Trade access to Community Recycling Centres

What is a Community Recycling Centre (CRC) Trade Access Permit?

A Community Recycling Centre (CRC) Trade Access Permit allows businesses to dispose of waste and recycling at our Community Recycling Centres.

The permit covers waste and recycling produced by the permit holder. It cannot be used by waste management companies to dispose of third-party waste.

Waste management companies are businesses whose core activities include collecting commercial or household waste using skips, refuse collection vehicles or any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes.

Businesses without a permit cannot dispose of waste at our Community Recycling Centres.

Refer to the "How much waste am I permitted to dispose of and what are the load sizes?” section below for information about the types and volumes of waste that can be disposed of under this permit system.

How does the permit work?

You can buy a permit book containing five or 10 tickets online, by calling Customer Advice and Support on 0300 100 1800, or by visiting one of our libraries or contact centres.

Permit books are available for different waste types and load sizes.

You must take your permit book with you each time you visit a Community Recycling Centre. If you do not have your permit book, you will be turned away.

When you arrive, tell the site attendant that you are using a permit. They will check that your waste matches the permit type and load size shown on your ticket.

One ticket must be removed from the book for each load deposited. The ticket must be signed by both you and the site attendant.

The tickets act as a Waste Transfer Note for the purposes of Section 34 (Duty of Care) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Keep the top part of your ticket book for your records and retain it for at least two years. This is required to meet your duty of care.

Some items covered by the Electrical Household Clearance Permit are classified as hazardous waste. You must provide a Special Waste Consignment Note (SWCN) each time you dispose of these items. Refer to the section below for more information.

What types of permits do you offer?

We offer four types of CRC Trade Access Permit, each with different load size options:

Recycling Permit

Allows businesses to dispose of dry mixed recyclables, such as paper, cardboard, cans and plastics, in line with the current kerbside collection service. It also covers scrap metal, green waste and wood.

Tickets are available for small, medium and large loads.

Recycling and General Waste Permit

Allows businesses to dispose of green waste, rubble, soil and stones, general waste, dry mixed recyclables, such as paper, cardboard, cans and plastics, in line with the current kerbside collection service. It also covers scrap metal and wood.

Tickets are available for small, medium and large loads.

Please note that disposal of rubble, soil and stones is limited to the equivalent of one small load per day and cannot be accepted at Selkirk CRC.

Charity Disposing of Donated Household Goods Permit

Allows charities to dispose of donated household goods that cannot be reused or recycled. This includes wood, such as furniture, scrap metal, general waste, domestic Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), batteries, books, CDs and textiles.

Domestic WEEE includes computers, white goods, fluorescent tubes, light bulbs, televisions and monitors.

Tickets are available for small, medium and large loads.

Electrical Household Clearance Permit

Allows businesses carrying out house clearances to dispose of domestic Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) obtained during those clearances.

This includes computers, white goods, televisions, monitors and small electrical items.

Tickets are available for small loads only.

One ticket allows the disposal of:

• one fridge
• one freezer
• one fridge freezer
• one cooker
• one dishwasher
• one washing machine
• multiple small electrical items

How much waste am I permitted to dispose of and what are the load sizes?

Permits for Recycling Waste, Recycling and General Waste, and Charity Disposing of Donated Household Goods are available in small, medium and large load sizes.

You can dispose of a maximum of one large load per day.

Electrical Household Clearance Permits are available in small load sizes only. One ticket allows the disposal of multiple small electrical items or one large electrical item, such as a fridge, freezer, fridge freezer, cooker, dishwasher or washing machine.

Selkirk CRC accepts small loads only.

Information about permit sizes is provided below. For permit purposes, a sack is defined as a 30-litre hessian sack or waste of an equivalent volume. An example is shown at the end of this section.

Site attendants will use their judgement to determine the load size.

1. Small: equivalent of one to four sacks, one small bedside cabinet or one door
2. Medium: equivalent of five to nine sacks, two bedside cabinets or two doors
3. Large: equivalent of 10 to 15 sacks, three bedside cabinets or three doors

What happens if I have more waste than my permit allows?

You can dispose of a maximum of one large load per day.

If you have a small or medium permit and your load is larger than expected, you can use additional tickets to cover the load:

• Two small tickets for a medium load
• Three small tickets for a large load
• Two medium tickets for a large load

If your waste exceeds the load size covered by your permit, the site attendant will ask you to provide additional tickets.

You cannot use two large tickets to cover a full van and trailer.

Any waste that exceeds the permitted load size will be turned away at the Community Recycling Centre. Misuse of the permit system may result in your permit being withdrawn.

How much are the permits for 2025-26?

Recycling Permit

• Small load: £9.24 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £46.20)
• Medium load: £13.90 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £69.50)
• Large load: £17.40 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £87.00)

Recycling and General Waste Permit

• Small load: £17.20 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £86.00)
• Medium load: £30.20 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £151.00)
• Large load: £41.60 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £208.00)

Charity Disposing of Donated Household Goods Permit

• Small load: £3.10 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £15.50)
• Medium load: £5.70 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £28.50)
• Large load: £8.80 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £44.00)

Electrical Household Clearance Permit

• Small load: £3.10 per ticket (minimum purchase of five tickets: £15.50)

How do I apply?

You can apply online using the Trade Access Permit application form, by visiting one of our contact centres to use a public computer, or by calling Customer Advice and Support on 0300 100 1800.

View the contact centre opening times.

When applying for a permit, you will need:

• your Waste Carrier Registration Number or Professional Transporter and Carrier of Waste registration number
• your business's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
• a credit or debit card

Further information about SIC codes and waste carrier registration is provided below.

What is a Waste Carrier Registration or Professional Transporter and Carrier of Waste registration, and how do I register?

Businesses must register with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as either a waste carrier or a professional transporter and carrier of waste before they can transport waste.

Registration as a professional transporter and carrier of waste is free. A Waste Carrier's Licence costs £261 and is valid for three years.

Many businesses using the Community Recycling Centre Trade Access Permit scheme will be eligible for the free professional transporter and carrier of waste registration.

For information about registering, visit the SEPA waste carriers and brokers webpage or contact SEPA:

• Telephone: 0300 099 6699
• Scottish Borders office: Burnbrae, Mossilee Road, Galashiels, TD1 1NF
• Telephone: 01896 754797

Once registered, you will receive a registration number to use when applying for a Community Recycling Centre Trade Access Permit.

What is a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code and where can I find it?

A Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code describes the main activities of your business.

You can find a list of SIC codes on the Companies House SIC codes webpage.

If your business is registered with Companies House, you will have selected one or more SIC codes as part of the registration process.

What is a Special Waste Consignment Note (SWCN), and how do I get one? 

A Special Waste Consignment Note (SWCN) is required when transporting hazardous waste.

The following hazardous waste items are accepted at our Community Recycling Centres under the Electrical Household Clearance Permit. No other hazardous waste items are accepted.

• Fluorescent tubes and low-energy light bulbs (excluding LED bulbs)
• Cathode ray tube (CRT), plasma and LCD televisions
• Laptop computers, tablets and mobile phones with screens
• Fridges and freezers
• White goods with hazardous components, such as washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers
• Mixed unsorted batteries (excluding vehicle batteries)

You can buy a SWCN from a Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) office or through the SEPA special waste webpage.

Scottish Borders office:

• Burnbrae, Mossilee Road, Galashiels, TD1 1NF
• Telephone: 01896 754797

How long are permits awarded for?

Permits are valid for one year from the date of issue.

How long does it take to receive my permit?

Once payment has been received, your permit will be posted within five working days.

Can I cancel my permit?

No. Permits are non-refundable.

What size is the permit?

The permit booklet is A5 in size and is available in books of five or 10 tickets. Each booklet includes a hologram for security purposes.

Where is my nearest Community Recycling Centre?

We currently have seven Community Recycling Centres that accept trade waste permits:

• Duns
• Eyemouth
• Galashiels
• Hawick
• Kelso
• Eshiels (Peebles)
• Selkirk

Please note that Selkirk CRC accepts small loads only.

For locations and opening times, visit the find a recycling centre webpage.

When can I visit the CRC/when can I use my permit?

Trade access hours are shown below.

Trade access opening hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 10am to 1.15pm and 2pm to 4.45pm
• Saturday: 9am to 1.15pm

During summer late-night openings, sites are open until 6.45pm.

Trade access is not permitted on Saturday afternoons or Sundays.

Trade vehicles are not permitted to access Community Recycling Centres outside these times.

If you are using a trailer or large van, you must book a visit online using the Community Recycling Centre booking form or call 0300 100 1800.

How many vehicles can I purchase a permit for?

You can register up to four vehicles per permit.

What vehicles will be permitted/not permitted?

Permits are available only for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of up to 3.5 tonnes.

The following vehicles are permitted:

• Cars
• Estate cars
• Car-derived vans
• Microvans and minivans
• Pick-ups and flatbed vehicles
• Small panel vans
• Transit vans
• Four-wheel drive vehicles (4x4s)

The following vehicles are not permitted:

• Horseboxes
• Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes
• Agricultural vehicles, such as tractors
• Motorhomes
• Tipper vehicles
• Vehicles with tail-lifts
• Caravans
• Horse trailers

Can I change my vehicle or use a hired vehicle?

Permits are valid only for the vehicles registered at the time of purchase.

If you are temporarily using a hired vehicle because your usual vehicle is unavailable, you can continue to use your permit. You must bring your vehicle hire documentation and show it to the site attendant when you visit the Community Recycling Centre.

What items are not accepted under the Trade Access Permit?

Only the waste types covered by your permit will be accepted.

We do not accept:

• Hazardous waste, including asbestos, tyres, clinical waste and chemicals
• Waste upholstered domestic seating (WUDS) containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
• Liquid waste

If you are disposing of general waste, you must comply with the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003.

Refer to the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003 guidance for more information.

If you are unsure whether a material is accepted, contact the Trade Waste team before visiting a Community Recycling Centre.

Can the accepted items covered by the permit change?

We reserve the right to change the list of materials that can be disposed of under the permit. We will give at least 14 days' notice of any changes.

Businesses will be notified by email.

Where can I dispose of large quantities of waste?

If your business produces more waste than the daily limit allowed at a Community Recycling Centre, you should arrange a commercial waste collection or use the weighbridge facility.

These services are charged separately each time they are used.

What are the Terms and Conditions of the Permit?

You can view the Community Recycling Centre Trade Access Permit Terms and Conditions on our website.

What happens if my permit is lost, damaged or stolen?

Unfortunately, permits are non-refundable and cannot be replaced if they are lost, damaged or stolen.

Who do I contact if I have been turned away from a Community Recycling Centre?

If you have been turned away from a Community Recycling Centre, contact the Trade Waste team using the contact details provided below.

My business is based outside the Scottish Borders. Can I apply for a permit?

Permits are intended for businesses based in the Scottish Borders.

However, if your business is carrying out work in the Scottish Borders, you may be able to purchase a permit. Contact us to discuss your circumstances.

What is a Duty of Care Waste Transfer Note?

As a business, you have a legal duty of care to ensure that your waste is produced, stored, transported and disposed of without harming the environment.

You are responsible for your waste until it is transferred to an authorised person. You must store, transport and manage your waste safely and securely. You must also ensure that anyone who handles your waste is authorised to do so.

Duty of Care legislation requires all waste transfers to be recorded using a Waste Transfer Note. This helps track the movement of waste.

Your permit and the attached tickets act as a Waste Transfer Note for Duty of Care purposes.

Can someone else use my permit?

No. The permit can only be used by the business that purchased it.

The permit acts as both proof of your duty of care responsibilities and permission to use a Community Recycling Centre.

I have not received my permit. What should I do?

If you have not received your permit, contact the Trade Waste team on 0300 100 1800 and we will investigate.

I want to contact the Trade Waste team directly

Contact the Trade Waste team:

Trade Waste
Neighbourhood Services
Council Headquarters
Newtown St Boswells
TD6 0SA

Telephone: 01835 825111

Email: tradewaste@scotborders.gov.uk