A waste carriers licence is not a plastic card, akin to a driver’s licence. It is a paper certificate issued by the relevant government body. For the avoidance of doubt, this will be:
England – Environmental Agency (EA)
Wales – Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
Scotland – Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Northern Ireland – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)
This certificate will verify that the holder is legally entitled to handle waste on the behalf of customers, in exchange for a fee.
This certificate will contain a header that confirms it was issued by the relevant authority, as well as all information pertaining to the business – their name and trading address, the registration number of the license, and confirmation of issue and expiry dates of the license.
Any website of a licenced waste carrier in England should host a widget that confirms the data found on their waste carriers licence, as these are issued as standard by the Environmental Agency. This will provide the following information:
- The name of the business
- The registration number of the waste carriers licence (very important!)
- The company number of the business, if registered with Companies House
- The expiration date of the licence
If you hold a waste carriers licence, ensure your website has this widget prominently displayed. Most customers will not use a business that cannot prove their credentials at a glance.