Commercial waste - collection

Commercial and Industrial Waste is subject to the Duty of Care Regulations, which states that waste must be contained so the waste cannot escape, transported and disposed of correctly with appropriate paperwork.

We do not provide a commercial waste collection service, but there are a significant number of contractors who can provide this service to you. Please consult your local telephone directories.

Waste generated as a result of commercial activity can neither be disposed of, nor recycled, using the waste collection services provided to households (i.e. pink sack, clear sack, blue food waste bin or black sack schemes). Neither can waste be disposed of, nor recycled, using Southend Borough Council's Household Waste Recycling Centres, as these sites are not licensed to take business waste.

Any unlawful deposition of business, commercial or trade waste at either of these sites is considered an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and person(s) responsible may be prosecuted and fined up to £50,000 and/or receive a custodial sentence of up to 5 years upon conviction.

However, we recognise that in certain circumstances householders may only have access to a 'commercial-type' vehicle, for example vans or pick-ups, for their domestic use.  See our page on Household Waste Recycling Centres - Commercial or 'Commercial type' Vehicle Access for more information.

For further information regarding businesses legal responsibilities with respect to waste then please see the Related Downloads at the top right-hand side of this page.