Commercial Waste
While residents of Hackney Council are given a free waste disposal service, businesses of any size must pay for their waste to be removed.
As a business, you can either use a private contractor or the Hackney Commercial Waste Service. To discuss different possibilities around disposal of waste, or to arrange collections for your business, you can reach the Commercial Waste Team using the contact details below.
Any businesses who have an unusually large amount of waste produced on specific occassions should also contact the above to arrange a special collection.
Legal Information - 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 wasted 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. They will be authorised to remove waste and transport and dispose of it safely. The business must provide a written description of the waste to the person who removes it. This is known as a waste transfer note and must be completed by both persons involved in the transfer.
For further information on the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the legal observations of businesses under the Duty of Care regulations, go to www.hmso.gov.uk
Business and commercial recycling
While Hackney Council offers free recycling to all residents of the borough, it is unable to do so for businesses. This is because all our government targets concern only domestic waste. - It is expected that commercial businesses will meet the cost of recycling themselves, in the same way that they meet the cost of disposing of non-recyclable waste.
However, there are some ways in which we are able to help businesses to recycle. We offer glass recycling as Council Service, and we have details of a large number of companies offering different recycling services - you can call or email and someone will be able to offer advice on which companies might be useful, and who else to speak to.
Page updated: 14 Oct 2008