Every business in Scotland has a legal duty of care to manage its waste responsibly. This isn't optional — it's a legal requirement under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012.
Your Legal Obligations
You must: store waste securely to prevent it escaping or being accessed by others. Use only licensed waste carriers for collection. Keep waste transfer notes for at least two years. Separate dry recyclable waste from general waste (this is a legal requirement in Scotland since 2014).
Types of Commercial Waste
**General waste** — non-recyclable office waste, food packaging, cleaning materials. **Dry mixed recyclables** — paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, glass. **Food waste** — businesses producing more than 5kg of food waste per week must have it collected separately. **Confidential waste** — documents requiring secure destruction.
Duty of Care Transfer Notes
Every time waste is collected from your business, you must receive a waste transfer note. This document records who collected the waste, what it contained, and where it's going. Keep these for a minimum of two years — SEPA can request to see them at any time.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Fines for breaching waste duty of care can reach £40,000. Directors can be held personally liable. Beyond fines, enforcement notices can disrupt business operations and damage your reputation.
Our Commercial Services
We provide regular or ad-hoc commercial waste collections across Glasgow. From office clearances to restaurant strip-outs, trade waste pickups to IT disposal. All collections include waste transfer notes and can be invoiced monthly for your accounts.
Need help with waste removal?
Send a photo of what needs to go and we'll quote you within minutes. Same-day service available across Glasgow.