Waste carriers transport commercial, industrial and household waste, known as controlled waste, as part of their business. Waste brokers arrange for other businesses' controlled waste to be handled, transported, disposed of or recovered. Waste dealers use an agent to buy waste from other businesses to sell on.

This guide will help you work out if you are a waste carrier, broker or dealer. It will tell you if you need to register with your environmental regulator, or if you qualify for an exemption from registering. This includes dealers who do not take physical possession of the waste.

In Northern Ireland, from 8 April 2011 new regulations introduced a two-tier registration system for waste carriers. Waste dealers must now also register with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). If you do not register and you carry, broker or deal in waste, the NIEA could take legal action against you. This guide will help you work out if you are an upper or lower tier waste carrier. It will tell you if you need to register with the NIEA, or if you qualify for an exemption from registering.