Trade & Commercial Waste

Waste Transfer Notes for Trade & Commercial Waste

Shops, offices, restaurants, warehouses, and any business producing commercial waste need a waste transfer note for every collection. Whether you manage your own waste or rely on a contractor, the duty of care is yours. QWTN makes compliance simple.

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  • One-off notes free, no account
  • Plans from £12/month
  • 2-year cloud storage
  • DEFRA 2026 ready

Built for Commercial Waste

  • Season Tickets. One note covers 12 months of regular collections — ideal for weekly bin rounds from shops, offices, and restaurants.
  • Saved Clients. Save your waste carrier details once. Reuse them on every note without retyping.
  • EWC Code Lookup. Search 800+ codes — type "cardboard" or "food waste" and find the right code in seconds.
  • Carrier Verification. Check that your waste contractor is EA-registered before handing over your waste.
  • 2-Year Cloud Storage. Every note stored securely and retrievable instantly. Legal retention handled automatically.
  • Invoicing. Link waste notes to invoices for a complete audit trail of your waste collections and costs.

The paperwork pain

The same gaps show up job after job, and most only surface when someone asks to see a note you can't find. Here's where it usually goes wrong.

01

Confusion over duty of care

Many businesses assume waste compliance is someone else’s problem. Legally, the duty of care sits with the business that produces the waste.

02

Relying on your waste contractor

Your waste carrier may handle collections, but you are still responsible for having a valid waste transfer note for every load.

03

Not knowing which EWC codes to use

Is your office waste 20 03 01 or 20 01 01? Using the wrong code makes your note non-compliant.

04

Not keeping records for 2 years

The law requires you to store waste transfer notes for at least 2 years. If you cannot produce them on request, you face fines.

See it in action

The real app, captured from the demo, not a mock-up. Every screen here works the same in the live demo, no sign-up needed.

The QWTN dashboard: notes awaiting signature, chain gaps, collections today and a business snapshot
The live demo, with example data. Try the live demo

Common EWC codes

The codes that come up most for trade & commercial waste. QWTN suggests them as you type, so the right code lands on the note every time.

See all trade & commercial waste EWC codes
  • 20 03 01Mixed municipal waste
  • 20 01 01Paper and cardboard
  • 15 01 01Paper and cardboard packaging
  • 20 01 39Plastics

Codes marked * are hazardous and need a hazardous waste consignment note, not a WTN.

One-off notes are free. Plans when you need more

Create a single note with no account at all. When you want notes stored, signed and shared with a team, pick the plan that fits the size of your operation.

See pricing Create a free note
SoloRecommendedOne-person operations£12/moCarrierTeams up to 5£29/moFleetUnlimited team£69/mo

All plans include a free trial. One-off notes are always free, no account needed.

Other trades we're built for

Construction & BuildersSkip Hire OperatorsLandscapers & Garden ServicesHospitality & RestaurantsPlumbers & Heating EngineersElectricians & Electrical ContractorsRoofers & Roofing ContractorsGarden Waste ServicesDemolition Contractors

The features that matter here

Related guides

Trade & Commercial Waste: common questions

Do businesses need waste transfer notes?
Yes. Any business that produces controlled waste — including shops, offices, restaurants, and warehouses — must have a waste transfer note for every collection. This is a legal requirement under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, regardless of the size of your business.
What is trade waste?
Trade waste (also called commercial waste) is any waste produced by a business, charity, or public organisation. It includes office paper, packaging, food waste, plastics, and general refuse. It does not include household waste from domestic properties.
Does my waste contractor handle the WTN for me?
No. While your waste carrier may provide their own documentation, the legal duty of care for producing a waste transfer note sits with the business that produces the waste. You must ensure a valid WTN exists for every collection and keep copies for at least 2 years.

Get your commercial waste compliance sorted in 60 seconds

Create compliant waste transfer notes for every collection — free to start.

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No sign-up needed for one-off notes · 2-year cloud storage on paid plans · DEFRA 2026 ready