Your business waste responsibilities

Your legal responsibilities

Disposing of business or commercial waste

You must use a commercial waste service that is legally registered if you don’t use the council’s commercial waste service.

Find out about your legal requirements for disposing of business or commercial waste on GOV.UK.

Simpler Recycling regulations

All businesses, with 10 or more full-time employees, must now start separating all dry recyclables (glass, paper, card, metals, plastics) and ensure food waste is collected separately from their general waste service, regardless of the amount produced.

Micro-firms (with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees) have until 31 March 2027 to follow the new rules.

Find out about the Simpler Recycling rules on GOV.UK.

How we can support you

We offer a business waste and recycling service that's low cost, high quality and reliable, 24 hours a day seven days a week. We can offer expert guidance and a dedicated food waste service to help your business meet the Simpler Recycling regulations.

By signing up for our services you can feel assured that your business is meeting its legal requirements when it comes to waste collection.

Contact us:

• Call 020 7527 4900, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Email CommercialWaste@islington.gov.uk

What happens if you don’t dispose of waste correctly

If you put commercial waste on the street in unidentifiable containers, like black sacks, or put out more waste than you pay to have collected, you could be prosecuted for fly-tipping and fined up to £50,000 or imprisoned.

Section 47 notice

If you are issued a Section 47 notice, we suspect that either:

• you are presenting your waste for collection in bags that do not clearly identify your waste carrier and/or do not display the words "commercial" or "trade waste" (for example, household black refuse sacks)
• or you are failing to comply with the time banding restrictions in your area

If you do not make sure that your waste is presented correctly, you may be prosecuted.

Section 34 notice

If you have been issued a Section 34 notice this means we suspect you are in breach of your duty of care to take all reasonable steps to keep waste safe. If you employ a waste carrier to take your waste, you must be sure they are authorised to take it and can transport, recycle or dispose of it legally and safely.