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How does the Waste Carriers/Brokers Registration affect tree surgeons, forestry contractors and woodmen?

The Waste Carriers/Brokers Registration is the ticket that allows you to carry waste from one site to another. Even a branch or a shovel of chippings is considered waste. It cost £136.00 for 3 years from the Environment Agency environment-agency.gov.uk and is a guard against a possible £5000.00 fine.

Like most things, it is not simple and it turns out on different days and situations you may or may not need it. Here is an extract from what the Environment Agency sent me about it.

If the tree surgeon is asked to cut and remove a tree, or have been given a course of action to take by someone else, then the tree surgeon is not the waste producer as the decision has been taken by another person. The tree surgeon is required to register as a waste carrier.

If the tree surgeon takes away trees or branches which have been cut down by someone else, then they are required to register as a waste carrier as they are not the waste producer.

If a tree surgeon is given the responsibility to decide when and where to cut and remove trees, for example, a large scale (regular) maintenance contract, then the tree surgeon does not need to register as a waste carrier. In this instance the tree surgeon is making the decision that produces the waste.

If you intend to burn wood, bark or any other plant matter at your premises you will need a waste management licence unless the activity is covered by an exemption from waste management licensing. The burning of these materials is only allowed under the exemption if the burning is on the site where the waste was produced and less than 10 tonnes are burnt in 24 hours.

So basically to be on the safe side it is advisable to get one, as irksome it may be.