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Commercial waste collection costs
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Request commercial waste collection prices
Commercial waste collection prices depend on location, the type of waste, bin size, and frequency of collection. Request a no-obligation, bespoke price quote for your business waste collection in minutes with our three-step process:
Enter your postcode
Enter your postcode in our smart address finder to look up the name and full address of your commercial property.
Your waste needs
Select the different types of waste your business generates, how often collections are required, and the size of your bins.
Receive your quote
Our waste experts will prepare a bespoke quote for your regular collection services, providing prices for each waste type.
What’s covered in commercial waste collection costs?
Commercial waste collection costs for regular collections are a fixed monthly price which covers the following fees, charges, and taxes incurred by your waste management provider:
Bin hire costs
At the start of a commercial waste contract, you’ll receive the bins and other containers needed to store your waste. The waste collection charges include a rental charge for each of these containers.
Collection charges
These charges include the costs of collecting your waste, which depends on the frequency of collection and the distance your provider must travel to your business.
Disposal costs
There are many ways to dispose of commercial waste in the UK. Your business waste collection charge will include the costs your provider will incur to dispose of the waste lawfully and responsibly.
Compliance fees
To demonstrate compliance with commercial waste regulations, your provider will issue a waste transfer note and review and sign hazardous waste consignment notes.
Landfill tax
The landfill tax is a government levy on general waste disposed of in landfills. Your provider incurs these costs for general waste disposal.
Regulatory costs
Waste disposal in the UK is highly regulated. Your provider maintains a registered waste carrier licence and environmental permits at each of their waste disposal facilities.
Commercial waste disposal costs per tonne
Providers will collect and dispose of various types of commercial waste separately. Below are the typical disposal-only costs associated with the most common types of commercial waste.
| Commercial waste disposal type | Cost per tonne |
|---|---|
| General business waste | £170 to £250 |
| Commercial dry mixed recycling | £90 to £180 |
| Uncontaminated plastic recycling | Free to £70 |
| Paper and commercial cardboard recycling | Free to £55 |
| Commercial glass recycling | Free to £55 |
| Commercial food waste | £50 to £180 |
💡Mixed waste sent to landfills represents the most expensive type of commercial waste disposal. All businesses can reduce costs by segregating their waste to benefit from the cheaper disposal costs of commercial recycling.
Source: The commercial waste costs presented above are based upon local council waste disposal costs across England, Scotland, and Wales, as shown on council websites in April 2025, based on delivering the waste directly to the local disposal facilities.
Commercial waste bin costs
Most commercial waste providers include bin rental costs within their overall collection charges. However, if you choose to arrange bin rental separately, here are the current costs for different types of commercial waste bins:
| Bin type | Size | Capacity | Purchase price | Approx. daily rental price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelie bin | 240 litres | 3 Sacks | £35-£45 | 10 pence |
| Commercial wheelie bin (plastic) | 660 litres | 8 Sacks | £100-£160 | 40 pence |
| Commercial wheelie bin (plastic) | 1,100 litres | 12 Sacks | £200-£320 | 65 pence |
| Commercial wheelie bin (metal) | 1,100 litres | 12 Sacks | £500-£650 | 100 pence |
| Front end loader | 6,000 litres | 72 Sacks | £2,000-£3,500 | 300 pence |
Source: The bin rental and purchase costs presented above are based on trade figures advertised by bin manufacturers in April 2025 and bin rental costs are the average of a sample of local council-advertised bin rental costs displayed in April 2025.
💡The bin rental costs will include the initial cost of delivering the containers to your commercial property and the costs of picking these up at the end of your waste contract.
Additional commercial waste costs
It’s important to be aware of the following additional costs that may apply under a commercial waste collection contract:
Excess weight charge
In a commercial waste contract, you’ll agree on a maximum weight for each waste/recycling category. Providers typically measure the weight of your rubbish at every collection and will charge for excess weight at a defined rate per excess kilogram.
Failed collection charge
If your waste collection provider cannot access your commercial waste bins and needs to make a second attempt, they will charge for the failed collection.
Contamination charges
Your business is responsible for ensuring that the waste in each bin matches the description in your waste transfer note and on the bin’s label.
Container damage charge
In a commercial waste contract, you agree to rent the bins over the contract and must return them when it ends. You could be charged for any necessary repairs where the bins have incurred damage while at your business.
Waste transfer note charge
Some providers may charge an administrative fee for issuing the annual renewal of your waste transfer note.
Retail fee
Commercial waste management providers may impose a fixed retail fee for the administration involved in managing your waste contract with multiple providers and maintaining a customer services department.
What affects commercial waste collection costs?
Here are the five most important factors that influence commercial waste collection prices:
Type of waste
Each type of waste goes through a different disposal process, which impacts its collection cost. Glass and cardboard are relatively cheap to dispose of because they are recycled into new products. In contrast, general waste is expensive as it uses valuable landfill capacity.
Bin number and size
Typical waste contracts include the regular emptying of your commercial waste bin, with a maximum permitted weight per collection. Commercial waste collection costs increase with the number and size of bins, as larger volumes of waste require more handling and disposal.
Collection frequency
Transportation costs associated with collection depend on the frequency of waste collections. Fewer collections result in less weight and volume of waste needing to be disposed of, and also fewer miles travelled for waste transportation.
Business location
The location of individual businesses impacts commercial waste collection prices. Waste collection quotes are calculated based on proximity to existing collection routes. Rural waste collection can be more expensive.
Contract length
Commercial waste contracts are typically offered for periods between 1 and 3 years. Longer three-year contracts are generally discounted compared with shorter agreements, but they often include expensive early termination fees, making them less flexible.
Commercial waste collection costs by location
Commercial waste collection costs vary widely across the UK. In this section, we outline six location-specific factors that affect local commercial waste collection costs.
London
Commercial waste collection in London is more expensive because local providers must comply with the city-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charges on their vehicles or pay to upgrade their fleets to meet emission standards.
Birmingham
Similarly, commercial waste collection in Birmingham is more expensive due to the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) rules that apply to all roads within its ring roads. Older diesel waste collection lorries are charged £50 per day to operate in the city.
Cardiff
Commercial waste collection in Cardiff is more expensive due to new waste regulations for Welsh businesses that came into force in April 2024, requiring separate bins and collections for six key waste types.
Edinburgh
Commercial waste collection in Edinburgh is more expensive due to strict rules implemented by Edinburgh City Council, which only permit waste bins on the street during a very narrow pickup window. This has led to an increase in missed collections.
Cornwall
Commercial waste collection in Cornwall is among the most expensive in the country due to the large distances between businesses and the additional mileage waste providers must travel to local disposal and recycling facilities.
Peterborough
Commercial waste collection in Peterborough is relatively inexpensive due to the close proximity of the state-of-the-art Viridor energy recovery facility, which reduces the cost for local waste providers to dispose of general business waste.
VAT on commercial waste costs
For small businesses that are not yet VAT registered and partially exempt larger businesses, it’s essential to consider the VAT implications of commercial waste contracts.
Here’s a summary of what you must know about VAT on commercial waste charges.
What is VAT?
VAT, or Value Added Tax, is a consumption tax levied on goods and services sold within the UK. Generally, an additional 20% of the price of all goods and services purchased by consumers is collected as tax.
For most VAT-registered businesses, any VAT paid on goods purchased can be reclaimed from HMRC, and any VAT collected on goods sold is payable to HMRC.
How much VAT is charged on commercial waste collections?
Commercial waste collection costs from private companies are subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20%. Our commercial waste quotes are presented net of VAT since most businesses are VAT registered and therefore recover VAT on waste bills.
In the UK, VAT rules exempt commercial waste collection services provided directly by local authorities; these services are VAT-exempt. You must visit your local council’s website to access these local authority services.
Are there different VAT rates depending on waste types?
The VAT rules set by HMRC categorise types of waste as follows:
- Domestic waste – Domestic waste collections are VAT exempt but are usually covered by council tax payments made to your local authority.
- Commercial waste – Encompassing all types of waste and recycling produced at non-private dwellings, including businesses, schools, hospitals, etc. Commercial waste collections are subject to VAT except where the local council provides the collection.
- Industrial waste – Collections of controlled hazardous waste produced in heavy industry. Always subject to the full rate of VAT.
- Clinical waste – Subject to VAT at the standard rate except where the local council provides a clinical waste collection service.
💡Waste classification can be complex. Refer to our complete guide to what is classified as commercial waste.
Commercial waste collection costs – FAQs
Our business waste experts have answered some of the most common questions customers ask about commercial waste collection prices and costs.
What are commercial waste collection costs?
Commercial waste collection costs are typically quoted as a fixed monthly fee under a 1 to 3 year commercial waste contract, which encompasses:
- Providing bin rental for an agreed size and quantity
- Emptying the bins on an agreed collection schedule
- Transporting collected waste to a disposal or recycling facility
- Paying for the disposal of the waste at these facilities
How can I reduce commercial waste collection costs?
Here are the top three ways to reduce commercial waste collection costs:
- Competitive provider – Find the most competitive business waste collection prices available in your area. Use the form at the top of this page to see our prices.
- Waste minimisation – Avoid the unnecessary production of waste in business processes. Reducing waste volumes leads to fewer collections and lower costs.
- Segregating waste – Segregate all recyclable waste types and store them separately to reduce costly general waste disposal charges.
Are there hidden or unexpected waste collection fees?
Yes, businesses can incur additional and unexpected waste collection costs. The three most common examples are:
- Excess weight charges for overfilled containers
- Failed collection charges when your provider can’t access your bins
- Contamination charges when recycling bins contain non-recyclable materials
Can I negotiate my commercial waste rates?
Yes, you can negotiate commercial waste collection prices, and many businesses do. Most UK cities have multiple competing waste management providers looking to acquire new customers.
We recommend bundling as many waste types as possible into a single commercial waste contract to benefit from the most competitive collection rates.