If your business produces hazardous waste in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, almost every movement of that waste off your site must travel with a hazardous waste consignment note. It is the document that proves where the waste came from, what it is, who moved it and where it ended up.
When a consignment note is required
A consignment note is required whenever hazardous waste is moved from the place it was produced, including moves between two of your own sites. It applies whether the load is a single 5 litre container or a full tanker. There is no small quantity exemption in the way many people assume, so a handful of laboratory bottles collected under laboratory chemical disposal needs a note just as a bulk load of waste oil does.
Non hazardous waste travels on a waste transfer note instead. If you are unsure which category your waste falls into, start with what is hazardous waste.
Who completes each part
The note is completed in parts, and each party has a job to do.
Part A is the notification details: a unique consignment note code, the producer, the collection address and the destination.
Part B is the description of the waste, including the List of Waste code, the physical form, the quantity, the container type and the hazard properties. As the producer, this is your responsibility, although a good waste contractor will help you get it right.
Part C is the carrier's certificate, signed by the driver, confirming the registration number of the carrier and the vehicle.
Part D is the consignor's certificate, signed by you when the waste leaves site.
Part E is completed by the consignee at the treatment or disposal facility, confirming what was received and how it was treated. That copy comes back to you and is your proof of compliant disposal.
The consignment note code
Every note carries a unique code made up of your premises code and a running number, for example ABC123 or 00001. Getting this format right matters, because a duplicate or malformed code is a common reason for a rejected return. If we collect for you, we generate and manage the codes, so the sequence stays clean.
How long to keep the records
Producers must keep consignment notes for at least three years. Carriers keep their copies for at least twelve months, and consignees keep records for at least three years. Keep them somewhere an inspector can see them quickly, whether that is a folder in the office or a shared drive.
You also need a register of the hazardous waste leaving your site. Many sites keep this as a simple spreadsheet with the date, note code, waste code, quantity and destination.
Common mistakes we see
Describing waste loosely, for example "chemicals" instead of the specific waste and its code, causes rejections at the treatment facility. So does understating quantity, missing hazard codes, or forgetting to sign Part D. Another frequent problem is filing the outbound copy but never chasing the Part E return, which leaves a gap in your records exactly where an audit will look.
Multiple collections and rounds
Where a carrier collects small quantities from several producers on one round, a schedule of carriers or a multiple collection note may be used. This keeps costs down for sites that produce modest volumes, which is how many of our COSHH container and paint and aerosol collections are run.
Where consignment notes fit in your wider duties
The note is one part of a broader legal obligation. The full picture, from producing the waste to checking that your contractor is authorised, is set out in Duty of Care for waste producers.
Let us handle the paperwork
Every collection we make is issued with a fully completed consignment note, and the Part E return is sent back to you once the waste has been treated. Tell us what you need moving and we will quote the collection and the documentation together. Browse our hazardous waste services or contact the team.