Waste Transfer Note: Everything Customers Need to Know

DefinitionWhat Is a Waste Transfer Note?

A waste transfer note, commonly shortened to WTN, is a document containing important information about a transfer of non-hazardous waste.

It normally records:

• The person or business transferring the waste
• The company collecting it
• A clear description of the waste
• The relevant waste-classification code
• The amount of waste collected
• How the waste was contained
• The collection location
• The date and time of the transfer
• The waste carrier’s registration details

The document can be produced on paper or electronically. An invoice or another document may also act as a waste transfer note if it contains all the legally required information.

Duty of careWhy Is a Waste Transfer Note Important?

A waste transfer note helps demonstrate that rubbish was passed to a legitimate waste business.

Waste does not automatically stop being your responsibility when it leaves your property. Householders and businesses must take reasonable steps to ensure that their rubbish is transferred to an authorised person.

This is why customers should always use a registered waste carrier. Unregistered collectors may handle waste illegally or dispose of it through fly-tipping.

Before hiring a rubbish-clearance company, you should:

• Ask for its waste-carrier registration number
• Check the registration on the Environment Agency public register
• Obtain a receipt or waste-transfer documentation
• Avoid unidentified collectors who cannot provide business details
• Be cautious of prices that appear unrealistically low

MM Rubbish Clearance’s Environment Agency waste-carrier registration number is CBDU418527.

HouseholdersDo Household Customers Need a Waste Transfer Note?

Householders are not normally required to complete or retain a waste transfer note for ordinary household waste produced at their own home.

However, householders still have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure their rubbish is passed only to an authorised person. Checking the collector’s waste-carrier registration is one of the most important steps a customer can take.

Receiving digital waste-transfer documentation also provides a useful record of:

• The collection date
• The waste removed
• The company that collected it
• The collector’s registration details

Different responsibilities may apply when waste is produced by a builder, gardener, plumber or another tradesperson. Waste created through a tradesperson’s work is generally business waste belonging to that tradesperson, who is responsible for arranging its lawful removal.

Waste cleared by a landlord, letting agent or property-management company may also be classified as commercial waste rather than ordinary household waste.

BusinessesDo Businesses Need a Waste Transfer Note?

Businesses must have a waste transfer note or another document containing the same required information whenever non-hazardous business waste is transferred to another party.

This requirement can apply to:

• Shops
• Offices
• Restaurants
• Landlords and letting agents
• Builders and tradespeople
• Schools and charities
• Property-management companies
• Self-employed workers
• Businesses operated from home

Waste produced through commercial activity is business waste. It must not be placed in domestic bins or taken to household recycling centres unless the facility specifically accepts commercial waste.

Both the business transferring the waste and the business receiving it must ensure that the information recorded is complete and accurate.

Required fieldsWhat Information Must a Waste Transfer Note Include?

A compliant waste transfer note should normally contain:

• An accurate written description of the waste
• The relevant List of Waste or EWC code
• An explanation of how the waste was produced
• The quantity or estimated weight
• The type and number of containers
• The transferor’s name, business and address
• The collector’s name, business and address
• The waste carrier’s registration number
• Relevant environmental permit or exemption details
• The address where the transfer occurred
• The date and time of collection
• Details of any broker or dealer involved
• The waste producer’s SIC code, where required
• Confirmation that the waste hierarchy has been considered
• The names or signatures of the parties involved

The description should contain enough information for the waste to be transported and managed safely.

Descriptions such as “rubbish” or “mixed waste” may not provide enough detail by themselves. The document should identify important materials within the load, particularly electrical equipment, plasterboard, rubble, soil or other items requiring separate handling.

ClassificationWhat Is an EWC Code?

An EWC code is a six-digit code used to classify waste. It may also be called a List of Waste or LoW code.

The correct code depends on:

• What the waste contains
• How the waste was produced
• Whether it has hazardous properties
• Whether different waste streams have been mixed

A collection containing several distinct types of waste may require more than one code.

Customers should provide an accurate description of everything being removed. MM Rubbish Clearance can then identify any items that may require separate handling or documentation.

Containment & quantityWhat Does “How the Waste Is Contained” Mean?

The waste transfer note should explain how the rubbish was stored or packaged when it was transferred.

Examples include:

• Loose
• Sacks
• Boxes
• Wheelie bins
• Skips
• Drums
• Pallets
• Other containers

The note should also record a reasonable quantity, such as the number of sacks, approximate volume or estimated weight.

Recurring collectionsCan One Waste Transfer Note Cover Regular Collections?

A season ticket, sometimes called an annual waste transfer note, can cover recurring collections for up to 12 months.

A season ticket may be appropriate when the following remain unchanged:

• The waste producer or current holder
• The waste carrier
• The type of waste
• The collection location or agreed collection arrangements

A separate schedule must record the details of each collection, including:

• Date
• Time
• Quantity
• Collection location, where necessary

If the parties, waste type or collection arrangements change, a new waste transfer note or season ticket may be required.

Record keepingHow Long Should Waste Transfer Notes Be Kept?

Businesses should retain waste transfer notes for at least two years.

Records can be kept electronically or on paper. They must be available if requested by the Environment Agency or a local-authority enforcement officer.

Season tickets and their collection schedules should also be retained for two years following the final transfer covered by the ticket.

Some waste companies may store documentation for longer as part of their administrative procedures. However, the standard retention period for non-hazardous waste-transfer documentation is two years.

DocumentationIs a Waste Transfer Note the Same as a Receipt?

No. A receipt usually records payment for a service, while a waste transfer note records the transfer and description of the waste.

However, an invoice or receipt can serve both purposes if it contains all the information legally required for a waste transfer note.

Customers should check that their documentation clearly identifies:

• The waste collected
• The collection date and location
• The parties involved
• The carrier’s registration details

Audit trailDoes a Waste Transfer Note Prove Final Disposal?

A waste transfer note records a change in possession of the waste. It does not automatically certify the material’s final recycling or disposal outcome.

It is therefore important to choose a reputable waste carrier that uses authorised waste-transfer, recycling and disposal facilities.

The document still provides an essential part of the audit trail by identifying the party that accepted responsibility for the waste at the recorded transfer.

Our serviceWaste Transfer Notes from MM Rubbish Clearance

MM Rubbish Clearance provides household and commercial rubbish-removal services across London.

Following a completed collection, customers receive digital waste-transfer documentation recording the transfer to our registered waste operation.

Our company details are:

If you require documentation for a business, landlord, letting agency or property-management compliance file, please tell us when arranging the collection. This allows us to obtain the necessary information and prepare an accurate record.