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  • Light Bulbs and Fluorescent Tubes in the Rubbish: Why Five Councils Give Different Answers and What the National Waste Rules Say

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    Light Bulbs and Fluorescent Tubes in the Rubbish: Why Five Councils Give Different Answers and What the National Waste Rules Say

    Five councils publish different advice on where old-style bulbs and fluorescent tubes should go, two pages address LEDs in different contexts, and national guidance sets out the classification and shop take-back rules behind it.

    Published 25 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. Filament and halogen bulbs
    2. Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs
    3. LED lamps and LEDs inside electrical goods
    4. What the national guidance adds
    5. Bulbs from a business
    6. FAQs
    7. The bottom line
    8. Sources

    Council websites do not agree on every kind of bulb, so the right bin for a spent lamp depends on the lamp and on the council. This guide compares the published pages of West Sussex County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Wandsworth Borough Council, Calderdale Council and North Yorkshire Council, and sets them beside GOV.UK guidance from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, the Environment Agency and Defra. The council rules are those of the named councils only. It is general information, not legal advice.

    Old-style filament and halogen bulbs

    Four of the five pages direct some or all of these bulbs, wrapped, to the ordinary rubbish. West Sussex says incandescent and halogen bulbs can be wrapped to avoid shattering and placed in general waste, although the same page also tells residents to place LED, halogen and incandescent bulbs in the small domestic appliances area at its recycling centres. Nottinghamshire says broken ordinary (incandescent) bulbs can be wrapped and placed in the waste wheeled bin. Wandsworth says old-style bulbs should be wrapped and put in with general rubbish. Calderdale says incandescent filament and halogen bulbs cannot be recycled, even as part of a lamp, and should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in household waste.

    North Yorkshire differs: its page says older-style incandescent bulbs are not recyclable and should be placed in the waste to energy recovery container, on its household waste recycling centres page.

    Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs

    Every page that covers these lamps points them to a recycling centre or asks residents to keep them out of the household bin. Nottinghamshire asks residents not to put fluorescent tubes or energy-saving bulbs in the waste wheeled bin because they contain components or chemicals needing specialist treatment, and not to put any bulb in glass bottle banks. West Sussex says they are classed as hazardous waste because they contain mercury, and that all its recycling centres accept them. Calderdale says low-energy bulbs can go to any of its recycling centres, into the fluorescent tube container, and notes that they contain mercury, which is hazardous if they break. North Yorkshire says household fluorescent tubes and energy-efficient bulbs can be recycled free of charge at all its household waste recycling centres. Wandsworth asks for tubes and energy-saving bulbs in sealed plastic bags at Smuggler’s Way Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

    LED lamps and LEDs inside electrical goods

    Two pages address LEDs in different contexts. West Sussex directs LED bulbs to the small domestic appliances area at its recycling centres. Calderdale discusses LEDs sealed inside electrical goods such as bike headlamps and toys; that does not establish its route for a loose LED bulb. The Nottinghamshire, Wandsworth and North Yorkshire pages read for this guide do not mention LED lamps.

    What the national guidance adds

    The Office for Product Safety and Standards and Defra guidance on the WEEE regulations, last updated on 12 August 2025, says the regulations do not apply to filament bulbs, apart from LED filament bulbs, to which they do apply. It says distributors must offer free takeback of waste electricals and accept them free from customers supplied with like-for-like products, and that retailers with an electrical sales area above 400 square metres must accept small WEEE, under 25 cm on its longest side, from private households without a purchase.

    The Environment Agency and Defra classification guidance, published on 1 May 2025, lists lamps among waste electricals. It gives linear fluorescent tubes as hazardous waste that is not POPs waste, and gives halogen and incandescent lamps not containing hazardous substances, together with LED lamps not containing POPs, as non-hazardous. LED lamps containing POPs and hazardous substances are listed as hazardous and POPs waste. The guide says the levels of hazardous substances and POPs in bulbs must be checked before they are classified. West Sussex describes all types of bulb other than incandescent and halogen as hazardous waste, whereas the national table separates LED lamps according to whether they contain POPs and hazardous substances.

    Bulbs from a business

    The classification guidance is addressed to businesses and says waste a business produces must be classified before it is collected, disposed of or recovered. Wandsworth adds that by law light bulbs from non-domestic sources must not be mixed with non-hazardous waste. For the general sorting rules, see the guide to general waste, recycling or hazardous.

    FAQs

    Can a broken filament bulb go in the bin?

    Nottinghamshire says broken ordinary (incandescent) bulbs can be wrapped and placed in the waste wheeled bin, and Calderdale advises wrapping in newspaper.

    Can I put a bulb in the glass bank?

    Nottinghamshire says no type of light bulb should go into glass bottle banks, because the glass is different and metal parts can contaminate recycling.

    How do I find my own council’s rule?

    GOV.UK’s household waste page says to check your council’s website for the kinds of waste it collects.

    The bottom line

    Four of the five councils direct at least some old-style filament and halogen bulbs, wrapped, to the household rubbish, while North Yorkshire directs them to a waste to energy recovery container. Fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs are pointed to recycling centres or kept out of the waste bin, and the LED advice covers different product contexts and does not establish a like-for-like contradiction. The national guidance read for this guide does not tell households which bin to use, and GOV.UK’s household waste page sends readers to their own council’s website. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following sources, read on 25 October 2026 unless a date is shown:

    • Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, West Sussex County Council (westsussex.gov.uk)
    • Light bulbs and fluorescent lighting, Nottinghamshire County Council (nottinghamshire.gov.uk)
    • Light bulbs, Wandsworth Borough Council, page showing an update date of 10/11/2021 (wandsworth.gov.uk)
    • Light bulbs, Calderdale Council, page updated 25 June 2026 (calderdale.gov.uk)
    • Light bulbs, North Yorkshire Council (northyorks.gov.uk)
    • Regulations: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Office for Product Safety and Standards and Defra, last updated 12 August 2025 (gov.uk)
    • Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): how to classify, Environment Agency and Defra, published 1 May 2025 (gov.uk)
    • Dispose of household waste (gov.uk)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme: What Is Covered, the 15 and 25 Cent Deposits and What Retailers Must Take Back (Republic of Ireland)

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    Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme: What Is Covered, the 15 and 25 Cent Deposits and What Retailers Must Take Back (Republic of Ireland)

    Since 1 February 2024 the Republic of Ireland has charged a refundable deposit on PET plastic bottles and aluminium or steel cans from 150ml to 3 litres: 15 cent up to 0.5 litres and 25 cent above.

    Published 9 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. What is covered
    2. The deposit
    3. Returning containers
    4. Retailer duties
    5. Producers and enforcement
    6. Results
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    Householders and businesses in the Republic of Ireland pay a refundable deposit on most plastic bottles and cans of drink, which changes what belongs in the recycling bin. This guide summarises the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 33 of 2024) on the Irish Statute Book, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment’s announcement of 1 February 2024, and the operator Re-turn’s own published answers. It covers the Republic of Ireland only. The UK scheme is covered in the guide to the 2027 deposit return scheme. It is general information, not legal advice.

    What is covered and what is not

    The 2024 Regulations apply to beverage bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and beverage containers made from aluminium or steel, with a capacity between 0.150 and 3 litres, that were sold sealed with a deposit paid. They do not apply to plastic beverage bottles that are not made of PET, or to aluminium or steel containers not designed to hold a beverage. Glass is not in the scheme; Re-turn says Ireland already has a glass recycling rate above 80% and has no plans to include glass, though that may change.

    The deposit and the launch

    Schedule 1 to the Regulations sets the deposit at €0.15 for in-scope products of 0.5 litres or less and €0.25 for those above 0.5 litres. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment announced on 1 February 2024 that the scheme was starting that day, that the buyer of a drink in a plastic bottle or aluminium can with the Re-turn logo would pay the deposit in addition to the price, and that returning the empty, undamaged container to a participating outlet would give the deposit back in full. The Regulations require the deposit to be itemised as a separate line on receipts and invoices, and the refundable nature to be made clear in promotional material and at points of sale.

    A transition period applied. Producers could place compliant products on the market from 1 January 2024 and non-compliant ones until 15 March 2024, and retailers could sell non-compliant products until 31 May 2024. Since 1 June 2024 only compliant products may be sold.

    How to return containers

    According to the Department, consumers get the deposit back at participating shops and supermarkets, either through a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) or manually over the counter. An RVM issues a voucher that can be redeemed at the till against purchases or as a cash refund, and Re-turn adds that the voucher must be redeemed in the store that issued it. The Department advises against crushing containers, and Re-turn says they should be empty and undamaged with a visible barcode and logo, but need not be cleaned.

    What retailers must do

    Regulation 14 requires a retailer selling in-scope products where a deposit applies to charge the deposit and itemise it, register with the approved body, display its registration certificate, make the take-back facility visible and easily accessible, take back every in-scope container returned by a consumer. The retailer must immediately reimburse the value of the original deposit to a consumer presenting a container for return, regardless of where it was bought. A retailer need not take back a container that is damaged, not empty, or lacking the marking showing a deposit was payable.

    Regulation 17 exempts a retailer from charging a deposit on drinks bought for consumption on the premises. Subject to agreement with the approved body, a retailer may be exempt from the take-back obligations if its store is 250 square metres or smaller, if it is a hotel, restaurant or public house, or where the product was bought online or from a vending machine; in those cases the retailer must display the nearest return point.

    Producers and enforcement

    Producers, meaning whoever first places an in-scope product on the Irish market, must register with the approved body, report their products, pay fees and label products as prescribed. The Department says the scheme is operated by Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG, trading as Re-turn, appointed by the Minister in July 2022. Each local authority enforces the Regulations in its area, and contravening the producer, retailer, return point or distributor provisions is an offence carrying the penalties in section 10 of the Waste Management Act 1996.

    The operator’s reported results

    Re-turn states that 3 in 4 cans and bottles are now returned and that the recycling rate for in-scope containers has risen from 49% to over 90%. These figures are the operator’s own claims, and Re-turn describes itself as an industry-led, not-for-profit company licensed by the Minister to run the scheme. For household bins generally, see the guide to household bins in the Republic of Ireland.

    FAQs

    Can I return a can I bought in another shop?

    Yes. The Regulations require a retailer to reimburse the deposit to a consumer presenting a container for return irrespective of where the product was purchased.

    Why was my bottle refused?

    A retailer need not take back a container that is damaged, not empty, or without the marking showing a deposit was payable, and Re-turn says the barcode and logo should be visible.

    Are glass bottles included?

    No. The Regulations cover PET bottles and aluminium or steel cans between 150ml and 3 litres, and Re-turn says there are no plans to include glass.

    The bottom line

    In the Republic of Ireland, PET plastic bottles and aluminium or steel cans from 150ml to 3 litres carry a refundable deposit of €0.15 up to 0.5 litres and €0.25 above, which has applied to compliant products on sale since 1 June 2024. Retailers must charge and itemise it and refund it for any in-scope container returned, with listed exemptions for small stores, on-premises consumption, online sales and vending machines. Glass is outside the scheme. Containers should be empty and undamaged with the logo and barcode visible. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 9 October 2026:

    • Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations 2024, S.I. No. 33 of 2024 (irishstatutebook.ie)
    • Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme is live, 1 February 2024 (gov.ie)
    • Re-turn, frequently asked questions (re-turn.ie)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Putting a Skip on the Road in Scotland: Section 85 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, Council Permits and Marking Rules

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    Putting a Skip on the Road in Scotland: Section 85 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, Council Permits and Marking Rules

    In Scotland a builders’ skip cannot be placed on a road without the roads authority’s written permission and the owner’s name and contact details on the skip. Councils attach conditions on siting, lighting and removal.

    Published 9 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. Permission and marking
    2. The offence
    3. Typical conditions
    4. Lighting
    5. Removal powers
    6. FAQs
    7. The bottom line
    8. Sources

    A skip on a Scottish street is regulated by a different Act from the one that applies in England and Wales. This guide summarises sections 59, 60, 85 and 86 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 on legislation.gov.uk, Glasgow City Council’s skip permit conditions and Highland Council guidance last modified on 18 March 2026. It covers Scotland only, and the permit issued by the local roads authority is what counts. It is general information, not legal advice.

    The permission and marking rule

    Section 85(1) of the Act says a builders’ skip shall not be deposited on a road without the written permission of the roads authority, and without being clearly and indelibly marked with its owner’s name and telephone number or address. The Act defines a builders’ skip as a container designed to be carried on a road vehicle and placed on a road for the removal and disposal of builders’ materials, rubble, waste, household and other rubbish or earth, so a skip for house clearance falls within it.

    Section 85(2) allows the permission to be granted unconditionally or subject to conditions, and says the conditions may in particular relate to the siting and lighting of the skip, the care of its contents and its removal at the end of the permitted period.

    Who commits the offence

    Under section 85(3), an owner who uses a skip, or causes or permits it to be used, on a road in contravention of the section commits an offence. Section 85(4) provides a defence, except for a failure to mark the skip with the owner’s details, if the owner proves that another person undertook responsibility for complying with the permission or condition, and that the offence occurred without the owner’s consent or connivance. That other person may be charged instead. The Highland Council adds that, under section 34 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, it may issue a fixed penalty notice to both the skip hire company and its client for failing to obtain or comply with a permit, and Glasgow states that a skip left after its permission expires is liable to a fixed penalty notice.

    What councils typically require

    Glasgow City Council’s conditions, issued under sections 85 and 86 of the 1984 Act, include these requirements:

    • skips positioned parallel to the carriageway edge, so they do not impede drainage or obstruct manholes or utility apparatus;
    • each skip or group of skips marked, guarded and lit in line with Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual;
    • red and yellow reflective markings under the Builders’ Skips (Markings) (Scotland) Regulations 1986;
    • no flammable, explosive, noxious or dangerous material, and no contents falling on to the road;
    • removal for emptying as soon as practicable and no later than two working days after filling; and
    • the permit shown on demand to a police officer or council official.

    The Highland Council sets similar rules: seven days’ notice, a maximum skip size of 5 metres by 2 metres, lamps on each corner and between cones at night, and removal within 24 hours if the council or police ask. It stresses that a skip permit does not cover road or footway closures, placement of building materials, or planning and building consents, which need separate permissions.

    Marking, guarding and lighting

    Section 60 of the Act separately requires anyone other than a roads authority who places something on a road so as to cause an obstruction to mark it so it is immediately visible to oncoming traffic, provide the lighting needed during the hours of darkness to prevent danger, and erect any necessary fences, barriers and traffic signs. The Act defines hours of darkness as the time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise. Section 59 is the general rule on obstructions, and it disapplies itself where section 85 applies, so builders’ skips are dealt with under section 85.

    Removal even with a permit

    Section 86 provides that, even where a permit exists, a uniformed constable may require the removal or repositioning of a skip that is, in the constable’s opinion, causing or likely to cause danger or obstruction. The roads authority may require removal or repositioning where section 85 has been contravened and, if that does not happen within a reasonable time, may do it itself. Expenses can be recovered from the owner, and a skip whose owner cannot be traced may be disposed of with its contents. Customers who hire a skip should confirm who applies for the permit; the position in England and Wales is explained in the guides to skip permits and the public highway and skips on the road after the permit is granted.

    FAQs

    Who can be penalised if there is no permit?

    The Act makes the skip owner liable, subject to a defence where another person took responsibility, and the Highland Council says it may issue a fixed penalty notice to both the skip hire company and its client.

    Does the permit cover closing the pavement?

    Not according to the Highland Council, which says a skip permit does not include road or footway closures or placement of building materials.

    The bottom line

    In Scotland a skip cannot be put on a road without the roads authority’s written permission and the owner’s name and contact details marked on it, under section 85 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. Councils attach conditions on siting, lighting, markings and prompt removal, fixed penalty notices can reach both the skip company and its client, and a constable or the council can order a skip moved even when it is permitted. Checking who has obtained the permit before the skip arrives avoids the main risks. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 9 October 2026:

    • Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, sections 59, 60, 85 and 86 (legislation.gov.uk)
    • Glasgow City Council, Skip permit: conditions (glasgow.gov.uk)
    • The Highland Council, Builders’ skip guidance: permit to occupy a public road, page last modified 18 March 2026 (highland.gov.uk)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Used Motor Oil in the United States: What the EPA Says About Do-It-Yourself Oil Changes, Filters, Labelling and Mixing

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    Used Motor Oil in the United States: What the EPA Says About Do-It-Yourself Oil Changes, Filters, Labelling and Mixing

    The US EPA says used oil should be collected in a leak-proof container and recycled, never dumped. Businesses must label containers Used Oil, avoid mixing it with hazardous waste and drain filters, and state rules may be stricter.

    Published 9 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. What counts
    2. DIY oil changes
    3. Filters
    4. Business standards
    5. Mixing
    6. Farms and sellers
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    Used motor oil is a common household and workshop waste in the United States, and the federal rules for handling it are short but specific. This guide summarises two pages from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): its consumer page on managing, reusing and recycling used oil, last updated on 25 June 2026, and its answers to frequent questions for businesses, last updated on 23 June 2026. It covers federal rules only; EPA says states can be stricter. It is general information, not legal advice.

    What counts as used oil

    EPA says used oil is any petroleum-based or synthetic oil that has been used and, as a result, become contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. Engine oil, hydraulic fluid and gear oil from cars, bikes and lawnmowers are examples. Oil that has never been used, such as virgin fuel oil recovered from a spill, does not meet the definition. EPA’s definition also excludes products used solely as cleaning agents or solvents and certain petroleum-derived products such as antifreeze and kerosene.

    Do-it-yourself oil changes

    EPA’s consumer page says a person who changes their own oil needs to manage the used oil properly, because used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. It describes used motor oil as persistent and able to contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. The practical advice is to collect it without spilling, place it in a leak-proof can or container, and check with local automobile maintenance facilities, waste collectors and government waste officials about when and where it can be dropped off. EPA also says to drain and recycle used oil filters, usually at the same collection centres.

    Individuals who generate used oil by maintaining their own vehicles and equipment are not subject to the used oil management standards, according to EPA’s business FAQ. That does not extend to dumping: EPA describes used oil as a major source of contamination of waterways and a risk to drinking water.

    Oil filters

    The business page describes the common practice of puncturing the filter, draining the used oil into a suitable container and recycling the filter as scrap metal, with the drained oil recycled alongside the rest. Certain used oil filters are excluded from regulation as hazardous waste if they are not terne-plated, are not mixed with listed hazardous waste, and have been hot-drained by puncturing, crushing, dismantling or an equivalent method. Once those conditions are met they may be disposed of or recycled as nonhazardous waste.

    Standards for businesses that handle used oil

    EPA calls the federal rules for businesses “management standards” and says generators include car repair shops, service stations, quick lube shops, government motor pools, grocery stores, metalworking industries and boat marinas. The core storage and spill rules are:

    • label all containers and tanks “Used Oil”;
    • keep containers and tanks in good condition, fixing defects immediately, since storage units need no hazardous waste permit if labelled and in good condition;
    • never store used oil in anything other than tanks and containers, as unpermitted lagoons, pits or surface impoundments are prohibited; and
    • stop spills at the source, contain them, clean up and recycle the oil, and handle cleanup materials such as rags and sorbent booms containing free-flowing used oil under the used oil standards.

    Transporters that haul used oil must have a 12-digit EPA identification number, and generators must use transporters with such numbers for off-site shipments. Generators themselves do not need an ID number.

    Why not to mix

    EPA’s advice is not to mix used oil with anything. If used oil becomes contaminated by mixing with hazardous waste, federal and state hazardous waste rules may apply, which EPA describes as a lengthy, costly and strict process. The only sure way to avoid it, EPA says, is to store used oil separately from all solvents and chemicals. Used oil that is recycled stays under the used oil standards even if it shows a hazardous characteristic, but used oil sent for disposal must be managed as hazardous waste if it is a listed hazardous waste or exhibits a hazardous characteristic.

    Farms and oil sellers

    Farmers who generate an average of 25 gallons or less of used oil a month from farm vehicles or machinery are exempt from the generator standards, an exemption EPA says reflects the similarity between small farms and households. EPA also states there is no federal requirement for motor oil vendors to accept used oil for recycling, although service stations that follow the standards, avoid mixing with hazardous substances and accept used oil from do-it-yourselfers for recycling are relieved of certain cleanup liabilities. A state may impose more stringent rules. Cooking oil in the UK is a different waste, covered in the guide to waste cooking oil, and US household chemicals in the guide to household hazardous waste.

    FAQs

    Can I pour used motor oil into a storm drain or onto the ground?

    No. EPA describes used oil as a major source of oil contamination of waterways that can pollute drinking water sources, and says it should be collected in a leak-proof container and recycled.

    Do I need an EPA ID number to collect used oil in my garage?

    No. EPA says individuals who generate used oil through maintenance of personal vehicles are not subject to the used oil management standards.

    The bottom line

    Federal EPA guidance treats used motor oil as something to be collected in a leak-proof container and recycled, never dumped, with oil filters hot-drained and recycled as scrap. Businesses that generate used oil must label containers, store it only in tanks and containers in good condition, deal with spills promptly and avoid mixing it with solvents or hazardous waste. Individual do-it-yourselfers are outside the management standards, farms using 25 gallons or less a month are exempt, and states may be stricter than the federal rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 9 October 2026:

    • US Environmental Protection Agency, Managing, Reusing, and Recycling Used Oil, last updated 25 June 2026 (epa.gov)
    • US Environmental Protection Agency, Managing Used Oil: Answers to Frequent Questions for Businesses, last updated 23 June 2026 (epa.gov)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Victoria’s E-Waste Landfill Ban: What Counts as E-Waste, Why It Cannot Go in the Bin and What Businesses Must Do (Australia)

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    Victoria’s E-Waste Landfill Ban: What Counts as E-Waste, Why It Cannot Go in the Bin and What Businesses Must Do (Australia)

    Since 2019 it has been illegal in Victoria, Australia, to put e-waste in household rubbish or landfill. EPA Victoria defines e-waste broadly, includes batteries, and sets duties and permissions for businesses that handle it.

    Published 9 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. What counts
    2. The ban
    3. Batteries and fire
    4. Business duties
    5. Permissions
    6. National scheme
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    Anyone clearing a home or business in the Australian state of Victoria needs to know that anything with a plug, battery or power cord is e-waste and cannot go to landfill. This guide summarises the Victorian Government’s e-waste ban page (updated 14 March 2024) and the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA Victoria) page on electronic waste (updated 9 May 2025). It describes Victoria only; other Australian states, the United Kingdom and other countries have different rules. It is general information, not legal advice.

    What counts as e-waste

    The Victorian Government says e-waste is any item that has a plug, battery or power cord, and includes e-cigarettes, televisions, computers, mobile phones, battery-operated toys, kitchen appliances and white goods. EPA Victoria explains that e-waste is defined in the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 and is generally waste from things that involve an electric current or an electromagnetic field. Its examples are batteries including rechargeable ones, computers, kitchen appliances, mobile phones, photovoltaic panels, flat panel and cathode ray televisions, and white goods. Products with minor electrical components, such as toys, are also e-waste.

    The ban and what it means at home

    The government states that since 2019 it has been illegal to put e-waste in household rubbish or landfill in Victoria. EPA Victoria adds that landfills in Victoria are not able to receive e-waste and that it is also illegal to dump waste, including e-waste. Householders should not dispose of any e-waste in the household bin, and this includes recycling bins not specifically marked for e-waste recycling. Instead, EPA Victoria directs people to a household e-waste drop-off location.

    The state body that used to publish the drop-off directory, Sustainability Victoria, has closed. Its page, updated on 24 September 2026, says that programs, services and resources it previously managed, including household waste and recycling information on what belongs in each bin and where to dispose of problem items, are now available through the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

    Batteries, fire and health

    EPA Victoria warns that lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if disposed of incorrectly and that batteries must not go into household waste bins, bins destined for landfill, or recycling services not marked for e-waste or battery recycling. Its guidance for people who manage e-waste is to manage all e-waste as if it has a battery. It describes e-waste as combustible, releasing harmful gases and particulate matter including heavy metals, dioxins and fluorinated compounds when burnt, and generating fine dust containing hazardous materials such as cadmium, chromium and flame retardants if dismantled or shredded incorrectly. Chemicals including lead and mercury can contaminate soil and groundwater when e-waste is illegally landfilled or stored poorly. EPA Victoria also notes that smoke detectors can contain a small amount of radioactive material and should not be crushed, shredded or dismantled. The risks of batteries in the United Kingdom are covered separately in the guide to lithium-ion battery waste.

    Duties for businesses and industry

    EPA Victoria says most e-waste from business and industry is pre-classified as priority waste under Schedule 5 of the Regulations, including most types of battery waste. Used lead-acid batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries are classified as reportable priority waste, although a designation for used lead-acid batteries can change that classification. Under the Environment Protection Act 2017, duties for priority waste and reportable priority waste apply to the generator, transporter and receiver of e-waste. The general environmental duty also applies: a business must eliminate or reduce the risk of harm from its electronic waste so far as reasonably practicable. If e-waste causes a fire, or harms land or groundwater, further duties to respond, manage and notify may apply.

    Permissions, standards and transport

    A person who wants to reprocess e-waste needs permission. EPA Victoria names two: an A02b development and operating licence for other waste treatment of more than 500 tonnes of e-waste, and an A02c registration for 500 tonnes or less. Used lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries require an A01 licence to contain, store, treat, reprocess or dispose of them, and sending reportable priority waste batteries interstate needs an A12 permit to transport waste out of Victoria. The Australian Standard AS 5377:2022 sets out standards for collecting, transporting and treating end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, and transporting batteries may bring obligations under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail.

    A national scheme in development

    The Victorian page points to the Commonwealth Government’s work on a mandatory product stewardship scheme to recover valuable materials from small electrical products and solar photovoltaic systems. Meanwhile the state ban remains the practical rule for Victorian householders and businesses. Comparable rules for electrical waste in other places are explained in the guides to the UK WEEE regulations and recycling electronics in the United States.

    FAQs

    Can I put a broken kettle in the kerbside bin in Victoria?

    No. Anything with a plug, battery or power cord is e-waste under the Victorian Government’s definition, and it has been illegal since 2019 to put e-waste in household rubbish.

    Are batteries covered by the ban?

    Yes. EPA Victoria includes batteries, including rechargeable ones, in its list of e-waste and says they must not go in household or landfill-bound bins.

    Who enforces the ban?

    EPA Victoria, which the Victorian Government names as the source of guidance on safe management and enforcement of the ban.

    The bottom line

    In Victoria, Australia, e-waste means anything with a plug, battery or power cord, and since 2019 it has been illegal to put it in household rubbish or landfill. Batteries are covered and are a particular fire risk, businesses face duties as generators, transporters and receivers of priority waste, and reprocessing needs a licence or registration. With Sustainability Victoria closed, its household waste and recycling information is now available through DEECA. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 9 October 2026:

    • Victorian Government, E-waste ban, updated 14 March 2024 (vic.gov.au)
    • EPA Victoria, Electronic waste, updated 9 May 2025 (epa.vic.gov.au)
    • Sustainability Victoria has closed: find former programs now managed by DEECA, page updated 24 September 2026 (sustainability.vic.gov.au)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Food Business Waste and Animal By-Products: Which Leftovers Can Go to Landfill, Which Can Become Animal Feed and Why Catering Waste Never Can

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    Food Business Waste and Animal By-Products: Which Leftovers Can Go to Landfill, Which Can Become Animal Feed and Why Catering Waste Never Can

    Food that is no longer intended for people becomes an animal by-product, and its risk group decides whether it may go to landfill or animal feed. Catering waste can never be used as farm animal feed or pet food.

    Published 9 October 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. When food is waste
    2. Risk groups
    3. Catering waste
    4. Keeping apart
    5. Landfill allowance
    6. Approvals
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    A shop, cafe or food factory that throws food away is also handling a regulated material, because food of animal origin that is no longer meant for people becomes an animal by-product (ABP). This guide summarises two GOV.UK guidance pages, one on how food businesses must dispose of food and former foodstuffs and one on ABP categories, site approval, hygiene and disposal, the second updated on 7 January 2026. The guidance refers to Environment Agency permits, so it describes the position in England. It is general information, not a compliance audit.

    When food becomes an animal by-product

    GOV.UK says foods of animal origin intended for people may be removed from sale when they pass a sell-by or use-by date, are visually imperfect or have damaged packaging, or are spoiled, mouldy or decomposing. At the point the site manager decides the item is no longer intended for human consumption it becomes an ABP, and the guidance says this decision cannot be reversed. All such former foodstuffs are category 3 ABPs, the low-risk category, but they are divided into three groups according to how they may be disposed of.

    Higher, medium and lower risk former foodstuffs

    The guidance sets out the groups:

    • Higher risk items cannot go to landfill or farm animal feed. They include raw meat, fish and seafood, raw sausages and bacon, raw burgers, raw eggs including shells, untreated milk, partially cooked meat and cured meats such as salami. Packaging follows the same rules, and the products must not be cooked to change their status.
    • Medium risk items can go to landfill but not farm animal feed. They include fully pre-cooked meat and fish products, ready meals, pies and pizza with pre-cooked meat, and fats or dripping from cooking meat.
    • Lower risk items can go to landfill or be used to make farm animal feed: bakery and confectionery products without meat, fish or shellfish, milk or milk products, egg or egg products, and animal fats and fish oils.

    Catering waste and the ban on animal feed

    GOV.UK defines catering waste as any waste food, including used cooking oil, from restaurants, catering sites, and commercial or household kitchens. A cafe or restaurant on a site, or sandwiches made in store, produce catering waste. International catering waste, from international transport vehicles, is a category 1 ABP; otherwise catering waste is category 3 if it goes to a compost or biogas facility or other processor, and it may go to landfill provided the site is licensed or permitted by the Environment Agency.

    The guidance is emphatic that catering waste must never be sent to be used as farm animal feed or pet food, including processed catering waste known as swill. It says the ban exists to stop the spread of notifiable animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and avian influenza. Used cooking oil has its own disposal issues, covered in the guide to waste cooking oil.

    Keeping streams apart

    Low-risk former foodstuffs can go for use in farm animal feed, but GOV.UK says they must be kept separate from catering waste and from any medium or high risk former foodstuffs at all stages, from the shelf to the collection bins. For surplus bakery goods, it suggests sealed colour-coded clear bags or boxes of a different colour from other food waste, dedicated roll cages, and checks at a returns depot for meat, fish or shellfish. A business choosing a collector should ask how separated streams are collected, as discussed in the guide to business food-waste collections.

    The 20kg weekly landfill allowance

    For landfill, GOV.UK says a business sending medium and low risk foodstuffs or non-ABP food to landfill must have a system that excludes raw meat, raw fish and high-risk foodstuffs, and that factories must separate production lines carrying raw and cooked products. Retailers, distributors and manufacturers may send up to 20kg of raw or partially cooked meat, fish or shellfish products to landfill each week. A retail business producing under 20kg a week of such waste does not need to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) but must keep records of the type and approximate weight sent to landfill each week.

    Approvals, registration and hauliers

    Under the ABP guidance, sites that use ABPs generally need approval from, or registration with, APHA. Approval is needed for sites such as processing plants and commercial compost or biogas sites. Registration, by posting form AB117 to APHA, is needed for categories including landfill sites and a haulier or transporter who does not work for an APHA-approved site or a Food Standards Agency approved food or feed business. The Environment Agency’s separate waste carrier registration is explained in the guide to waste carrier licences, and the paperwork a business should keep is in the guide to waste transfer notes.

    FAQs

    Can restaurant leftovers be fed to pigs?

    No. GOV.UK says catering waste must never be used as farm animal feed or pet food, including processed catering waste known as swill.

    Do I need to register with APHA to send small amounts of raw meat to landfill?

    A retail business producing less than 20kg a week does not need to register, but GOV.UK says it must keep weekly records of the type and approximate weight.

    The bottom line

    Food of animal origin that is no longer intended for people becomes an animal by-product, and GOV.UK divides former foodstuffs into higher, medium and lower risk groups that decide whether landfill or animal feed is allowed. Catering waste can never become animal feed or pet food, retailers can send up to 20kg of raw or partially cooked meat, fish or shellfish to landfill per week with records, and some sites and hauliers must register with APHA. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 9 October 2026:

    • How food businesses must dispose of food and former foodstuffs (gov.uk)
    • Animal by-product categories, site approval, hygiene and disposal, updated 7 January 2026 (gov.uk)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Ontario’s Blue Box Is Now Run by Producers: What Changed for Household Recycling From 1 January 2026

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    Ontario’s Blue Box Is Now Run by Producers: What Changed for Household Recycling From 1 January 2026

    From 1 January 2026, Ontario’s Blue Box programme is fully run and funded by producers of packaging and paper, not municipalities. The regulator RPRA describes 2025 amendments on management targets, energy from waste, new homes and information duties.

    Published 25 September 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. The transition to producer responsibility
    2. What producers must now do
    3. New homes, flats and drop-off depots
    4. What residents and landlords should know
    5. Why this differs from other countries
    6. FAQs
    7. The bottom line
    8. Sources

    Ontario, Canada, has finished moving household recycling from a municipal responsibility to a producer responsibility. This guide summarises pages from Ontario’s regulator, the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), on the transition and on the amendments to the Blue Box Regulation finalised in September 2025. It covers Ontario only and is not a description of UK, Irish or other Canadian provincial rules. It is general information for households and small businesses, not legal advice, and residents should check their own community’s collection details.

    The transition to producer responsibility

    RPRA says that as of 1 January 2026 Ontario’s Blue Box Program has completed the transition to full producer responsibility for packaging, paper products and packaging-like products, and municipalities are no longer responsible for operating or funding the programme. The Blue Box Regulation was made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, and requires producers to operate and pay for the collection, reuse and recycling of Blue Box materials. The transition of municipalities and First Nation communities began on 1 July 2023.

    The legacy programme operated by Stewardship Ontario wound up on 31 December 2025. RPRA says a producer responsibility organisation called Circular Materials operates the collection system on behalf of producers, and directs people with questions about collection in their community to that organisation’s website.

    What producers must now do

    The 2025 amendments, described in RPRA’s December 2025 summary, changed several requirements that affect what residents see:

    • Producers must make “best efforts” to meet their management requirements for the 2026 and 2027 performance years. Before the amendments they were required to meet a set amount from 2026.
    • The requirements for paper, glass, metal, rigid plastics and beverage containers are unchanged until 2032, when recovery percentages will rise to 85% for paper and glass, 75% for metal, 60% for rigid plastics and 80% for beverage containers.
    • The planned expansion of public-space bins has been removed. Producers must maintain the existing public space bins in communities that were served under the legacy programme.
    • From 2026, up to 15% of a producer’s management requirement can be met through energy from waste in each material category, where residue is used as fuel in limited circumstances. Before, producers could not count this.
    • From 2026, producers are responsible only for beverage containers supplied to residential consumers. Beverage container producers may deduct what is collected from a business or institution where they are not required to provide Blue Box collection.

    New homes, flats and drop-off depots

    RPRA says that from 2026 producers must collect from new residences “as soon as is practicable”. Before the amendments the regulation set no timeline for newly built homes. The amendments change the definition of a residence to a building with five or fewer residential units, and the definition of a facility to a building that contains six or more dwelling units.

    The amendments clarify that a resident who can use a municipal garbage depot must also be able to use the Blue Box depot to drop off Blue Box material. Collected material must be processed by a registered processor within three months of collection.

    What residents and landlords should know

    Under the amendments, producers must publish promotion and education material on a website in French and English, and provide it in print “upon request”, limited to once a year. Collection questions in a community go to Circular Materials, as RPRA directs. For general questions about the regulation, RPRA points to its Blue Box Program page, which also covers materials, roles, key dates and FAQs.

    Why this differs from other countries

    The Ontario model makes producers pay for household recycling collection under a provincial regulation. In England, councils have collected household recycling, with new requirements from 31 March 2026 described in the guide to household recycling collections in England, and England’s packaging producer charges are covered in the guide to extended producer responsibility for packaging. Rules differ between countries and provinces, so a comparison is for context rather than a substitute for local guidance.

    FAQs

    Who is responsible for Blue Box collection in Ontario now?

    Producers of packaging, paper and packaging-like products, which RPRA says are financially responsible and accountable. Circular Materials operates the system on their behalf.

    Did municipalities stop collecting recycling?

    RPRA says municipalities are no longer responsible for operating or funding the programme. For collection questions in a community, RPRA directs people to Circular Materials.

    Does this apply outside Ontario?

    No. It concerns Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation only.

    The bottom line

    Ontario completed its move to a producer-run Blue Box programme on 1 January 2026, with producers financially responsible and Circular Materials operating the system. The 2025 amendments extend a “best efforts” standard for 2026 and 2027, allow limited energy from waste to count, and require new residences to be served as soon as practicable. Residents should check local collection details with their community and Circular Materials. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

    • Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Ontario completes transition to producer-run Blue Box program” (January 2026)
    • Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Changes to the Blue Box Regulation: Details on management requirements, energy from waste, changes to collection, and other key amendments” (December 2025)
    • Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Blue Box”
    • GOV.UK, “Simpler recycling: household recycling in England” (household collection requirements from 31 March 2026)

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • California’s SB 1383 Organic Waste Rules: What Households, Flats and Businesses Must Do With Food and Green Waste

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    California’s SB 1383 Organic Waste Rules: What Households, Flats and Businesses Must Do With Food and Green Waste

    California’s SB 1383 requires local jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection to all residents and businesses, and requires residents to take part and sort correctly. Larger flat complexes and businesses must provide bins, education and inspections.

    Published 25 September 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. What SB 1383 does
    2. What local governments must provide
    3. What households and small buildings must do
    4. Apartment blocks of five or more units
    5. Businesses and public bodies
    6. Enforcement and complaints
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    California has a statewide mandatory organic waste collection rule under Senate Bill 1383, which affects how households, apartment blocks and businesses sort food scraps, yard trimmings and paper. This guide summarises CalRecycle’s pages on the programme, collection requirements, enforcement and complaints. It covers California only and does not describe UK, Irish or other US state rules, which are covered elsewhere on this site. It is general information, not legal advice; local programme rules vary and the local jurisdiction’s guidance should be checked.

    What SB 1383 does

    CalRecycle says California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) to reduce methane and other short-lived climate pollutants, because food and other organic waste rotting in landfills emits methane. The law set targets for 2025 of 75% less organic waste sent to landfills and 20% of unsold, still-edible food sent to food recovery organisations. CalRecycle describes organic waste as including food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate and sludges.

    What local governments must provide

    Under the collection requirements, a “jurisdiction” is a city, county, city and county or special district that provides solid waste collection services. CalRecycle says jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses, unless they hold an exemption or waiver for low population or high elevation, or instead require people to separate organics, recyclables and landfill waste that they haul to disposal facilities themselves. Jurisdictions choose which collection services suit their communities, but SB 1383 requires consistent bin colours and labels across California. They must educate residents and businesses electronically, in print or through direct outreach, and must monitor contamination and give feedback.

    What households and small buildings must do

    For single-family homes and multifamily complexes of fewer than five units, CalRecycle says residents must take part in their local organics curbside collection programme and sort their organic waste into the correct containers. Some jurisdictions allow residents to haul their own organic waste to disposal facilities, and CalRecycle tells residents to contact their local programme for its rules.

    Apartment blocks of five or more units

    Multifamily complexes of five or more units must either take part in the jurisdiction’s organics collection or self-haul organic waste to a composting facility, community composting programme or other collection activity. The owner or manager must provide organic waste collection for employees and tenants, provide an adequate number, size and location of correctly labelled or coloured containers, educate employees and tenants annually on sorting, and give new tenants information within 14 days of occupation. Tenants must sort correctly or self-haul according to local rules.

    Businesses and public bodies

    Businesses must either take part in the collection service or self-haul, and must place organic waste and recycling containers in all areas with disposal containers for customers, except restrooms. A container is not needed for materials a facility does not generate. They must also inspect organic waste containers for contamination, inform employees when containers are contaminated, and educate employees, contractors, tenants and customers annually and within 14 days for new tenants. If a business already uses containers with the right colours, indoor containers do not need replacing until they no longer work or until 1 January 2036, whichever comes first.

    Public schools and school districts, state agencies, special districts and federal facilities fall outside a jurisdiction’s authority. They must subscribe to a collection service the jurisdiction provides, contract independently, or self-haul.

    Enforcement and complaints

    CalRecycle says the regulations require both jurisdictions and the State to enforce. Jurisdictions must run an inspection and enforcement programme for organic waste generators, while CalRecycle evaluates jurisdictions and oversees organic waste generators outside jurisdiction oversight, such as state and federal facilities. Members of the public can file complaints with CalRecycle about missing signage or labelling on bins, lack of education materials, no bin inspections, no edible food recovery, and no blue or green waste bin collection service or a missing bin. CalRecycle says it will make reasonable efforts to protect complainants’ confidentiality, but contact details may be given to local jurisdictions or law enforcement for investigation, and it may need to release information in response to records requests.

    FAQs

    Does SB 1383 ban putting food in the trash?

    CalRecycle describes a requirement to take part in organics collection and sort waste correctly, with local programmes setting the specific rules. Residents should check their local programme.

    Does the law require a green bin in every home?

    Jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses unless they have a waiver or exemption, or choose to require sorting of material that people haul to disposal facilities themselves.

    Where do I complain about missing bins?

    CalRecycle has a recycling services and edible food collection complaints form for issues such as a missing blue or green bin or missing signage.

    The bottom line

    California’s SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection to all residents and businesses, and requires residents, apartment complexes of five or more units and businesses to take part or self-haul. Owners and managers must provide labelled bins and education, and complaints about missing service can go to CalRecycle. Rules differ from UK and Irish schemes, and local programmes set the details. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

    • CalRecycle, “California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy”
    • CalRecycle, “Statewide Mandatory Organic Waste Collection”
    • CalRecycle, “Enforcement of Organics Waste Collection, Processing, and Diversion from Landfills”
    • CalRecycle, “Recycling Services and Edible Food Collection Complaints”

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • Car Batteries and Industrial Batteries: Why Shops Need Not Take Them Back and Who Must Collect Them Instead

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    Car Batteries and Industrial Batteries: Why Shops Need Not Take Them Back and Who Must Collect Them Instead

    The free retailer take-back rule covers small sealed batteries, not car or industrial ones. For waste automotive batteries, GOV.UK says the producer must collect them free from final holders such as garages and scrapyards, and sending them to landfill or incineration is illegal.

    Published 25 September 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. Three kinds of battery in the regulations
    2. What shops do not have to do
    3. Who must collect waste car batteries
    4. The ban on landfill and incineration
    5. Industrial and electric vehicle batteries
    6. Practical checks when booking a clearance
    7. FAQs
    8. The bottom line
    9. Sources

    Household battery collection points at shops take the small sealed batteries used in torches and phones, but a car battery is treated differently under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009. This guide summarises the regulations, GOV.UK’s retailer and producer guidance (the producer page was last updated on 11 May 2026) and where the rules stop. It concerns the United Kingdom, with one exception noted below, and is general information, not legal advice on a particular battery or business. Household battery take-back is covered in the guide to household batteries.

    Three kinds of battery in the regulations

    The regulations divide batteries into three groups. A portable battery is sealed, can be hand-carried by an average person without difficulty, and is neither automotive nor industrial. An automotive battery is a battery used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition power. An industrial battery is one designed exclusively for industrial or professional use, used as the power source for propulsion in an electric vehicle, or unsealed and not automotive. GOV.UK says the automotive group is sometimes referred to as starter, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries.

    What shops do not have to do

    GOV.UK’s page on retailer and distributor responsibilities says a business that sells or supplies 32kg or more of portable batteries a year must offer free take-back, with a collection point at every premises from which it supplies batteries, including online sellers. It says the take-back covers any sealed battery that can be carried without difficulty by an average person. It states plainly that the retailer does not need to take back car and motorbike batteries or batteries from industrial equipment.

    A garage or motor factor is therefore not legally bound by that rule to accept a customer’s old car battery. GOV.UK also says that a business transporting batteries itself, for example to a recycling plant, needs a waste carrier certificate and must follow the law on moving and transferring hazardous waste.

    Who must collect waste car batteries

    Regulation 36 places the duty on producers of automotive batteries. A producer must collect waste automotive batteries free of charge and within a reasonable time from a final holder of automotive batteries when asked, and must publish how final holders can request collection, in a manner reasonably likely to reach them. GOV.UK’s producer page repeats this and gives examples of final holders: garages, scrapyards, end-of-life vehicle treatment sites and local council waste collection sites.

    A producer is a business with a UK presence that is the first in its selling chain, including importers, to make batteries available for supply or sale on the UK market. Producers of automotive batteries must register with the Office for Product Safety and Standards within 28 days of first placing them on the market, and must report total tonnage, chemistry and brand name by 31 March of the following year. GOV.UK says the batteries collected must go to an approved battery treatment operator or approved battery exporter for treatment and recycling.

    The ban on landfill and incineration

    Regulation 56 says no person may dispose of waste industrial or automotive batteries in a landfill or by incineration, other than residues of batteries that have already been treated and recycled in accordance with the regulations. GOV.UK gives the same message: it is illegal to send waste industrial or vehicle and other automotive batteries for incineration or to landfill. Regulation 1(3) says regulation 56 does not extend to Scotland, so this particular prohibition is not part of the 2009 regulations there.

    Putting a car battery in a household bin, a skip or a general rubbish load would run against that prohibition where it applies. The guide to waste collection paperwork explains what to keep when a carrier removes waste.

    Industrial and electric vehicle batteries

    The industrial group includes batteries used to power an electric vehicle. GOV.UK says industrial battery producers must register with the Office for Product Safety and Standards within 28 days and report tonnage, chemistry and brand by 31 March. They must take back waste industrial batteries free of charge from any end-user if they supplied that user with new batteries, if the batteries are the same chemistry as those they place on the market, or if they cannot be returned to another producer, and they must tell end-users how to return them. The waste batteries must go to an approved battery treatment operator or approved battery exporter.

    Practical checks when booking a clearance

    For a house or garage clearance, batteries from vehicles, mobility equipment or garden machinery are worth listing separately when asking for a quote, because the regulations treat car and industrial batteries differently from small household ones. A carrier that agrees to take them should be a registered waste carrier, as described in the guide to checking a waste carrier. Lithium-ion batteries have their own fire-risk rules, described in the guide to lithium-ion battery waste.

    FAQs

    Can I take a car battery to any shop that sells batteries?

    Not as of right. GOV.UK says retailers do not need to take back car and motorbike batteries. Some may choose to.

    Who pays for a producer to collect waste car batteries?

    Regulation 36 says the producer must collect them free of charge from the final holder on request.

    Is it illegal to put a car battery in landfill?

    Regulation 56 prohibits disposal of waste automotive and industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration, though it does not extend to Scotland.

    The bottom line

    The free retailer take-back rule covers small sealed batteries, not car, motorbike or industrial batteries. For waste automotive batteries the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 put the collection duty on producers, free of charge to the final holder, and prohibit landfill or incineration outside Scotland. Batteries should go to authorised treatment routes, not household bins. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

    • GOV.UK, “Battery waste: retailer and distributor responsibilities”
    • Environment Agency, “Waste batteries: producer responsibility” (last updated 11 May 2026), GOV.UK
    • legislation.gov.uk, “The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, regulation 36: Collection: automotive batteries”
    • legislation.gov.uk, “The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, regulation 56: Prohibition on disposing of waste automotive and industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration”

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

  • A Skip on the Road After the Permit Is Granted: Lighting, Marking, Owner Details and the Council’s Power to Order It Moved (England and Wales)

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    A Skip on the Road After the Permit Is Granted: Lighting, Marking, Owner Details and the Council’s Power to Order It Moved (England and Wales)

    Once a highway authority has granted permission for a skip on the road in England or Wales, the Highways Act 1980 still requires the skip’s owner to light it at night, mark it, show the owner’s name and contact details and remove it soon after it is full. The authority or a police officer can also order it moved.

    Published 25 September 2026By the comparewasteremoval.com editorial teamHow this site is funded

    In this guide
    1. Permission and its conditions
    2. What the owner must secure
    3. The marking regulations
    4. Orders to move or reposition a skip
    5. What a permit does not do
    6. FAQs
    7. The bottom line
    8. Sources

    Getting a skip permit is only the start of the legal requirements for a skip on a public road. Sections 139 and 140 of the Highways Act 1980 and the Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 set duties for the skip’s owner, which usually means the hire company, and give councils and police powers to order a skip moved. This guide covers England and Wales, where these provisions apply, and is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules themselves are covered in the guide to skip permits and the public highway.

    Permission and its conditions

    Section 139(1) says a builder’s skip must not be deposited on a highway without the permission of the highway authority. Section 139(11) defines a builder’s skip as a container designed to be carried on a road vehicle and placed on a highway or other land to store builders’ materials or to remove and dispose of builders’ rubble, waste, household and other rubbish or earth, so a skip for household clearance is within the definition.

    Under section 139(2) the authority can grant permission unconditionally or with conditions. The section gives examples of what those conditions may cover: the siting of the skip, its dimensions, how it is coated with paint or other material to make it immediately visible to oncoming traffic, the care and disposal of its contents, how it is lighted or guarded, and its removal at the end of the period of permission. A permit may therefore contain requirements that go beyond the general duties below.

    What the owner must secure

    Where a skip is on a highway with permission, section 139(4) requires the owner to secure four things:

    • that the skip is properly lighted during the hours of darkness and, where regulations require it, is marked in accordance with them;
    • that the skip is clearly and indelibly marked with the owner’s name and a telephone number or address;
    • that the skip is removed as soon as practicable after it has been filled; and
    • that each condition of the permission is complied with.

    Failure is an offence for the owner, punishable by a fine of up to level 3 on the standard scale. For a skip on hire for a period of a month or more, section 139(11) treats the person in possession under the hire agreement as the owner, so a customer on a long hire can carry these duties.

    The marking regulations

    The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 apply to each end of every builder’s skip any part of which is on a highway other than a footway or verge. Each end must carry a marking of two plates of equal size and shape, complying with a British Standard for rear marking plates for vehicles (BS AU 152: 1970). The stippled areas are red fluorescent material and the other areas yellow reflex-reflecting material. The plates must be fixed as close to the outer edges as the skip’s construction allows, no more than 1.5 metres from the ground, and not on a lid or door unless a door is the only practical place.

    The markings must be clean, efficient and clearly visible for a reasonable distance to road users, although this does not apply to a marking on a door while it must be open for loading or unloading.

    Orders to move or reposition a skip

    Section 140 applies even where the skip is there with permission. The highway authority or a constable in uniform can require the owner to remove or reposition the skip, and the owner must comply as soon as practicable or commit an offence. The authority or the police can also remove or reposition the skip themselves. If a skip is removed, they must notify the owner where practicable, and if the owner cannot be traced or does not recover it within a reasonable time, the skip and its contents may be disposed of. Reasonable expenses, including storage, may be recovered from the owner as a civil debt.

    An owner is not guilty of a siting-condition offence if the failure results from the skip being repositioned under this section.

    What a permit does not do

    Section 139(10) says nothing in the section authorises the creation of a nuisance or a danger to users of a highway, and it does not make a highway authority liable for injury, damage or loss resulting from the presence of the skip. Insurance questions are covered in the guide to skip hire liability and insurance.

    The legislation database records that subsections 139(3) to (7) cease to have effect in part in London from 18 December 2013 by virtue of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2013, so the offence provisions for London boroughs may differ. Sizes and access for skip hire are in the guide to hiring a skip.

    FAQs

    Who is responsible for lighting the skip at night?

    Section 139(4) makes the owner responsible for securing that the skip is properly lighted during the hours of darkness. A skip on hire for a month or more counts the hirer as the owner.

    Can the council make me move a skip that has a permit?

    Yes. Section 140 lets the highway authority or a uniformed constable require the owner to remove or reposition a skip even if it has permission.

    Do these rules apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?

    No. The sections are marked as applying to England and Wales.

    The bottom line

    In England and Wales, a skip placed on the road with permission must be lit at night, marked as the regulations require, labelled with the owner’s name and contact details, and removed soon after it is full. Councils and police can order a skip moved even after granting permission, and a permit does not remove the owner’s responsibility for danger or nuisance. This is general information, not legal advice.

    Sources

    This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

    • legislation.gov.uk, “Highways Act 1980, section 139: Control of builders’ skips”
    • legislation.gov.uk, “Highways Act 1980, section 140: Removal of builders’ skips”
    • legislation.gov.uk, “The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984”

    Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.

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