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What's the difference between upper and lower tiers?

A person or organisation will be lower tier if they:

  • only carry waste they produced in the course of carrying out their business unless it is construction or demolition waste
  • only carry (carrier), arrange (broker) or deal (dealer) in:
    • animal by-products
    • waste from mines and quarries
    • waste from agricultural premises
  • are a charity or voluntary organisation

A lower tier carrier may also include a waste collection, disposal or regulation authority.

If none of the lower tier criteria apply, a person or organisation will be in the upper tier. Key examples are if a business:

  • transports other people's waste, like a skip company
  • carries construction and demolition waste
  • arranges for waste from other businesses’ to be transported, recovered or disposed of (broker)
  • buys or sells waste, or uses an agent to do so (dealer)

Scotland and Wales

Carriers and brokers registered in Scotland (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) or Wales (Natural Resources Wales) are also authorised to operate in England.