What Counts as Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste is any waste that could cause harm to human health or the environment if it's not managed properly. This covers a much wider range of materials than many businesses realise — including chemicals, oils, certain electrical components, some types of light bulbs, and asbestos.
Your Duty of Care
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, anyone who produces, holds, transports or disposes of hazardous waste has a duty of care to ensure it's managed safely from start to finish. In practice, this means you need to know:
- What hazardous waste your business produces — and in what quantities
- How it's stored — correctly labelled, in suitable containers, checked regularly for damage or leaks, with an up-to-date inventory
- How it's moved — using a registered waste carrier, with the correct consignment note paperwork for each movement
- How it's treated or disposed of — only at appropriately licensed or permitted sites
Registering as a Hazardous Waste Producer
If your business produces more than 500kg of hazardous waste in any 12-month period, you're required to register with the Environment Agency (or the equivalent regulator in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) as a hazardous waste producer. Even below this threshold, the same duty of care applies — the registration requirement is about reporting, not a free pass to handle smaller quantities carelessly.
Storage Time Limits
Hazardous waste can't be stored indefinitely — there are limits on how long it can be kept on site before it must be removed for treatment or disposal. Planning ahead for collection, rather than letting waste accumulate, helps avoid both compliance issues and the practical problems of running out of storage space.
Training Your Team
Everyone who handles hazardous waste — not just those formally responsible for environmental compliance — needs to understand how to deal with spills, how to store materials correctly, and what to do if something goes wrong. COSHH Spillage training covers exactly this, giving staff the practical skills to respond safely and limit the impact of any incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register if I produce small amounts of hazardous waste?
If you produce less than 500kg per year, registration as a hazardous waste producer isn't required — but your duty of care to store, move and dispose of it correctly still applies.
What is a consignment note?
It's the paperwork that must accompany hazardous waste whenever it's moved, recording what the waste is, where it's come from, and where it's going — forming part of the audit trail required under your duty of care.
How long can hazardous waste be stored on site?
There are time limits on storing hazardous waste before it must be removed for treatment or disposal — check the specific limits that apply to your waste type and permit conditions.