OpenLegislation

Section 34 Duty of care etc. as respects waste.I1C1E1C2

England and Wales

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

Subject to subsection (2) below, it shall be the duty of any person who imports, produces, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste or, F1as a dealer or broker, has control of such waste, to take all such measures applicable to him in that capacity as are reasonable in the circumstances—

(a)

to prevent any contravention by any other person of section 33 above;

F2(aa)

to prevent any contravention by any other person of regulation 12 of F3the Environmental Permitting Regulations or of a condition of an environmental permit;

(b)

to prevent the escape of the waste from his control or that of any other person; and

C3(c)

on the transfer of the waste, to secure—

(i)

that the transfer is only to an authorised person or to a person for authorised transport purposes; and

(ii)

that there is transferred such a written description of the waste as will enable other persons to avoid a contravention of that section F4or regulation 12 of F5the Environmental Permitting Regulations, or a contravention of a condition of an environmental permit, and to comply with the duty under this subsection as respects the escape of waste.

F6(1A)

It shall be the duty of any person who is responsible for the management of extractive waste to take all such measures applicable to him in that capacity as are reasonable in the circumstances —

(a)

to prevent any contravention by any other person of section 33 above;

(b)

to prevent any contravention by another person of regulation 12 of F7the Environmental Permitting Regulations or of a condition of an environmental permit; and

(c)

to prevent the escape of the waste from his control or that of any other person.

(2)

The duty imposed by subsection (1) above does not apply to an occupier of domestic property as respects the household waste produced on the property.

F8(2A)

It shall be the duty of the occupier of any domestic property in England F9or Wales to take all such measures available to him as are reasonable in the circumstances to secure that any transfer by him of household waste produced on the property is only to an authorised person or to a person for authorised transport purposes.

(3)

The following are authorised persons for the F10purposes of subsections (1)(c) and (2A) above—

(a)

any authority which is a waste collection authority for the purposes of this Part;

(b)

any person who is the holder of a waste management licence under section 35 below or of a disposal licence under section 5 of the Control M1of Pollution Act 1974;

(c)

any person to whom section 33(1) above does not apply by virtue of regulations under subsection (3) of that section F11or by virtue of regulations under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999;

(d)

any person registered as a carrier of controlled waste under section 2 of M2 the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989;

(e)

any person who is not required to be so registered by virtue of regulations under section 1(3) of that Act; and

(f)

a waste disposal authority in Scotland.

F12(3A)

The Secretary of State may by regulations amend subsection (3) above so as to add, whether generally or in such circumstances as may be prescribed in the regulations, any person specified in the regulations, or any description of person so specified, to the persons who are authorised persons for the purposes of F13subsections (1)(c) and (2A) above.

(4)

The following are authorised transport purposes for the purposes of F14subsections (1)(c) and (2A) above—

(a)

the transport of controlled waste within the same premises between different places in those premises;

(b)

the transport to a place in Great Britain of controlled waste which has been brought from a country or territory outside Great Britain not having been landed in Great Britain until it arrives at that place; and

(c)

the transport by air or sea of controlled waste from a place in Great Britain to a place outside Great Britain;

and “transport” has the same meaning in this subsection as in the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.

F15(4A)

For the purposes of subsection (1)(c)(ii) above—

(a)

a transfer of waste in stages shall be treated as taking place when the first stage of the transfer takes place, and

(b)

a series of transfers between the same parties of waste of the same description shall be treated as a single transfer taking place when the first of the transfers in the series takes place.

(5)

The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make provision imposing requirements on any person who is subject to the duty imposed by subsection (1) above as respects the making and retention of documents and the furnishing of documents or copies of documents.

(6)

Any person who fails to comply with the duty imposed by subsection (1) F16, (1A) F17or (2A) above or with any requirement imposed under subsection (5) above shall be liable—

(a)

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; and

(b)

on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(7)

The Secretary of State shall, after consultation with such persons or bodies as appear to him representative of the interests concerned, prepare and issue a code of practice for the purpose of providing to persons practical guidance on how to discharge the duty imposed on them by subsection (1) above.

(8)

The Secretary of State may from time to time revise a code of practice issued under subsection (7) above by revoking, amending or adding to the provisions of the code.

(9)

F18A code of practice prepared in pursuance of subsection (7) above shall be laid

F19(a)

before both Houses of Parliament F20; or

(b)

if it relates only to Scotland before the Scottish Parliament.

(10)

A code of practice issued under subsection (7) above shall be admissible in evidence and if any provision of such a code appears to the court to be relevant to any question arising in the proceedings it shall be taken into account in determining that question.

(11)

Different codes of practice may be prepared and issued under subsection (7) above for different areas.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in s. 34(1) substituted (E.W.) (29.3.2011) by The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/988), reg. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 3(3) (with regs. 2, 47(2))

F2

S. 34(1)(aa) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2008) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3538), reg. 73, Sch. 21 para. 8(2) (with reg. 72, Sch. 4)

F3

Words in s. 34(1)(aa) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2010) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/675), regs. 1(1)(b), 107, Sch. 26 para. 5(4)(b) (with Sch. 4)

F4

Words in s. 34(1)(c)(ii) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2008) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3538), reg. 73, Sch. 21, para. 8(3) (with reg. 72, Sch. 4)

F5

Words in s. 34(1)(c)(ii) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2010) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/675), regs. 1(1)(b), 107, Sch. 26 para. 5(4)(b) (with Sch. 4)

F6

S. 34(1A) inserted (E.W.) (7.7.2009) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1799), reg. 28, Sch. 2 para. 1(6)(a)

F7

Words in s. 34(1A)(b) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2010) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/675), regs. 1(1)(b), 107, Sch. 26 para. 5(4)(b) (with Sch. 4)

F8

S. 34(2A) inserted (E.W.) (21.11.2005) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2900), reg. 2(2)

F9

Words in s. 34(2A) inserted (26.1.2006) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/123), reg. 2(1)

F10

Words in s. 34(3) substituted (E.W.) (21.11.2005) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2900), reg. 2(3)

F11

Words in s. 34(3)(c) inserted (E.W.) (29.3.2011) by The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/988), reg. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 3(4) (with regs. 2, 47(2))

F12

S. 34(3A) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1), Sch. 22 para. 65 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F13

Words in s. 34(3A) substituted (E.W.) (21.11.2005) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2900), reg. 2(4)

F14

Words in s. 34(4) substituted (E.W.) (21.11.2005) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2900), reg. 2(5)

F15

S. 34(4A) inserted (retrospectively) by 1994 c. 40, s. 33(1) (with s. 33(2))

F16

Words in s. 34(6) inserted (E.W.) (7.7.2009) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1799), reg. 28, Sch. 2 para. 1(6)(b)

F17

Words in s. 34(6) inserted (E.W.) (21.11.2005) by The Waste (Household Waste Duty of Care) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2900), reg. 2(6)

F18

Word in s. 34(9) substituted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1820, art. 4, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 102(2)(a)

F19

S. 34(9): “(a)” inserted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1820, art. 4, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 102(2)(b)

F20

S. 34(9)(b) and the word “or” immediately preceding it inserted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1820, art. 4, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 102(2)(c)

Marginal citations

M1

1974 c. 40.

M2

1989 c. 14.

Modifications

C1

S. 34 restricted (E.) (13.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1478, reg. 3(b)

C2

Ss. 33-34C applied (29.3.2011) by The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/988), regs. 1(2), 47(3) (with regs. 2, 47(2))

C3

S. 34(1)(c) extended (27.7.1999) by 1999 c. 24, s. 4(6)(e)(8)

Commencement

I1

S. 34 wholly in force at 1.4.1992; s.34 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 164(3); s. 34(5)(7)-(9)(11) in force at 13.12.1991; s. 34(1)-(4)(6)(10) in force at 1.4.1992 by S.I. 1991/2829, arts. 2, 4

Extent

E1

This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only

Notes on Part II

Modifications

C1

Pt. II (ss. 29-78) amended: (1.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/588, reg. 8; (1.5.1994) by S.I. 1994/1056, regs. 1(3), 19, Sch. 4 para. 9 (as amended (E.W.) (15.5.3006) by S.I. 2006/937, reg. 6(10)(a))

Pt. II (ss. 29-78) modified: (1.2.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 5(5)(e) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117) and S.I. 1996/186, art.2; (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 33(5)(e) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Pt. II (ss. 29-78): certain functions transferred on transfer date (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, ss. 2(1)(b)(ii), 21(1)(b)(ii), 56(1) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3, S.I. 1995/2649, art. 2 and S.I. 1995/1983, art. 2 (by which respectively s. 56 is in force from 28.7.1995, s. 21 is in force from 12.10.1995 and s. 2 is in force from 1.4.1996); S.I. 1996/136, art. 2; S.I. 1996/234), art. 2 (specifying transfer date)

Pt. II (ss. 29-78) extended (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(2), Sch. 23 para. 13 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

C2

Pt. 2 modified (S.) (27.3.2011) by The Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (S.S.I. 2011/228), reg. 1(1), sch. 4 para. 11 (with regs. 31-33)

C3

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by The Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/811), regs. 1(3), 5

Commencement

I1

Pt. II partly in force at 31.5.1991 see s. 164(3) and S.I. 1991/1319, art. 2

Pt. II partly in force at 13.12.1991 and for certain purposes at 01.04.1992 by S.I.1991/2829, arts. 2, 4.

Pt. II: power to make corresponding provisions conferred (27.7.1999) by 1999 c. 24, s. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 20(1)(a)