Anyone who takes waste away for you in England must be a registered waste carrier. Ask for their registration number, which for a business carrier usually starts with CBDU, then search it on the Environment Agency’s free public register on GOV.UK. Check that the name and address on the register match the business you’re booking. Ours is CBDU425022.
1.Why you should check
In England, householders have a legal duty of care for their own waste. Handing it to someone isn’t the end of your responsibility. You have to take reasonable steps to make sure they’re allowed to carry it.
If you give your rubbish to an unregistered collector and it ends up dumped in a lay-by, the council can trace it back to you, and you can be fined. Fly-tipped bags often contain letters, parcels and receipts with names and addresses on them.
2.How to check a waste carrier licence in two minutes
- Ask for the registration numberAny legitimate carrier will give it to you straight away. Many put it on their website, van or quotes. If they dodge the question, that’s your answer.
- Open the public registerSearch GOV.UK for “waste carrier register”. The Environment Agency’s public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers is free and needs no account.
- Search the number or the business nameEnter the registration number, or the company name if you don’t have it.
- Match the detailsCheck that the name, address and registration on the register match the business you’re dealing with, and that the registration hasn’t expired.
That’s it. If the details match, you’ve done what the law asks of you. It’s also worth keeping the quote or message where you booked the collection, in case you ever need to show who took your waste.
3.What a waste carrier number looks like
Registration numbers for waste carriers in England usually start with CBDU (upper tier, for businesses carrying other people’s waste) or CBDL (lower tier, for organisations that mostly carry their own waste or certain low-risk types). A company that collects household rubbish, clearance waste or builders’ waste for customers needs an upper tier registration.
| Prefix | Tier | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| CBDU | Upper tier | Businesses that carry, broker or deal in other people’s waste, such as rubbish removal companies |
| CBDL | Lower tier | Organisations that mainly carry their own waste, charities and some low-risk waste types |
Take Me Elsewhere Ltd is registered as an upper tier waste carrier under CBDU425022. You can check it on the register now.
4.Warning signs to look out for
- No registration number, or a number that doesn’t match the business name on the register.
- Cash only, with no written quote, invoice or business address.
- A price far below everyone else’s for the same job.
- Only contactable through a social media post or a leaflet with a mobile number.
- No interest in what the waste is, or happy to take hazardous items like paint or asbestos without question.
One of these on its own isn’t proof of anything. Two or three together is a good reason to book someone else.
5.Five questions to ask before you book
The register tells you a carrier is allowed to take your waste. These questions tell you whether they’ll handle it properly. A good collector answers all five without hesitating.
- What’s your waste carrier number?You need it to check the register. Write it down with the business name.
- Where will my waste go?The answer should be a licensed facility, a recycling centre or a reuse outlet, not “we deal with it”.
- Is the price confirmed before you start?A fair collector prices from photos or a visit, and tells you before loading if the job turns out bigger.
- What can’t you take?Anyone who says “anything” is a worry. Hazardous waste such as asbestos, paint and chemicals needs specialist handling.
- Can I have that in writing?A quote by message or email, and an invoice afterwards, is your record of who took your waste and when.
6.Businesses have more to do
If the waste comes from a business, a production or a building site, the duty of care goes further. As well as using a registered carrier, the business needs to describe the waste properly and keep records of each transfer.
Productions working towards green production standards often also want to know how much of their waste was recycled. We provide a free waste report on request, with the number of bags, the approximate weight collected and an estimated carbon impact. See our film and TV waste removal service for how it works on set.
