Waste packaging guidance for road transport businesses

This guidance covers what you must do with your packaging waste from deliveries of goods to your site such as engineering parts, chemicals, paints or oils.

If your road haulage business places large amounts of packaging materials on the market, for example if you package up goods to protect them during transport, you may be responsible for recovering and recycling packaging waste you create.

What must you do

Comply with threshold limits if you create packaging waste

If you handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging and have an annual turnover of over £2 million, you must comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations.

To find out what you have to do if you pass these thresholds, see our guidance on how to comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations.

Check if you need a waste exemption

To store any packaging waste at your site before it is recycled, you may need an exemption from waste permitting or licensing.

Comply with your duty of care

You must comply with your waste responsibilities. These apply however you dispose of your packaging waste.

You must make sure that your packaging waste is collected and transported by a registered waste carrier who will dispose of it legally.

Your road transport waste responsibilities

Good practice

Maximise the amount of packaging waste you recycle. You could:

  • return packaging to your suppliers or customers
  • reuse packaging such as wooden pallets, cardboard boxes or padded envelopes
  • purchase a compactor or baler, which crushes packaging into blocks. This will allow you to transport larger volumes of packaging, which will reduce your recycling or disposal costs
  • separate different types of packaging for recycling, this will reduce your recycling costs
  • buy from suppliers that minimise packaging in their products
  • buy from suppliers that use recyclable or biodegradable packaging
  • buy goods in bulk to reduce packaging
  • make use of the free resources available from Envirowise to improve efficiency.

Envirowise: Packaging

Use directories to find local recycling services for your packaging.

Find your nearest waste site
Lets Recycle: Recycling and waste directory
Northern Ireland Waste Works

Further information on packaging waste

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS): Packaging guidance