your business
Are you a builder, trades person or cleaner generating commercial waste while working in other people’s homes or business premises?
Or does your business only generate commercial waste every now and then?
You can dispose of your commercial waste for a charge at our Newquay, St Erth, St Austell, Launceston and Bude Household Waste and Recycling Centres.
This service is for businesses that can’t use our Commercial Waste Collection Service because they:
- Work in other people’s homes or premises rather than at one property we could collect from regularly. Or
- Don’t generate commercial waste often enough for a regular collection. Or
- Have traders' waste like electrical items, wood, plasterboard, rubble and bathroom suites that we’re unable to take on our collection vehicles but not enough for a skip.
To use this service you must:
- Apply for a waste carrier’s license and bring a copy to the HWRC.
- Book your HWRC commercial waste slot in advance.
- Pay for the waste disposal when arriving at the site.
Commercial clinical and hazardous waste
Find information for businesses producing commercial clinical or hazardous waste.
More information on waste legislation
In the UK, businesses are legally obligated to manage their waste responsibly under several pieces of legislation.
The key law governing commercial, or business waste management is the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which imposes a duty of care on businesses to manage waste in a way that does not harm the environment.
Other legislation includes:
- the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, which outlines how waste should be handled, and
- the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005, which applies to businesses generating hazardous waste.
- the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013
- the Environment Act 2021, which introduces new extended producer responsibility schemes
- the Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024
Future changes to waste legislation
- Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers: joint policy statement - GOV.UK
- Digital waste tracking service - GOV.UK