Hazardous Waste Consignment Note: A Complete Guide

A hazardous waste consignment note is the legal document that travels with hazardous waste when it's moved. It records who produced the waste, what it is, who's carrying it and where it's going, and it's signed at each stage.

In England and Wales, consignment notes are required under the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 and the equivalent Welsh regulations. In Scotland, hazardous waste is known as special waste and has its own consignment note system. Northern Ireland has its own hazardous waste regulations.

Each consignment needs a unique code. In England and Wales, the code is usually made up of a reference to the producer and a unique sequence for the movement. The code follows the waste through the chain and must be quoted on records and returns.

Under digital waste tracking, receiving sites must record the consignment note code for hazardous waste, or give a reason if there isn't one.

Sites that receive hazardous waste must send consignee returns to their regulator, summarising the hazardous waste they've received, usually quarterly. Returns must also be sent to the producer or holder. Make sure you check the current deadlines and format with your regulator.

Keeping consignment notes digitally makes returns far easier, because the data is already structured.

Consignment notes continue alongside digital waste tracking. Defra has said existing notes and returns remain in place until further notice.

When a receiving site reports a hazardous load to Defra, it records the consignment note code, the hazardous EWC codes, hazardous properties and components, and the disposal or recovery codes. If your consignment notes are digital, that information can flow straight into the Defra record without being typed again. See our electronic hazardous waste consignment notes feature.