Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Waste brokers arrange for other businesses' controlled waste to be handled, transported, disposed of or recovered. Waste dealers buy waste from other businesses to sell on. This includes dealers who do not take physical possession of the waste.
Waste brokers include:
A broker or dealer shares responsibility with the waste holders for managing the waste properly before and after it is transferred. Brokers and dealers are legally responsible for the proper handling and disposal of the waste.
If you deal in waste or arrange for someone else's waste to be disposed of or recovered, you usually need to register as a broker or dealer with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
However, you do not need to register if you are:
Any business can register as a waste broker or dealer including self-employed individuals, partnerships, companies and other types of organisation. You still need to register if brokering or dealing in waste is not your main business activity or if you only do it occasionally. If you broker or deal in waste but are not registered, the NIEA could take legal action against you.
If you deal in waste or arrange for someone else's waste to be disposed of or recovered, you usually need to register as a broker or dealer with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Any business can register as a waste broker or dealer including self-employed individuals, partnerships, companies and other types of organisation. You still need to register if brokering or dealing in waste is not your main business activity or if you only do it occasionally. If you broker or deal in waste but are not registered, SEPA could take legal action against you.
Registrations are valid for three years. You can apply for registration as a:
You can get application forms to register from NIEA.
If you are not sure whether you need to register, check with NIEA.
Contact your environmental regulator
DAERA: Waste carriers and brokers information
You can get application forms to register from SEPA.
If you are not sure whether you need to register, check with SEPA.
Contact your environmental regulator
SEPA: Waste carriers and brokers information
Waste carriers - Who needs to register
Waste Carriers - operating in different parts of the UK
Waste carriers' responsibilities
Waste brokers or dealers - Who needs to register
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EU Exit, EU Exit useful information
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