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Commercial waste Portsmouth
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Commercial waste collection in Portsmouth
Commercial waste collection services are important in managing the variety of waste businesses produce throughout the Portsmouth area.
Commercial recycling
Small businesses in Portsmouth typically use a convenient dry mixed recycling collection service to dispose of plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard waste.
Dry mixed recycling is the easiest way for businesses to adhere to the waste hierarchy in UK waste regulations.
Commercial food waste
Portsmouth’s restaurants, pubs, and cafes generate food waste from unused ingredients and leftovers.
Private waste firms in Portsmouth offer specialised commercial food waste collection services and transport food to local composting or anaerobic digestion facilities.
Commercial cardboard recycling
The retail sector in Portsmouth generates substantial volumes of packaging waste from the continuous arrival of goods at shopping centres, including Gunwharf Quays and Cascades Shopping Centre.
Portsmouth’s commercial waste providers offer comprehensive commercial cardboard waste collection and management services, including leasing cardboard balers to handle and recycle cardboard waste efficiently.
Commercial glass recycling
Portsmouth’s hospitality sector generates significant glass waste from daily operations, including pubs like The Wellington in Old Portsmouth and restaurants like Becketts in Southsea.
Commercial waste providers in Portsmouth offer dedicated glass recycling services, efficiently collecting, sorting, and recycling glass bottles and containers.
Confidential waste disposal
Portsmouth is a hub for financial institutions, legal firms, and medical facilities, all of which handle sensitive information. Secure disposal of confidential waste is crucial to ensure compliance with data protection regulations and to safeguard sensitive information.
Confidential waste disposal services include secure collection, transportation, and shredding of documents and digital media.
Hazardous waste disposal
Businesses in Portsmouth need specialised hazardous waste collection services to mitigate risks associated with handling and disposing of hazardous materials.
The maritime industry in Portsmouth produces various types of hazardous waste, including oils, paints, solvents, chemicals, asbestos, heavy metals and materials from ship dismantling activities.
Business waste in Portsmouth
Businesses in Portsmouth contribute to the enormous amount of waste produced in the area. We summarise Portsmouth’s biggest waste contributing sectors:
Restaurant waste
Portsmouth’s restaurants generate waste daily, including leftover food, packaging, and glass bottles.
Restaurant waste management services efficiently collect, sort, and recycle this waste, ensuring compliance, helping reduce landfill impact, and supporting Portsmouth’s environmental goals.
Office waste
Portsmouth has a range of high profile businesses with offices in the city, including the spectacular Lakeside North Harbour office for IBM.
Offices in Portsmouth produce paper, cardboard, electronic waste, and general waste—local waste services in Portsmouth offer efficient collection and recycling.
Manufacturing waste
Portsmouth is a key manufacturing hub with military contractors such as BAE systems clustered around the Naval Base.
Manufacturing produces a diverse range of waste, including metals, plastics, and hazardous materials. National waste firms offer complete waste management solutions for complex manufacturing businesses.
Boat waste
Portsmouth’s maritime activities generate significant boat waste, especially in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth Harbour, and Southsea Marina.
Waste types include bilge water, used oil, and general refuse. Proper disposal is crucial for the Solent’s ecological health. Local services ensure responsible waste management, compliance with environmental regulations, and support for the sustainability of Portsmouth’s maritime community.
Retail waste
Portsmouth’s retail sector attracts shoppers far and wide to their outlet stores, generating diverse types of waste.
Clothing stores produce huge amounts of waste from packaging, hangers, and tags, while larger stores like John Lewis generate significant amounts of cardboard, paper, and electronic waste from product displays and customer returns.
Event waste
The Victorious Festival on Southsea Common is a prime example of the waste produced by popular events in Portsmouth.
Waste created includes food containers, plastic bottles, and promotional materials. Events are now advised to follow a digital strategy to reduce the unnecessary waste produced before and during the event (flyering), which could be avoided by using a tablet.
Commercial waste collection providers in Portsmouth
Businesses in Portsmouth enjoy a variety of choices for their commercial waste collection services. Our team of specialists in business waste has created a list showcasing the top waste providers in the Portsmouth region:
A&D Recycling Solutions
A&D Recycling Solutions provides comprehensive commercial waste collection services tailored to the needs of businesses in Portsmouth. Run by a dedicated husband and wife duo with five years of experience in the industry, their primary goal is to divert 90% of waste away from landfills. They specialise in the collection and responsible disposal of scrap metal.
GHS Recycling
With over 30 years of experience in the recycling industry, GHS Recycling is an independent, family-run business specialising in recycling and waste management. Based in Portsmouth, they operate throughout the south of England. Their services encompass commercial confidential waste disposal and shredding, paper waste management, cardboard recycling, and plastic recycling.
TJ Waste
TJ Waste provides comprehensive commercial waste management solutions to businesses in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. Operating two material recovery facilities, one located on Quartremaine Road and the other at Pond Yard, they assist local businesses in reducing their carbon footprint through efficient commercial waste collection services.
Grundon
Grundon has been offering commercial waste services since 1929. Their local depot in Airfield Industrial Estate, Arundel, services the business of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas with their specialist fleet of CarbonNeutral vehicles to ensure sustainable waste collection.
SO Recycling
SO Recycling offers commercial waste disposal services to businesses in Portsmouth. They specialise in cardboard/paper and plastic recycling, processing thousands of tonnes annually at their state-of-the-art recycling facility in Romsey.
Commercial waste disposal Portsmouth
Businesses in Portsmouth that want to transport and dispose of their own waste can either use local council recycling centres or private waste transfer stations.
Here, we’ll summarise the best commercial waste disposal options around Portsmouth.
Commercial recycling centres in Portsmouth
Small and medium sized businesses in Portsmouth with a waste carriers licence can now take trade/commercial waste to the household waste and recycling centre in the Portsmouth suburb of Port Solent:
Portsmouth HWRC – Paulsgrove Portway, Port Solent, PO6 4UD
Businesses may deposit all waste types except hazardous waste and electronic equipment.
The cost to dispose of commercial waste will depend on the amount and type of waste. Example charges provided by the site contractor (Veolia UK) based on a full load of non-recyclable residual waste are shown in the table below.
For more information on charges, email Veolia on uk.hampshire.hwrcs@veolia.com or phone 0203 567 4440.
Recycled and segregated waste streams typically incur lower charges.
| Category | Vehicle | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| A | Cars/Estate Cars | £35 |
| B | Small Vans (Car Derived eg Astra van/Escort van) | £50 |
| C | Pick-ups/MPVs/SUVs | £80 |
| D | Medium Van 1- 2 tonnes (ie Peugeot Boxer/Vauxhall Vivaro) | £120 |
| E | Large Van up to 3 tonnes(ie Transit) | £200 |
| F | XL Van up to 3.5 tonnes (ie Luton/Hightop) | £280 |
| G | Small Trailer (less than 6 foot in length) | £35 |
| H | Medium Trailer (6–8 foot in length) | £50 |
| I | Large Trailer (8–10 foot in length) | £80 |
| – | Plasterboard | £10 per sheet |
⚠️ Each vehicle type has a minimum charge equivalent to a half load.
Source: Trade Waste Recycling Centres – Hampshire County Council
Waste transfer stations in Portsmouth
For larger businesses in Portsmouth, we recommend using one of the following waste transfer stations:
- L&S waste management: Farlington Redoubt, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 1BW
- TJ Waste – Pounds Yard, Twyford Avenue, Tipner, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8QA
The waste transfer stations listed above will provide you with a Waste Transfer Note for any business waste you bring, allowing your company to demonstrate its compliance with commercial waste regulations.
National waste collection providers operating in Portsmouth
Two major commercial waste providers offer their services to businesses in Portsmouth, utilising their dedicated local waste facilities. Below, you will find information about their services in close proximity to Portsmouth:
Biffa’s commercial waste collections in Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council ended its 12-year contract with Biffa for household waste in June 2023, opting for in-house services from March 2024. Biffa still offers various commercial waste services, including general collections, skip hire and asbestos removal. They operate a material recovery facility at Hounsdown Business Park and a transfer station in Marchwood.
Source: Biffa
Veolia’s commercial waste collections in Portsmouth
Veolia operates a waste depot at Dundas Spur, Copnor, providing local businesses with general waste collection, dry-mixed recycling, glass recycling, and commercial food waste collection. Their Energy Recovery Facility on Quartremaine Road generates enough electricity to power 20,600 homes, highlighting their commitment to sustainability.
Source: Veolia
Portsmouth University Waste Management
Portsmouth University, home to over 25,000 students, has increased its recycling rate from 40% to 70% since 2011 by using microchipped bins for data collection and directing non-recyclable waste to an energy recovery facility.
Portsmouth University further minimises the environmental impact of waste by separating waste into specific bins, eliminating single-use plastics on campus, and producing graduation gowns from 70% recycled polyester, equating to around 30 plastic bottles per gown.