Additional information for transfer station operators

Transfer station means a facility:

(a) that contains a designated receiving area where waste is received; and

(b) from which waste or any material derived from that waste is:

(i) transferred to a final disposal site; or

(ii) transferred elsewhere for further processing; and

c) that does not itself provide long-term storage for waste or material derived from that waste.

Based on the guidance we provide, we encourage you to come to your own conclusion as to whether your facility meets the definition of a transfer station (rather than us deciding one way or the other). The reason for this is that you have more complete information than we do about how your facility(ies) operate(s).

We have some possible scenarios below – they are examples only and are not exclusive. Please note that the definition requires all three elements (a) (b)(i) or (ii) and c) to be met for a facility to be classified as a transfer station.

For a facility that consolidates all material and sends it on to another transfer station

You could consider the components of the regulations as follows.

• The site has a designated receiving area where waste is received - in line with part (a) of the definition in the regulations.
• Waste is not transferred from the site to a final disposal site (because it is transferred to another transfer station) – so it does not fit (b)(i) from the definition.
• Waste is not transferred elsewhere for further processing – so it does not fit part (b)(ii) of the definition.
• Whether the site provides for long-term storage for waste or other materials - in line with part c) of the definition.

For a facility that consolidates waste to another transfer station, but recycling goes elsewhere

You could consider the components of the regulations as follows.

• Whether the site has a designated receiving area where waste is received - in line with part (a) of the definition in the regulations.
• Whether waste is transferred from the site to a final disposal site (part (b)(i)and/or waste or material derived from that waste is transferred elsewhere for further processing (part (b)(ii)).
• Whether the site provides for long-term storage for waste or other materials - in line with part c) of the definition.

Community resource centres and material recovery facilities

You should consider how the regulations may apply. 

For example, community resource centres may also generate some waste (as a by-product of consolidating materials for recycling or reuse).

However, in general, these sites do not include a designated receiving area for waste, in which case such facilities are not considered to be transfer stations for the purpose of these regulations.

It is important to note that some community resource centres will also be transfer stations as it is dependent on how they operate. For instance, some are set up to deal solely with recycling, while others have both a waste collection and a recycling collection role.

The person in control of the facility is responsible for keeping records and providing information. In most instances, the owner of the transfer station would register the facility in the Online Waste Levy System (OWLS) and add any contractors as a user to their account. This would ensure that if the contractor managing the site changed, all information pertaining to a facility would remain accessible in the system.

However, if a transfer station is operated by a contractor or there are multiple owners, it is up to the relevant parties to decide who is responsible for registering and reporting in the OWLS, which should be the person in control of the facility. If a contractor registers the sites, being added as a user to each facility in the OWLS would be a good option to ensure an owner can retain an overview of reporting.

If you have received an email from MfE stating that we have your transfer station(s) on record that does not mean that your transfer station(s) are automatically registered in the OWLS – you will still need to do this. All transfer stations must be registered in the OWLS before 1 January 2022.

The levy is only paid on materials disposed of at disposal facilities and does not apply to transfer stations. However, from 1 January 2022 transfer stations have obligations under the Waste Minimisation (Information Requirements) Regulations 2021.

From 1 January transfer stations must report on the waste they receive. This data is useful from a monitoring perspective (eg, if MfE is receiving differing reports from transfer stations and landfills on the tonnages they are receiving/processing, it could mean some waste is going to a disposal site that is not currently registered in the OWLS.)

In the future, further regulations may be developed to set requirements for reporting on broad categories of activity that generate the waste they receive (ie, if the waste has been generated by households, businesses or construction and demolition activity for example).

Transfer stations are an important piece of this picture, since they consolidate waste to send on to landfills (meaning a landfill may not know what activities have generated the waste they receive). The waste minimisation regulations require the information to be recorded by the facility, so consolidated data from multiple transfer stations cannot be submitted at once. Each transfer station must be registered separately, and individual returns are to be filed per facility.

Record-keeping requirements and measuring tonnages

‘Records required from operators’ as described in the information requirement regulations can be found here, and what must be measured can be found here.

An operator must measure:

(a) the tonnage of the waste or diverted material as measured;

Gross tonnage: the total tonnage of waste or diverted material that enters the facility

Diverted tonnage: the tonnage of waste or diverted material that enters the facility but is reused, recycled or removed from the facility within six months of it arriving

These tonnages are used to calculate net tonnage, which is the gross tonnage minus diverted tonnage.

Site operators are also required to keep records of:

• (b) how it was measured (eg, weighbridge at the facility or elsewhere; conversion factor; or average tonnage (using approved average tonnage system) and
• c) the date or date range* the waste or diverted material entered the facility; and
• (d) the date and time the tonnage of the waste or diverted material was measured; and
• (e) if an off-site weighbridge was used, the weighbridge ticket issued for that weighbridge and the registration plate details of the motor vehicle that carried the waste or diverted material to the facility; and
• (f) if a conversion factor was used, the volume of the waste or diverted material as assessed; how the volume was measured (ie by measuring or by estimating it); and the conversion factor applied to the waste or diverted material; and
• (g) If an average tonnage system was used, the type of motor vehicle in which the waste or diverted material was carried.

Although weighing material as it comes in would be ideal, we acknowledge that this may be operationally challenging. Material does not need to be weighed in on the day to meet the requirements.

The operator must keep those records for at least 7 years after they have been made.

* Date range applies only for facilities with approval for annual reporting.

For a transfer station that collects more than 1000 net tonnes per year

To meet the record-keeping requirements detailed under Part 1 (5), we suggest listing the dates that the waste/recycling entered the transfer station before it was ‘weighed out.’ This can be all the dates that the transfer station was open during the period.

For a transfer station that collects less than 1000 net tonnes per year

To meet the record-keeping requirements detailed under Part 1 (5) once you have registered the sites with the OWLS, you could consider seeking approval to submit annual returns for those transfer stations that collect less than 1000 net tonnes per year.

If approved, this would allow you to provide the period during which the waste or diverted material entered the facility rather than having to list all the dates.

Note that operators must submit the first two quarterly returns as annual approval is only available for the 2022/23 financial year onwards.

Applications for annual reporting

Operators are required to submit the first two quarterly returns (due 20th April 2022 and 20th July 2022) before they apply to submit annual returns.

If the expected tonnage of your facility for the financial year is 1000 net tonnes or less, an application to file an annual return can be made through the OWLS. An application must be submitted by 20 July of the financial year the application relates to. A decision will be made by 1 August of the same year. For example, if you wish to submit an annual return for the 2022/23 financial year, your application would be due on 20 July 2022.