What paperwork do you get when waste fuel is collected?
In brief
Every collection travels with a consignment note for waste fuel: a hazardous waste consignment note in England and Wales, or a special waste consignment note in Scotland. You complete the producer's part, sign it and keep your copy. Producers in England keep these records for three years. Call 07950 582635 or send an enquiry.
What a consignment note for waste fuel records
- Who produced the waste and where it is being collected from.
- A description of the waste and its code, for example 13 07 03* for mixed fuel.
- The quantity, the containers and the hazardous properties.
- The registered waste carrier collecting it.
- The site it is going to, which must be permitted to accept it.
- Signatures from you, the carrier and the receiving site.
In England, the producer fills in the parts that apply to them, keeps one copy and gives two copies to the carrier. The note stays with the waste until it reaches its destination.
How it differs in Wales and Scotland
Wales uses its own consignment note under Welsh rules. A business in Wales that produces or stores more than 500 kg of hazardous waste a year must also register with Natural Resources Wales every 12 months; England dropped producer registration in 2016.
In Scotland the note is a special waste consignment note with a unique code issued by SEPA. It is required for special waste produced in Scotland wherever in the UK it is going, and some movements must also be notified to SEPA in advance.
Keeping your records
Producers in England keep their copies of consignment notes, and the consignee returns they receive from the site that took the waste, for three years at the premises that produced or stored it. Keep them together, in date order, where an inspector can see them.
Does digital waste tracking replace the note?
Not yet. Since 1 October 2026, permitted sites receiving waste in England and Wales also record it on the government's Digital Waste Tracking service, but consignment notes still have to be completed alongside it for now. See digital waste tracking for dismantlers.
More questions
Who supplies the consignment note?
In England the note can come from your waste contractor, as long as it holds the required information. On a City Fuel Services collection, the note is completed with you on the day.
Do I need a consignment note for a small amount of fuel?
Yes. Drained fuel is hazardous waste whatever the quantity, so each movement needs a note.
How long should I keep consignment notes?
Producers in England keep them for three years. Keep consignee returns with them.
Official guidance: GOV.UK: hazardous waste; Natural Resources Wales: completing a consignment note; SEPA: special waste.