Waste Transfer Notes: All You Need To Know

Waste Transfer Notes: What Are They and What Do They Do?

Waste Transfer Notes:

A document that details the transfer of controlled waste from one site to another. You must ensure that every consignment of controlled waste that you receive or pass to others is covered by a Waste Transfer Note.

All controlled waste must have a Waster Transfer Note (WTN). This is to show accountability that a premises’ waste is collected by a licensed waste carrier. All controlled waste, such as clinical or sanitary waste, must have an accompanying WTN. This is sometimes issued annually by some companies and they may charge their customers for the privilege.

Here at Nexus Hygiene, we issue Waste Transfer Notes at every visit when we remove waste. We also provide this service free of charge. Nexus Hygiene take our responsibility as a registered waste carrier very seriously.

Copies of your WTNs must be by law, kept for two years. These can be requested by official agencies such as the Environment Agency as proof that waste is being disposed of in the correct and legal manner.

Waste Transfer Notes should also have codes for each type of waste that is to be disposed of. The Environment Agency is the official body who is responsible for the monitoring of waste disposal in the correct manner.

As a business, you have a Duty of Care. This means that you as a “waste holder” are responsible for ensuring the safe and correct disposal for any waste that comes from your premises. The Environment Agency’s description of a waste holder is:

Waste holders are a:

Waste Producer – any person whose activities produce waste. This includes private sector businesses such as shops, offices, factories and tradesman (eg electricians, builders, glaziers and plumbers) and public sector services such as schools, hospitals and prisons, as well as charities and voluntary and community groups

Your Duty of Care extends until you transfer your waste to an authorised person or company. This could be someone like ourselves, as a registered waste carrier for any controlled waste, or a local authority refuse collection. When your waste is collected by ourselves, a Waste Transfer Note will document this

Some of the common codes you may come across on Waste Transfer Notes include:

18 01 03  wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection

18 01 04 wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection (for example dressings, plaster casts, linen, disposable clothing, nappies etc.

18 01 01 wastes of a sharp nature – needles, syringes.

A full list of all types of waste for disposal and their accompanying codes can be found in the Environment Agency’s guidance document here.

For more information on washroom hygiene services from Nexus Hygiene, please call us on: (01772) 671500 or email us here.