Licensing & Permitting

Republic of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, to undertake waste collection activities, waste collection permits must be sought. Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations, 2007 and Waste Management (Collection Permit) (Amendment) Regulations 2008, those intending to carry out waste collection activities in a Local Authority area must apply for a waste collection permit. This requirement applies to individuals, companies, and partnerships.

Since February 2012, new and replacement waste collection permits are applied for and issued by the National Waste Collection Permit Office, which is hosted by Offaly County Council. This Office also administers other aspects of existing permits; however, the enforcement of the waste collection permit system remains with each local authority.

The main purpose of the waste collection permit system is to ensure that waste collectors are known to regulatory bodies and that they only handle wastes they are authorised to manage. The duration of each waste collection permit is a maximum of five years. This period can be extended by an application for a permit review, with this request being submitted no later than 60 days before the expiry of the permit. Provided the application has been lodged within that timeframe, the expiry date of the permit is lifted while the application is being processed.

AVRIO has extensive expertise in ensuring compliance with Waste Collection permitting regulations and can handle the permitting process from start to finish in the fastest timeframe possible. AVRIO would conduct all tasks necessary to complete each application, e.g. Application Forms and accompanying information, Waste Collection Procedures, Waste Collection Model, as and when required.

Northern Ireland

If you transport controlled waste, or as a broker, arrange the transport of controlled waste, you need to be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Controlled Waste is household, commercial or industrial waste, including waste from construction. In Northern Ireland there is a two-tier registration system for waste carriers.

All businesses can register as waste carriers, including self-employed individuals, partnerships, companies or other types of organisations. You need to register even if carrying waste is not your main business activity or if you only carry waste occasionally. If you do not register and you carry waste, you could be prosecuted.

A carrier is a person who transports controlled waste which that person has not produced themselves, to or from any place in Northern Ireland in the course of any business of his or otherwise with a view to profit. An establishment or undertaking which acts as a broker has control of waste in the sense that it arranges for the disposal or recovery on behalf of another and is outside the chain of people who already handle the waste (i.e. producer, holder, carrier, recovery operator, or disposal operator).

If you transport other peoples controlled waste, or your own construction or demolition waste, you must register as an upper tier waste carrier unless you fall into one of the categories for lower tier waste carriers.

You must register as a lower tier carrier if you carry:

• animal by-products;
• waste from mines and quarries;
• waste from agricultural premises.

If you carry waste, and are:

• a waste collection, disposal or regulatory authority;
• a charity or voluntary organisation; or
• If you normally and regularly carry controlled waste produced by your own business.

Your activity may be exempt from registration. If you are unsure as to whether your activity is exempt or not, we at AVRIO can help.

AVRIO has extensive experience in waste carrier registration and can help with determining if your activity requires carrier registration, and subsequent preparation of an application and its submission thereafter.