| One of the basic rules governing waste disposal is | | | | client has never received a Waste Transfer Note |
| the need for properly completed Waste Transfer | | | | from their existing waste contractor and often hasn't |
| Notes. | | | | even seen that contractors waste carrier's license. |
| As well as exposing your business to considerable | | | | Naturally, being part of a compliant waste company, |
| risks you could also be missing out on opportunities | | | | I'd like to see the authorities do more in terms of |
| to cut costs and improve your Corporate Social | | | | prosecuting instances of non-compliance – but, |
| Responsibility. | | | | equally, I think much more could be done to raise the |
| | | | awareness of the benefits of compliance. |
| | | | | Over and above avoiding possible fines and civil |
| If you're an organisation producing waste you have a | | | | actions, one of the real benefits of insisting on |
| legal duty of care to ensure that it is disposed of | | | | properly completed Waste Transfer Notes are how |
| properly. This means only ever using licensed waste | | | | they can help identify opportunities to cut costs and |
| carriers to remove waste (running it down the local | | | | improve recycling rates. A Waste Transfer Note |
| tip in the company car is a no no!), and requiring a | | | | provides a wealth of information such as the weight, |
| Waste Transfer Note for each collection. Waste | | | | volume and material mix of the waste, as well as |
| Transfer Notes will vary in design from company to | | | | address and date of the collection. Reviewing Waste |
| company, but should always contain the following | | | | Transfer Notes for the year, when matched against |
| information: | | | | waste disposal invoices, allows you to calculate |
| • Description of waste | | | | average disposal cost per cubic yard (or per tonne), |
| • How the waste is contained | | | | average collection size and also frequency of order |
| • Quantity of waste | | | | – all extremely useful information when |
| • Place, date and time of transfer | | | | comparing alternative waste contractors and rate |
| • Name and address of both parties (yourselves | | | | structures. Equally, looking at aggregate material data |
| and the carrier) | | | | should highlight whether it makes sense to segregate |
| • Waste carriers license number | | | | certain waste streams (eg. Paper, metal, plastics) |
| • Appropriate European Waste Catalogue (EWC) | | | | on-site for separate collection or reuse to reduce |
| code/s for your waste | | | | disposal costs and increase landfill diversion. |
| Were an organisation to take the risk, and have an | | | | But without Waste Transfer Notes, organisations |
| unlicensed carrier clear their waste or were unable to | | | | have little insight into the amount and type of waste |
| produce a valid Waste Transfer Note and it turns out | | | | they are generating and so will always be at a |
| that the waste is fly-tipped or disposed of | | | | disadvantage when it comes to reviewing the rates |
| improperly, they would be risking criminal prosecution, | | | | they are charged by their waste contractor or |
| civil liability and some potentially very negative PR. | | | | exploring how they might change their operational |
| However, despite these risks of non-compliance, we | | | | practices to reduce the amount of waste destined |
| regularly attend sales meetings where a prospective | | | | for landfill. |